Italian homes in scenic Sicily are on sale for just over a dollar

A stunning Italian village in Sicily is offering prospective buyers a deal of a lifetime — a villa with a price tag less than the cost of an espresso.

The town will be selling homes for just $1.60.

Sambuca for a dollar — this could be the destination real estate deal of 2019.

Local officials on southern Italy’s island of Sicily have put dozens of hilltop homes on the market for €1 ($A1.60).

Yes, that translates to just over one Australian dollar — for villas with panoramic views of the Mediterranean on a fertile patch of land dubbed the “Earthly Paradise”.

This shocking real estate proposition is aimed at reviving a community that, like many other rural spots in Italy, has suffered from depopulation in recent years as locals relocate to metropolitan areas.

There is one catch: The homes are dilapidated and prospective buyers are obligated to invest $17,000 in a refurb within three years. (Yes, you will have to pull a full-on “Under the Tuscan Sun” number on your new joint, a la Diane Lane.)

Check out this stunning Sambuca, Sicily skyline.

Sambuca’s not the first Italian town to tease outsiders with seemingly too-good-to-be-true offers, officials admitted to CNN — but they are the first to minimise red tape so anyone interested can make their purchase ASAP.

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

Founded by the Ancient Greeks, Sambuca was later conquered by Saracens who transformed it into a once-vital trade hub. The town is named after the Emir Al Zabut, aka “the Splendid One,” says CNN’s Silvia Marchetti. “It’s an open-air museum, a patchwork of contrasting architectural styles.”

Most houses on sale are located within the “Saracen District,” which is a bit like a maze with winding narrow alleys (less than a metre wide) through which people squeeze.

The town’s deputy mayor says Sambuca is an ‘idyllic retreat’.

According to CNN: “The two-storey Moorish dwellings, built with pink-reddish stones, feature inner courtyards, lavish palm gardens with orange and mandarin trees, arcaded entrances, flowery majolica staircases, typical Sicilian tile roofs and terraces overlooking the stunning scenery.”

The charm of the city also lies underground in its “sunken city” where Mr Cacioppo organises guided tours. He said the real estate has already started to draw a lot of international interest.

“Foreigners are flocking here, flabbergasted by all this beauty,” he said.

“Some 10 houses have already been sold. Dozens of others are available but badly in need of a makeover. We’ve been contacted by people from Switzerland, France and Spain and are receiving many requests.”

While it will take some work to get the homes back to their former glory, Mr Cacioppo says he hopes the newcomers will help breathe new life into the town.

In an interview with CNN, German resident Susanna Heinson has already purchased a house and restyled it.

The stunning town is set around rolling hills.

“I can’t wait to spend next summer in Sambuca,” she said.

“It’s a lovely, special place. The people are very open-minded and friendly. Good restaurants, great wineries. We feel at home.”

To put your foot in the door and express interest, email: [e-mail]

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission