You Can Buy A House For $3 On This Famous Italian Island (2024)

What if, instead of searching for the cheapest Italian vacation spot, you could find an epic dream home on the island of Sicily? A rejuvenated program in Italy has brought new opportunities for those who have long had the idea of a home abroad on their bucket list. Sicily is well worth visiting, but enthusiastic travelers should consider staying.

With a home of your own on the Sicilian coast, you won't be limited in the number of mouthwatering Italian dishes you can enjoy. And for a low sale price, you could be enjoying those dishes from the comfort of your own Italian dining room or patio. How can this be possible? This unique program could make it a reality.

Own An Italian Retreat In Sicily For A Few Dollars

As the program states, you can buy a house for less than the cost of an espresso!

Castelmola: typical sicilian village perched on a mountain, close to Taormina. Messina province, Sicily, Italy.

For those who have been on a vacation to Sicily in the past, you know the beauty that the area projects. So many people have enjoyed the area that they have crossed off a visit to Rome in favor of Sicily for future trips. Now travelers have the option to turn their favorite vacation destination into a primary or secondary home with the country's one euro program.

Depending on where you want to be located within Italy, it's possible to find a home in Sicily or the surrounding area for less than USD 3. The more populated areas will come with higher price tags, but Sicily has found success in the past with their homes that they auction for one euro (many residences end up going for up to $10,000).

In order to find the best property, it's important to secure a real estate agent, lawyer, and translator in Italy who can help you to navigate the program. While you may find information online that lists everything available in English, these are not true Italian programs. It helps to be aware of scams and have representation that's fluent in the local language.

The Italian Program Hopes To Boost Interest In Sicily

After a successful run in 2019 and 2020, the program was rebooted in 2024

View from the ocean overlooking the town of Cefalu Sicily

The area of Sicily is well known for its rich history in the country of Italy. However, there has been a decrease in the country's population over the years and the government is hopeful to bring fresh interest and rejuvenation to old buildings by continuing to offer this low-cost homeownership program.

The island of Sicily and its surrounding cities have seen many people leave the small-town atmosphere in favor of a bigger city lifestyle, even though Sicily is one of few islands that feels like summer year-round. Not only is this detrimental to the livelihood of such historical areas of Italy, but a lack of people also means less funding for the most historical areas of the country.

Bringing new people in allows buildings to be occupied and the history of the area to stay alive for generations to come.

There Are Requirements To Participate In Italy's Sicilian Program

These homes are in no way "move-in ready" and you have a set period to get them there

Couple holding each other on top of Mount Pellegrino, Palermo, Sicily, Italy

While many hear about the unique one-euro program in Italy, offered in conjunction with the local Sicilian municipality, and get excited about the possibility of owning a home in another country for next to nothing, that isn't exactly the case. Although it is possible to secure a residence for next to nothing, the responsibility doesn't end there.

Once a person has a property under their ownership, they often have three years to make significant updates to the establishment. For many of these buildings, a complete overhaul is necessary to make them inhabitable.

Most often, these places haven't been lived in for a lengthy period and have foundations that need to be desperately repaired, as well as animals and insects that need to be dealt with in order to make the place a home.

Even with all the extra work involved, owning a home under this unique program is still a great way to establish roots in another area of the world. It's imperative to take all necessary precautions and to loop in the proper professionals in Italy to make sure the transaction goes as it should. Still, the outcome could be a literal dream come true and serve as a vacation home or primary residence for your family for years to come.

Would you consider buying a $3 home in Sicily?