I ran the numbers the first time this scheme was floated in Sicily. Three real-estate investing friends and I all go in on multiple properties. Renovate them (as per the terms of the contract. It's not just toss a Euro at the mayor and get the key.) These houses are small, crumbling and ancient. But they have to be restored -- not torn down and rebuilt.
Then assemble the multiple units into a B&B. Each of us would live on site for a quarter each year and manage the B&B (it worked out that each of us wanted a different season).
Breaking even would take somewhere near 50 years. And have fun trying to get anything done in Sardinia or Sicily. It's not like driving to Home Depot with a list of supplies.
We decided against it.