Want to live in an Italian Village? Sardinia Offers $1 Homes to Americans Postelection

An Italian village is offering homes for roughly just $1 to Americans who want to leave the country following Donald Trump’s victory.
After Trump was elected as the next president, many Americans expressed a desire to move abroad in order to distance themselves from policies the president-elect will likely enact in office.
And now the Italian island of Sardinia is making such a move easier by specifically targeting Americans to get them to move to the quaint village of Ollolai.
There are three housing options available to Americans. Some digital nomads can secure free temporary housing, while other folk can purchase a home requiring repairs for roughly just one euro. The properties that are ready to live in are priced at 100,000 euros, which equates to around $105,000.
“We just really want, and will focus on, Americans above all,” Ollolai’s Mayor Francesco Columbu told CNN. “We can’t of course ban people from other countries to apply, but Americans will have a fast-track procedure. We are betting on them to help us revive the village, they are our winning card.”
Ollolai is a village in the middle of the Italian island of Sardinia in the Mediterranean Sea.
Home to a little more than 1,000 people, the rural village has long been trying to convince foreigners to move there due to rapid depopulation over the past several decades.
Many have left Ollolai due to economic tough times, and the population has declined by roughly 50 percent.
The 2024 election could provide Ollolai a perfect opportunity to attract some American expats looking to leave the country due to Trump’s upcoming second presidential term.
“Are you worn out by global politics? Looking to embrace a more balanced lifestyle while securing new opportunities?” the Ollolai website asks. “It’s time to start building your European escape in the stunning paradise of Sardinia.”
It continues: “Nestled in pristine nature, surrounded by incredible cuisine, and immersed in a community with ancient traditions, in the rare Earth’s Blue Zone, Ollolai is the perfect destination to reconnect, recharge, and embrace a new way of life.”
So far, there have been around 38,000 inquiries about moving to the island village, CNN reported, and a majority were sent from the United States.
“The village remains half empty, we still have about 100 unoccupied cheap homes potentially on sale, ready to move in,” Columbu told the outlet. “We have mapped and listed them all, and soon photos will be online for buyers to take a look at.”
Sardinia might be a way to travel from America, but the island’s homes are mostly historic and made from granite rock.
Travelers can get to the island by ferry or plane, as the island rests around 115 miles off the coast of Italy.
Flying will be the more affordable option, but the ferry has the big pro of allowing new residents to bring a car on the island.
Americans are unlikely to find a direct flight to Sardinia, but flying from other European cities, like Milan, Dublin, Madrid or London is possible.
Ollolai is located on the rural mountainside, and great views are in store wherever you turn.
As for the weather, expats can expect a Mediterranean climate with mild and rainy winters and hot but windy summers.
Winter temperatures are typically around 50 degrees Fahrenheit, while summer will see an average of 77 degrees.
While Americans considering leaving the country after Trump’s win may be considering many different policies that the president-elect hopes to implement, the issues around affordable housing in America more broadly could also inspire some to make Italy their home while mooted policy changes may encourage others to stay put.
In the United States, the average home price is $359,099, according to real estate online marketplace Zillow. On top of that, high interest rates and rising insurance fees can price millions of Americans out of homeownership.
Trump has advocated for lowering interest rates, which could remove a significant barrier of entry for many unable to pay off mortgages in today’s current housing market.
Trump said he wanted to combat “unnecessary” housing development regulations, which can add more than $90,000 to the price of a new home. Trump and the Republican Party have also discussed making federal lands available for housing development.
“Only time will tell, but the feeling around the street is that less regulation and favorable lending terms will create more incentives for developers, additional supply and stimulated competition,” Jeff Holzmann, chief operating officer of Texas-based commercial real estate company RREAF Holdings, told Newsweek previously. “These are all good things for homebuyers and investors.”