The dream of owning a second home in the sun or getting on the property ladder may seem out of reach for many in the UK. But what if you could buy an Italian house for just 86p?

In recent years, several small Italian towns have made headlines by selling empty homes for one euro each including in the beautiful island of Sicily.

Houses for one euro are available in the fabulous town of the Sicilian hinterland – just a few kilometres from the enchanting beaches and the historic temples of Agrigento. This is compared to the average UK house of £282,000.

How does it work and who can grab one of these bargain sunny villas?

As more young Italians move to cities and choose city jobs over country life, many of Italy’s most beautiful remote villages are being left empty. These villages have tiny, old populations that are slowly disappearing.

Some older Italians have no one to leave their homes to, so they give them to the local council. The council then has to decide what to do with them.

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Has Brexit had an impact on Brits wanting to buy these homes?

Brexit hasn’t stopped Brits from buying Italian property, but as “non residents” they’ll pay higher taxes and can only spend up to 180 days a year in their new Italian home.

Out of those 180 days, you can’t spend more than 90 consecutive days in the country.

If you want to visit more often, you’ll need to apply for Italian residency.

This means showing that you have enough money to support yourself without needing a job in Italy.

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