- Ollolai, Sardinia, offers €1 homes to attract disillusioned Americans seeking a peaceful lifestyle.
- The village, facing population decline, prioritises Americans in its relocation initiative.
- Buyers must renovate homes within three years, with costs up to $50,000 plus legal fees.
With tensions still running high in the USA after this month’s set of presidential and legislative elections — which saw, amongst many other things, the richest people on earth get a lot richer — an Italian village has offered to take in disheartened Americans looking for pastures new. Ollolai, a small village of approximately 1,100 residents (for now…) is located in rural Sardinia and promises a more relaxed, balanced, and perhaps less political lifestyle for those who choose to relocate, all for the irresistible offer of $1 USD.
Ollolai’s €1 Homes
Like many towns and villages across Europe that are located too far from its major commercial hubs to offer commuting options for younger generations looking to ‘make their way’, Ollolai has been grappling with a terminally shrinking population, posing an existential threat to the community’s existence. Once home to almost 2,500 people, not only are youngsters flocking to cities for work but they leave behind a fast-aging population that is ill-equipped to regenerate the town’s once-vibrant way of living on their own.
Hoping to reverse this worrying flow of people away from the village, a €1 home initiative was launched back in 2018, where empty, often derelict houses could be purchased for a bargain price by way of encouraging outsiders to move into the town. However, between 2018 and 2024 a grand total of ten homes were sold in the village, far from enough to solve their population shrinkage problem. Luckily, the recent election has provided a much-needed opportunity to reinvigorate their efforts…
The village’s mayor, Mayor Efisio Arbau, recently unveiled a website that made it very clear the village was now looking for one kind of fresh blood, and one kind alone: disillusioned Americans who want to leave Trump’s America and find a new balance across the pond: “Are you worn out by global politics? Looking to embrace a more balanced lifestyle while securing new opportunities?”, the new website asks.
While the town cannot, for quite obvious legal reasons, specify exactly which candidate from the recent elections may be causing this upset among American citizens, the implication is clear, as is Arbau’s focus on American immigrants above and beyond any others…
“We just really want, and will focus on, Americans above all… We can’t of course ban people from other countries from applying, but Americans will have a fast-track procedure. We are betting on them to help us revive the village, they are our winning card.”
Mayor Efisio Arbau
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What does Ollolai offer Homebuyers?
If you’re looking to escape the ear-splitting political noise that only seems set to ramp up across the US in the coming months, few places offer a more tranquil alternative than Ollolai. Tucked away in the rolling Sardinian hills, homes on offer range from the totally run down — a ‘real fixer-upper’ is, we believe, the technical term — going for €1 all the way up to fully-renovated homes for closer to €100,000 (c. $105,000 USD).
Further enticement includes free, temporary accommodation for digital nomads to live in while they redecorate their newly acquired homes, as residents see entrepreneurial types a being key to injecting new economic vibrancy into the area.
“There are no demographic requirements for U.S. applicants. Whether you’re a pensioner, a remote worker, or someone wanting to open a business, we welcome all.”
Mayor Efisio Arbau
Another big draw for many will be Sardinia’s status as a so-called Blue Zone, recognised and renowned for the long lifespans of its inhabitants. In part thanks to the local diet — a regional spin on the classic Mediterranean diet, fuelled by ancient farming traditions and a rich culinary heritage — but also the to vibrant local culture that spans from vast, unspoiled nature to basketweaving and cheesemaking traditions (Casu Fiore Sardo is the local award-winner). There is even a traditional masked carnival every year and a ‘Cortes Apertas‘ event; the Italian equivalent to an ‘open house’. All in all, it offers a massive change of pace from most areas of the USA.
What’s the Catch?
Is it too good to be true? Not quite, but there are a few hurdles that come with living the Sardinian good life. The purchase of a €1 home comes with a commitment to renovate it within three years, and these repairs can typically run between $25,000 and $50,000 USD. There are also bureaucratic hoops to be jumped through before purchasing a property abroad, including legal fees and financial guarantees. However, if you’ve got the cash and you’re willing to make it work, a few years of grinding could lead to a whole new lifestyle on the other side.
