With the cost of buying a home verging on the absurd in many parts of Britain and beyond, it is no wonder some are looking for a cheaper alternative.
In the last few years, the opportunity to buy a house in parts of Italy for €1, or around 87p, has drawn considerable interest from people all around the world and on social media.
The schemes are usually operated by local authorities in rural towns, who want to see run down and vacant properties rejuvenated and encourage investment.
The Daily Mail spoke to two women: one viewed €1 homes in Italy but ended up buying a more expensive property, while the other snapped up five €1 homes in Italy.
It is not possible to buy a home for €1 in most parts of the country and prospective buyers need to be aware of rules and costs attached to the purchase before signing on the dotted line.
The cost of renovation work is also going to be a major sticking point for many would-be buyers.
Buying a €1 property is an appealing prospect, but the realties and costs involved must not be taken lightly.
Deal: Barbara Maekrl purchased this property in Mussomeli for €13,000
Why I decided against buying a €1 house in Italy
Barbara Maekrl, who is in her early forties and an administrator originally from Germany, lived in Australia for 16 years before wanting to move back closer to home.
She told the Daily Mail: ‘I’ve always loved Italy and after doing a bit of research, decided Sicily was the place for me. It’s culturally rich and has a slow pace of life.
‘After visiting Mussomeli in Sicily, I knew I had found my town. The people are incredible and the town is full of surprises.’
Barbara worked at pace to make her dream a reality. In January 2024, she decided she wanted to move to Italy the same summer.
Savvy: Barbara Maekrl, pictured with puppy Miele, viewed a number of €1 properties in Italy, but opted against buying one
Scale: Barbara told the Daily Mail that she believes her renovation costs will be manageable
Freebie: When Barbara purchased her €13 house in Italy, she got this house thrown in for free
Barbara did all her research remotely and booked a property viewing in Mussomeli before even booking her flights.
Having done her research online, she arranged to view a number of properties on sale in Mussomeli for €1.
However, for Barbara, the €1 properties on sale did not meet her requirements and, in her view, required too many costly and extensive renovations.
She told the Daily Mail: ‘I inspected a few €1 homes, but they were simply not for me.
‘A €1 home may sound very tempting, but the ones I viewed were in a very bad condition and really needed to be rebuilt. This would have cost me a lot of money.
‘I think €1 homes are ideal for people who have experience undertaken extensive renovations, have a background in building and construction and can do most of the work themselves. I wanted a cheap home, but with less work involved.’
She added: ‘I ended up buying a €13,000 (£11,330) house in Mussomeli rather than a €1 property. I’d moved into the property within three months and the whole process was really easy. I’m very happy with my little house and it’s not going to cost a fortune to renovate.’
Barbara said securing a good builder in Italy is vital, while recognising that this can be challenging for non-locals.
She said: ‘Dodgy builders are an issue. Some are unqualified, unreliable and seem to overcharge. Some think a foreign buyer has endless amounts of cash, which isn’t the case. Always get at least two quotes and be prepared to negotiate.’
The €13,000 house is Barbara’s first ever property purchase, and she is confident her renovation costs will be manageable.
‘I have absolutely no regrets and am keen to inspire more women over 40 to take the plunge and change their lives for the better’, Barbara said.
I couldn’t resist buying six €1 houses in Italy
Rubia Daniels, 52, is originally from Brazil, but has lived in California for decades. She spends about three months in Europe a year, but is hoping to increase this.
She purchased five €1 houses in Mussomeli, Sicily, in 2019. Three are hers, while one was for an aunt and another for her adopted daughter. All the five three-story properties were on the verge of collapse.
She told the Daily Mail: ‘While on holiday in Indonesia in 2018, my husband mentioned something about €1 houses in Italy. As soon as I could, I went to Sicily myself to see what this was all about.’
No regrets: Rubia Daniels told the Daily Mail she has no regrets about buying €1 houses
Needs some work: One of the €1 houses Rubia purchased in Sicily before renovation works
Before and after: Rubia reckons she has spent around €50,000…
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