Officials in Sambuca, in Sicily, seek to revive depopulated town – but there’s a catch

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

British house prices may be falling, but you would still be hard-pressed to find a cheaper property than those on sale in one Sicilian town, where homes are going for as little as €1.

Dozens of properties have been put up for sale in Sambuca, a hilltop town with stunning views across the Mediterranean island, for less than the price of a takeaway coffee.

The deal is a bid to revive an area that has undergone depopulation in recent years, with residents moving to bigger cities.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Buyers of the houses in Sambuca must commit to spending at least €15,000 on refurbishments. Photograph: Simone Padovani/Awakening/Alamy Stock Photo

According to local officials, anyone interested can more or less make a purchase straight away.

“As opposed to other towns that have merely done this for propaganda, this city hall owns all €1 houses on sale,” Giuseppe Cacioppo, Sambuca’s deputy mayor and tourist councillor, told CNN. “We’re not intermediaries who liaise between old and new owners. You want that house, you’ll get it [in] no time.”

There is a catch, though – new owners must commit to refurbishing their property within three years, at a cost starting from €15,000 (£13,200), and will need a €5,000 security deposit. This will be returned once the refurbishment is complete.

But buyers won’t be disappointed, according to Cacioppo.

“Sambuca is known as the ‘city of splendor’,” he added. “This fertile patch of land is dubbed the ‘earthly paradise’. We’re located inside a nature reserve, packed with history. Gorgeous beaches, woods and mountains surround us. It’s silent and peaceful, an idyllic retreat for a detox stay.”

With the population dwindling, Cacioppo said the town needs outsiders to prevent it from going under.

Why Italy regrets its Faustian pact with tourist cash Read more

“We can’t afford to lose our lovely Arab heritage. Luckily, foreigners are lending a hand in this rescue crusade,” he said.

The two-storey dwellings are built with reddish-pink stone and feature courtyards, palm gardens and arcaded entrances. It is also possible to see Sicily’s Mount Etna volcano on days when the sky is clear enough.