Naro's €1 Houses in Sicily: Who Can Apply, Real Costs, Deadlines, and How to Apply

A house in Sicily for €1 sounds almost too good to be true. In Naro, a historic hill town in Sicily's Agrigento area, the €1 headline is real — but the opportunity is a restoration project, not a nearly free finished home.

The Comune di Naro operates an official Case a 1 Euro initiative intended to recover abandoned or deteriorated properties, revive the historic centre and attract residents, businesses and investment.

What is Naro's €1 house program?

Eligible properties can be transferred through the initiative for the symbolic price of €1.

The Municipality coordinates the procedure between property owners and interested buyers. Applying does not mean a property is automatically awarded to you.

Official Case a 1 Euro Naro portal ↗ affiliate

Who can apply?

According to the official program rules, applicants can include:

• adult Italian citizens;
• adult foreign citizens;
• companies and other legal entities;
• associations and foundations;
• public or private organisations, including entities not resident in Italy;
• groups or cooperatives created for restoration, tourism or cultural-enhancement projects.

So the program is not restricted to Italian citizens.

Foreign applicants should still confirm the Italian tax, identification, legal and property-transfer requirements applying to their own situation.

Does the house really cost €1?

The purchase price is symbolic: €1.

But that is not the total cost of the project.

€5,000 security commitment

The official rules require a €5,000 deposit or qualifying bank/insurance guarantee connected to completion of the buyer's obligations and renovation works.

Purchase and professional expenses

Buyers should also budget for costs such as:

• notary fees;
• registration;
• applicable taxes and transfer charges;
• architects, surveyors or engineers;
• permits and technical documentation;
• possible cadastral or planning regularisation.

Renovation

Renovation will usually be the largest cost.

Naro does not publish one universal renovation price because every property differs.

For broad Italian planning context only, Idealista currently describes approximately €1,000–€1,300 per square metre as a general estimate for a complete home renovation.

That is not a Naro-specific quotation.

Older buildings requiring structural work, roof repair, specialist restoration, new utilities or heritage-sensitive construction may cost considerably more.

Using that general benchmark only as an illustration:

• 40 m²: approximately €40,000–€52,000;
• 50 m²: approximately €50,000–€65,000;
• 80 m²: approximately €80,000–€104,000.

These examples do not include the €5,000 security commitment, purchase expenses or unusual structural work.

General Italian renovation-cost reference ↗ affiliate

What deadlines apply?

The official program places real restoration obligations on the buyer.

The buyer is generally expected to:

1. submit the renovation/restoration project within 12 months of the purchase deed;
2. begin work within 12 months after approval of the project;
3. complete the works within 36 months of the purchase deed, subject to the rules regarding justified extensions.

Insurance is also required during the construction period.

Can you immediately resell the property?

No.

The official rules include a restriction preventing the buyer from simply acquiring, renovating and immediately flipping the house.

The property generally cannot be sold for at least five years after completion of the works.

How are applications evaluated?

Naro uses published evaluation criteria.

Projects can receive stronger scores when they support objectives such as:

• establishing a primary residence in Naro;
• tourism or accommodation;
• commercial or craft activity;
• restoration of original architectural features;
• energy efficiency;
• use of local or environmentally responsible materials;
• creation of local employment;
• support for young couples or families;
• faster completion of renovation.

The program therefore rewards a credible regeneration plan rather than simply the desire to buy a cheap building.

How to apply

1. Browse the official catalog

Start with the Municipality's official portal and review the currently available properties.

Browse Naro's official €1 house program ↗ affiliate

2. Choose the property

Record the identifying code or address of the property you are interested in.

Inventory changes, so always use the live official catalog.

3. Read the regulation and documents

Before submitting anything, review the latest official municipal documents.

Official documents and application material ↗ affiliate

4. Decide what the property will become

Applicants should be able to explain their intended use and restoration plan.

Possibilities may include:

• primary home;
• second residence;
• tourism or hospitality use;
• commercial or craft activity;
• another eligible restoration project.

5. Estimate the investment and timetable

Prepare a realistic budget, construction schedule and project description.

6. Submit the buyer application

Naro provides an official buyer-application page.

Apply to buy ↗ affiliate

The application can request:

• applicant information;
• property code/address;
• proposed use;
• estimated investment;
• works timetable;
• description of the project;
• identity and technical supporting documents where required.

7. Municipal evaluation

Eligible applications are evaluated using the published criteria.

The municipal process can include a provisional ranking and a period for observations before final allocation.

Where should you apply?

Use the official channels:

Official Case a 1 Euro Naro portal https://case1euronaro.it/ ↗ affiliate

Buyer application https://case1euronaro.it/compro.php ↗ affiliate

Regulation and documents https://case1euronaro.it/documenti.php ↗ affiliate

Official contacts https://case1euronaro.it/contatti.php ↗ affiliate

Comune di Naro https://comune.naro.ag.it/ ↗ affiliate

The project contact page lists:

Email: [email protected] Telephone: +39 327 833 1871

What should you budget for?

Before applying, build a complete project budget including:

• €1 symbolic purchase price;
• €5,000 security deposit or guarantee;
• notary and registration;
• taxes and transfer expenses;
• architect, surveyor and engineering services;
• permits;
• structural work;
• roof and exterior repairs;
• plumbing and electrical systems;
• doors and windows;
• utility connections;
• insurance;
• travel to Sicily while managing the project;
• furnishing;
• contingency for unexpected work.

For an older property, contingency funding is particularly important.

What should you do before committing?

A sensible sequence is:

1. identify the exact property;
2. read the official documentation;
3. visit it or arrange a professional inspection;
4. obtain realistic local renovation quotations;
5. check planning and heritage restrictions;
6. calculate taxes and professional fees;
7. ensure you can meet the official deadlines;
8. only then decide whether the purchase makes sense.

Why Naro?

Naro itself is part of the attraction.

The town includes historic streets, churches, Sicilian architecture and the hilltop Castello Chiaramontano, overlooking the surrounding countryside.

For the right buyer, the opportunity is therefore much bigger than the €1 headline: it is the chance to restore a property inside a historic Sicilian community.

Natifly Daily verdict

Naro's €1 house initiative is real, municipal and open to foreign applicants.

But a €1 house is not a €1 finished home.

The buyer accepts restoration obligations, costs, deadlines and responsibility for bringing an older building back into use.

For someone with the financing, patience and genuine interest in a Sicilian restoration project, it could be a fascinating opportunity.

For someone looking for a turnkey Italian home that literally costs €1, it is not.

References

1. Case a 1 Euro Naro — official project website ↗ affiliate
2. Official buyer application ↗ affiliate
3. Official regulation and documents ↗ affiliate
4. Official project contacts ↗ affiliate
5. Comune di Naro ↗ affiliate
6. Idealista — general Italian renovation-cost reference ↗ affiliate
7. Cover photo — Castello Chiaramontano di Naro, Wikimedia Commons ↗ affiliate.jpg)

Cover photo: Castello Chiaramontano di Naro — Rotondo 0 / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0.

Information checked August 2026. Property inventory, costs, application rules and municipal procedures can change. Verify the latest official documents and obtain appropriate professional advice before making a financial or legal commitment.