You Can Buy A $1 Home In Sicily Thanks To This Town's Effort To Attract New Residents

You're probably painfully aware of the fact that real estate prices usually tend to be — well — relatively unaffordable... especially in gorgeous European towns overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. But sometimes, there are exceptions, and as you would probably imagine, they only come around like, once in a blue moon. Right now, for example, this Italian town is selling $1 homes in Sicily. That's right — it's honestly kind of a miracle, and they'll probably only be available for a short amount of time... so if you think you might be interested, you'd better act fast.

If you've never heard of the town of Sambuca, it's a teeny tiny village that overlooks the Mediterranean and several beautiful beaches, according to CNN. And while it sounds like absolute paradise, the small town is currently selling a select number of houses for only €1, which is equivalent to just a little more than a dollar. I know it sounds pretty hard to believe, but apparently, they've created the deal in order to (ideally) revamp the community, as people in the village have been leaving for larger cities. There is, however, one minor catch.

In life, nothing perfect is free (or only like a dollar), though. Yep — there is a slight drawback to this tantalizing deal. According to CNN, anyone who buys any of these wildly inexpensive 40 to 150-square meter homes is required to essentially flip them, putting in at least €15,000 (equivalent to about $17,200) worth of work. There will also be a €5,000 security deposit, but that would be returned after the renovation is totally complete.

According to CNN, Giuseppe Cacioppo, Sambuca's deputy mayor and tourist councilor says that most towns do this for attention. However, each of the houses actually cost €1 (prior to renovation). He says it's a good, honest deal, and you'll get exactly what you paid for.

According to CNN, Cacioppo said:

As opposed to other towns that have merely done this for propaganda, this city hall owns all €1 houses on sale. We're not intermediaries who liaise between old and new owners. You want that house, you'll get it no time.

If you ask me, this all sounds pretty darn worth it.

When you end up making your downpayment to move to this absolutely gorgeous town overlooking the ocean, make sure to visit these eight highly Instagrammable places in Italy that you must experience in real life. From colorful Cinque Terre, to beautiful Burano, the seaside town of Positano, the Tuscan countryside, and the eternal city of Rome, there are so many spectacular places that you absolutely need to visit. Italy is seriously amazing, and you'll want to soak in all the The Lizzie McGuire Movie moments you possibly can.

For real, though, is there anything better than a $1 house overlooking the ocean in Southern Italy? Hm, nope, I truly can't think of anything. Each house may require — well — a little bit of work after buying it, but once the renovation is finished, the view will be oh-so nice. If anyone decides to buy one, please invite me over. I've been told I'm a lovely house guest.