Italian houses on auction block for €1

By Senhan Bolelli

ROME (AA) - Sambuca municipality on the island of Sicily put houses on sale for €1, according to local officials.

Authorities in Sambuca which has around 6,000 population, announced evacuated homes due to migration are on sale for €1.

The deal is a bid to boost population that has decreased in recent years as residents move to larger cities.

“As a municipality we put old houses on sale for €1. We aren’t intermediators between old and new owners,” Giuseppe Cacioppo, Sambuca’s deputy mayor told reporters.

There is only one condition to purchasing the homes.

New owners must commit to renovate the property within three years with at least a €15,000 ($17,000) investment and will have to deposit €5,000 (5,700) to the municipality which will be returned once the refurbishment is complete.

Some of the houses with sea views are 40 - 150 square meters in width.

Several other Italian towns have done similar sales.