Ever dreamed of a life full of cannoli, pasta alla norma and granita brioche? Turning this dream into a reality might be more achievable than you think thanks to the Sicilian town of Sambuca di Sicilia (68 kilometres from Palermo) is putting a batch of 12 abandoned houses on sale for just three euros. 

This isn’t the first time Sambuca di Sicilia has attracted investors and foreigners to its dwindling town by selling off homes in need of some TLC for just a few euros in hopes of reviving the economy. In 2019 the town made headlines when it announced that 16 run-down homes were up for sale for one euro. Just two years later, in 2021 the town put a second batch of homes on the market for just two euros.

But there is a catch to purchasing these estates.

The homes that go up for auction will be sold to the highest bidder and those bidding are required to pay a deposit of 5,000 euros, which will be returned if they lose the bid. In the previous sales, houses were sold at prices between 1 and 25,000 euros, with most going for between 5,000 euros to 10,000 euros. The rules of the scheme require buyers to have completed renovation work on their homes within three years, or risk losing their deposit guarantee. 

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Depending on the condition of the property, renovations usually start at 30,000 euros for a simple makeover, but can rise to over 200,000 euros if buyers plan to turn the house into a luxury retreat or B&B.

Through the scheme new shops and B&Bs have opened and contracts with builders, architects and interior designers have injected an estimated 20 million euro in Sambuca di Sicilia since 2019. 

This Sicilian town isn’t the first to benefit from foreigners taking advantage of these schemes. Castropignano in the southern region of Molise that sold homes in the mediaeval town for just one euro and Maenza, just outside of Rome, followed suit in 2021 selling homes for just one euro. 

Picturing yourself living your best la dolce vita life? You can find photos and descriptions of the available homes as well as application forms on the town hall’s website.

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