{"id":32778,"date":"2025-04-15T11:27:13","date_gmt":"2025-04-15T09:27:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magictowns.it\/?p=32778"},"modified":"2026-03-05T10:18:16","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T09:18:16","slug":"italys-1-euro-homes-opportunite-ou-illusion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magictowns.it\/fr\/italys-1-euro-homes-opportunity-or-illusion\/","title":{"rendered":"Les maisons italiennes \u00e0 1 euro : Opportunit\u00e9 ou illusion ?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

“One euro homes” – are they worth it? We get this question all the time. Buying a house in Italy for the price of an espresso sounds like a fantasy, but dozens of towns have launched \u201c1 euro homes\u201d programmes over the past decade. These schemes offer abandoned houses for a symbolic \u20ac1 (or similar token sums) to attract newcomers. The initiative began in the late 2010s to revive depopulated villages<\/strong>: local authorities facilitate the transfer of derelict properties (often inherited and left vacant) to buyers willing to renovate them. In return, the buyers must commit to bringing these buildings back to life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As attractive the idea might sound, this undoubtedly great marketing headline comes with lots, and lots, of catches<\/strong>. Mindful that plenty of “relocation advisers” and e-book sellers have been getting great business from remarketing the “One euro homes” initiatives, we are setting out today to provide an objective, in-depth look at how the \u20ac1 homes scheme works, which towns are involved, the fine print of such deals, and whether they truly deliver value \u2013 all with practical advice for expats drawn by the allure of la dolce vita in Italy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Are \u20ac1 Homes and Why Do They Exist?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The \u201cCase a 1 Euro\u201d<\/strong> programme (case <\/em>meaning \u201chouses\u201d in Italian) was launched by a number of small Italian towns<\/a> around 2017 as a strategy to combat severe depopulation and urban decay<\/strong> in certain areas. For decades, many young Italians from rural towns – especially in the South where jobs are often not readily available<\/a> – have migrated to cities or abroad in search of jobs, leaving behind aging parents and empty family homes. In some cases, properties fell to the local municipality because owners either died with no heirs or simply abandoned the houses to avoid property taxes and upkeep costs<\/strong>. Entire historic quarters in quaint towns are slowly turning into crumbling ghost villages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Local governments saw an opportunity: give away these unwanted houses<\/strong> to anyone willing to invest in fixing them up and, ideally, settle in town. The \u20ac1 price tag is essentially a symbolic gesture and marketing hook \u2013 the real goal is to attract investment, new residents and tourism to rejuvenate the local economy. It looks like a win-win: former owners are relieved of liabilities, and towns get fresh blood and renovated homes at virtually no public cost. In Gangi<\/a> (Sicily), one of the first towns to try it, over 100 abandoned properties were sold to foreigners, generating an economic revival and global publicity for the town<\/strong>. Construction businesses got new work, and the medieval center was restored from ruins into habitable homes. What started as a quirky idea in a handful of Sicilian villages has since spread across Italy, earning headlines worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where in Italy Can You Buy a \u20ac1 House?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The \u20ac1 home phenomenon began in the south of Italy<\/strong> and Sicily<\/strong>, which remain the hotspots, but it has gradually expanded north. Sicily is the epicentre<\/strong> \u2013 numerous Sicilian comuni<\/em> (municipalities) have active \u20ac1 house schemes. Meanwhile, several areas in Sardinia<\/strong>, Calabria<\/strong>, Campania<\/strong>, Molise<\/strong>, Abruzzo<\/strong>, Piedmont<\/strong>, and even one city in Puglia<\/strong> have joined at various times. Dozens of towns from the Alps to the southern coast have participated (see the data table below <\/strong>for examples). The majority are small, rural communities that were \u201cdying\u201d towns<\/strong>, though a few larger towns and coastal locations have trialed the idea as well. As of very recently, even depopulated towns in the mountains of the Veneto have attempted to join the trend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These towns tend to have rich histories and beautiful landscapes but lack economic opportunities and suffer from shrinking populations<\/strong>. Many are hilltop villages with labyrinthine historic centres, where the \u20ac1 houses are typically located. The climate and environment vary widely: you can find \u20ac1 homes in the sunny Sicilian interior, on Sardinian mountain slopes, or in the Apennine highlands of Abruzzo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Examples of \u20ac1 Towns and Their Characteristics<\/h4>\n\n\n\n