Sambuca di Sicila has just launched its house for 3 euro scheme trying to offload some old buildings. If it’s the sort of thing that excites you and you have considerably more than 3 euros here is what you need to know:
The houses are here: https://comune.sambucadisicilia.ag.it/Web_Case%20a%203%20Euro/Index.htm
You have until 4 August to place your bid.
They all need wholesale restoration, and one – lot 9 – doesn’t even have a house, its just a parking spot.
You have to put 5000 euros down, and if you win the draw you have 90 days to deposit all the technical documents necessary for the restoration. If you don’t finish the work within the 36 months following you lose your money and the purchase of the house can be revoked.
Bear in mind, that ignoring various ‘experts’ on Instagram – you cannot restore the house yourself. Any structural work must be done by certified builders, including roofs. You can tile, paint and potter, but none of these houses seems to currently satisfy the antiseismic laws, which will require major interventions.
One of the papers tells of a couple who bought a house for 1 euro and are now thrilled with their investment having spent 130.000 to do it up. To be clear you can buy a very nice house keys in hand in most parts of Sicily for that money: one which you can sell when you decide to move on.

Blue ribbon beaches in Sicily for 2024
SICILIA
MESSINA
208. Lipari - Stromboli Ficogrande, Vulcano Gelso, Vulcano Acque Termali, Acquacalda, Canneto
209. Tusa – Lungomare
210. Alì Terme - Lungomare di Alì Terme
211. Roccalumera - Litorale
212. Furci Siculo - Litorale
213. Santa Teresa di Riva - Lungomare
214. Letojanni - Letojanni Centro
215. Taormina - Mazzeo
RAGUSA
216. Modica - Maganuco, Marina di Modica
217. Ispica - Santa Maria del Focallo
218. Pozzallo - Pietre Nere, Raganzino
219. Scicli - Sampieri-Pisciotto
220. Ragusa – Marina di Ragusa
AGRIGENTO
221. Menfi - Porto Palo Cipollazzo, Lido Fiori
Bertolino

For those of you involved in renting out properties for holiday rentals, the new laws for 2024 and applicable from 1 Jan this year, have just been published by the tax office.
The cedolare secca to pay on deposits by any agency/AirBnB etc is 21%
The cedolare secca to pay on the total amount of your rental is 26%

From next year the European CIN will replace or be integrated with the CIR – so there will be a Europe wide identification number for any holiday let to make sure it’s all in order and regulated.

Under new legislation, any car - even if parked on private property must have insurance. -
photo Mike Faherty

There are no trains between Ragusa, Modica, Scicli, Pozzallo, and Siracusa for the rest of the year - they need to upgrade the line, and it is apparenltly easier to close 150km in one go than do it in sections. You also cannot go to Palermo. Replacement bus services are in operation.

If you are with Servizio Elettrico Nazionale and dont change your supplier by July this year you will be assigned a new provider. In Sicily there are two: In Catania, Enna, Messina, Siracusa and Ragusa it will be Edison Energia and in Trapani, Agrigento, Caltanisetta and Palermo it will be A2A Energia. If you dont fancy either of these, you have 6 months to change provider.