Houses for 1 euro in Italy: 2025 Updates and Legal Guide

Discover how the 1 Euro Houses initiative works: actual costs, participating municipalities, tax incentives, and legal support for Italians and foreigners.

In Italy, it is possible to buy a house, located in the historic centre of a small village, for the symbolic price of 1 Euro.

The purchase may be intended not only for residential use but also for the opening of new businesses.

The 1 Euro cost, it should be noted, refers only to the property itself and does not include the various expenses associated with a property transaction, nor the inevitable renovation works and utility connections required to make the house habitable (electricity, water, gas, sewage connection, etc.).

What is the “1 Euro Houses” project?

The “1 Euro Houses” project, launched in 2011 in Gangi, Sicily, is a story of urban regeneration, repopulation, and the enhancement of Italian villages.

It involves entrusting the renovation of abandoned houses to those willing to invest in small urban areas.

The houses are genuinely sold for 1 Euro, but this is not a gift, nor is it the only cost to be borne. The purchase is not blind either: the property can be visited and assessed before deciding whether it is worth bringing it back to life.

Buyers must comply with precise rules and obligations, which translate into renovation costs in addition to the standard expenses of purchasing a property (notary fees, utilities, etc.).

In recent years, more and more Italian municipalities, from north to south, have chosen to counter depopulation by selling off their abandoned houses.

The project is open to private buyers, both Italian and foreign, who are asked for a concrete commitment.

And if the renovation costs of 1 Euro houses prove too high, one can easily look around and find equally interesting opportunities: already habitable properties offered at very reasonable prices.

The purpose of the project

For local areas, it means bringing life back to the historic centres of Italy’s less populated villages, countering demographic decline.

For buyers, it means purchasing a house in an unspoilt location and becoming part of a small, welcoming community – in other words, making it a home.

Stakeholders involved

The initiative is promoted and managed by the municipal administrations of participating villages, which act as guarantors of the procedure and set the participation rules.

Property owners, for their part, commit to transferring their houses at the symbolic price of 1 Euro to those who show interest in purchasing and are willing to carry out renovation and recovery works.

How the 1 Euro Houses sale works

The Municipality publishes a call for applications or advertises the initiative through its official channels.

Details and requirements vary according to the decisions of each administration.

To take part, property owners must submit:

• A formal declaration of willingness to transfer the property (signed by all legitimate owners);
• The cadastral documents of the property.

If required, recent photographic documentation of the house must also be attached.

Eligible buyers include both individuals and legal entities, Italian or foreign, provided that no legal impediments prevent them from contracting with the Public Administration.

Accepted purchase proposals are followed by the signing of a sale contract with the private owner, for the price of 1 Euro, under municipal supervision.

The Municipality guarantees speedy issuance of the necessary permits for the renovation of the house.

Obligations and restrictions

Buyers undertake to renovate the house within a set timeframe and to bear the renovation costs, which can vary significantly.

There may be requirements relating to the start and completion of works, as well as the provision of surety bonds.

Buyers are normally required to:

• Submit a renovation and recovery plan within six months of signing the contract. The renovation must comply with local planning regulations, involve local construction firms, and respect traditional building techniques, enhancing stonework and the historic features of the village.
• Start works within 12 months of obtaining the building permit;
• Complete the renovation within a specified timeframe (normally three years, although this may vary by Municipality);
• Bear all costs associated with the transfer of ownership (notarial, fiscal, cadastral, registration of deeds, and any building amnesties);
• Pay taxes linked to the transfer of ownership (registration, mortgage and cadastral taxes);
• Bear all expenses relating to technical assessments and renovation.
• Provide a deposit in the form of a bank or insurance guarantee to ensure the commencement of works (amounts vary, usually between 1 Euro,000 and €5,000). The deposit is refunded upon completion of works.

Is there a national law on 1 Euro Houses?

There is no national legislation that uniformly regulates the 1 Euro Houses initiative.

Each Municipality can independently decide to participate and issue its own calls for applications, following general principles but setting specific conditions for its village.

It is advisable to consult the websites of individual Municipalities to review the rules and subsequently visit the municipal offices of the local administration where the purchase is intended.

1 Euro Houses: actual costs

The symbolic price of 1 Euro is only the starting point.

In addition to the property value, certain mandatory costs must be covered, such as:

• Registration tax;
• Mortgage tax;
• Cadastral tax;
• Notary’s fee;
• Surety bond (between 1 Euro,000 and €5,000);
• Renovation costs.

A rough calculation suggests that the real cost of acquiring a 1 Euro house starts at around €20,000.

Local tax incentives

The opportunity to purchase 1 Euro Houses is just one of the measures implemented by small Italian municipalities to counter depopulation and promote economic development.

Those intending to move to a small village or start a new business may apply for incentives and grants.

These incentives may take different forms.

Many Italian administrations support the settlement of new families, the development of tourism, crafts, agriculture, and local services through specific measures, which may include:

• Discounts on municipal taxes (IMU, TARI);
• Tax relief on business income;
• Renovation and energy efficiency bonuses;
• Access to subsidised loans and regional grants.

Calls for applications can be consulted on municipal and regional websites, and on the national portal: https://www.incentivi.gov.it/it.

These programmes are open to both Italian residents and foreigners, fostering socio-economic diversification in the area.

Participating municipalities: where to find 1 Euro Houses

Many municipalities, especially in southern Italy, have joined the project, offering different opportunities both by the sea and in the mountains, with features and rules varying from place to place.

The list of villages that have issued calls for the sale of 1 Euro Houses covers the whole of Italy.

The interactive map of 1 Euro Houses is available at:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1V9V8huzhFYGTQxcRjHjxFNEN5SI-HZ0F&femb=1&ll=42.54432497101146%2C11.299738438138478&z=4

Buying as a foreigner

For foreigners, purchasing a 1 Euro house could be the first step towards a residence project aimed at acquiring Italian Citizenship.

Whether one is of Italian descent and feels a natural bond with the land, or simply a foreigner who wishes to move to a timeless place where history, good food, and unspoilt nature go hand in hand, buying a house in a small village may be the beginning of an Italian adventure.

Foreigners of Italian descent

Purchasing a house in Italy could be an opportunity to reconnect with one’s Italian roots and, if eligible, to claim Italian citizenship iure sanguinis.

Foreigners whose parent or grandparent is, or was, an Italian citizen by birth may apply for Italian Citizenship by residence after only two years.

Non-EU citizens with first or second-degree Italian ancestry who wish to move to Italy for employment purposes may also be admitted outside the annual entry quotas set by the decreto flussi (immigration quota decree).

The “Codice fiscale” for non-Italian citizens

If buyers are foreigners (not resident in Italy and without Italian citizenship), they will need an Italian codice fiscale (tax code), which serves as a personal identification tool in dealings with Italian authorities and public administrations. It is issued by the Agenzia delle Entrate (Italian Revenue Agency).

It can also be requested abroad through a consular office, and is issued immediately.

Why consult a law firm?

An international law firm can:

• Assist in verifying the requirements set by municipalities;
• Provide support throughout the entire process;
• Act as an intermediary between buyer and seller;
• Protect buyers from risky purchases;
• Verify eligibility for tax incentives;
• Assist in any residence process aimed at applying for citizenship.

Our lawyers in the Immigration Department provide assistance to anyone interested in purchasing a house in Italy.

FAQ Houses for 1 euro in Italy

 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
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Calogero Boccadutri

Calogero Boccadutri is the Managing Partner of Boccadutri International Law Firm. He has trial experience in Forex, Personal Injury and Administrative litigation.