Symbolic purchase price
The low price is intended to give a vacant building a new future.
Fundamentals and guidance
1-Euro-Haus:
How the model works
The purchase price of one euro for the house and land is real. The overall project, however, costs considerably more. We explain why municipalities offer such properties, how a purchase may proceed and what prospective buyers should consider before applying.
At a glance
The key facts
Renovation required
The houses are not ready to occupy and require extensive renovation.
Municipality decides
Requirements, selection, contractual conditions and deadlines are set for each project.
The total budget matters
Planning, acquisition costs, renovation and an adequate contingency must all be affordable.
The basic model
A low purchase price to tackle long-term vacancy
A one-euro house is a building offered for a symbolic purchase price of one euro. The price does not mean that the buyer receives an almost free, finished home. Municipalities or other public owners are looking for people who are willing and financially able to renovate a vacant property and return it to permanent use.
Vacancy can damage the appearance of a town, affect neighbouring properties and create substantial long-term problems for a municipality. A new use can preserve existing buildings, strengthen a town centre and create living or working space. Success depends not on the symbolic price, but on a viable plan and its actual implementation.
Origins of the idea
Made famous in Italy – now emerging in Germany
The idea became internationally known primarily through Italian municipalities offering vacant or severely dilapidated houses for a symbolic euro. Their aim is likewise to revive small towns and preserve older buildings.
The basic idea can be transferred, but the procedures cannot. German property, construction and tax law applies in Germany, together with the rules of the relevant municipality. Even within one country, applications, guarantees, deadlines and use obligations differ from one municipality to another.
Italy remains the country most closely associated with the term “one-euro house”. Municipalities in Sicily, Sardinia and other regions have used different procedures to return vacant buildings to use and revive historic town centres. There is no single Italian funding or sales programme, however. Purchase prices, selection procedures, renovation deadlines, guarantees and permitted uses may vary considerably from place to place.
| Topic | Italy | Germany |
|---|---|---|
| Public awareness | Italian towns and international media coverage made the model known worldwide. | In Germany the model remains far less common and is implemented only by individual municipalities. |
| Organisation | There is no national programme. Each participating municipality develops its own procedure. | There is no nationwide programme here either. The responsible municipality determines the offer, selection and conditions. |
| Purchase price | Depending on the project, the symbolic starting price may be one euro or another very low amount. | The price is set for the specific municipal property. Each house currently presented on 1-Euro-Haus.de is offered for one euro. |
| Ownership and sale | Ownership and sales routes differ. The municipality often organises or accompanies the process. | The houses currently presented on 1-Euro-Haus.de are owned and sold directly by the municipality. Future projects may be structured differently. |
| Selection procedure | Depending on the municipality, the process may involve an application, expression of interest, allocation or selection among several prospective buyers. | The municipality determines who may apply, which documents are required and how applicants are selected. |
| Renovation | Renovation, a timetable and, where applicable, financial guarantees may form part of the project conditions. | The scope of renovation, deadlines, use and other obligations are defined for the project and agreed in the purchase contract. |
| Use | Main residence, holiday use, letting or commercial use may be treated differently by each Italian municipality. | The responsible municipality decides whether owner-occupation or another permanent use is required. |
| Law and permits | Italian property, tax and construction law and local rules apply. | German property, tax and construction law applies, together with state and municipal requirements. |
| Finance and funding | German funding programmes generally cannot simply be applied to a property in Italy. Italian options must be checked locally. | Funding options depend on the property, planned work, federal state, municipality and personal circumstances and must be checked at an early stage. |
| Responsible contact | Binding information is provided by the relevant Italian municipality or the body named in the procedure. | Binding information, viewings, applications and sales are handled by the responsible German municipality. |
This comparison describes typical similarities and differences. It does not replace a review of the specific municipal offer. The same requirements do not apply to every one-euro house in either Italy or Germany. The published conditions and the terms agreed for the individual project are always decisive.
From initial interest to contract
How might the purchase of a one-euro house proceed?
The exact process is determined by the responsible municipality. The following steps are generally advisable:
Review your life plans
Do the location, surroundings, property size and long-term commitment suit your current and future circumstances?
Contact the municipality
Ask the responsible office directly about availability, requirements, intended use and the process.
Arrange an authorised viewing
View the property only with prior authorisation and allow enough time for a careful initial assessment.
Commission a professional inspection
Have suitable professionals examine the building fabric, moisture, structure, roof and technical systems.
Develop a plan and financing concept
Combine the proposed use, renovation work, timescale, DIY work, professional services and financial contingency in a realistic plan.
Submit the application
Provide all information and documents required by the municipality in a complete and transparent form.
Await the decision and contract
The municipality makes its selection and agrees the binding conditions with the chosen buyer in the purchase contract.
Carry out the renovation
Comply with permits, contractual requirements and the agreed timetable throughout the work.
Budget realistically
The one euro is only the beginning
A reliable overall estimate is possible only after a professional inspection of the specific property.
Acquisition
Notary, land register and any other purchase-related taxes or fees.
Survey
Condition survey, expert reports, hazardous-material checks and, where necessary, opening up parts of the building.
Planning
Architectural and specialist planning, structural engineering, energy advice, permits and tendering.
Building envelope
Roof, structure, masonry, moisture protection, façade, windows and doors.
Building services
Electrical systems, water, drainage, heating, ventilation and, where necessary, new utility connections.
Interior work
Floors, walls, ceilings, stairs, bathrooms, kitchen and other interior work.
DIY work
May reduce some costs, but requires skills, tools, materials and a great deal of time.
Contingency
Hidden defects may emerge in older buildings. A financial and time contingency is essential.
A personal decision
Is a one-euro house right for me?
The project may suit you if …
- you have a long-term plan for the building and location,
- you have sufficient time and financial reserves,
- you accept older building fabric and possible surprises,
- you involve professionals and authorities at an early stage,
- you can comply with municipal and contractual conditions.
The project is less likely to suit you if …
- you are looking for a finished, move-in-ready home,
- your budget relies almost entirely on DIY work,
- you do not have an adequate financial contingency,
- you expect to resell quickly,
- the location or proposed use does not fit your life plans.
Prepare realistically
What people often underestimate about one-euro houses
The decision begins with the location
The house is only one part of the decision. Consider the location, personal circumstances, travel to work, local services and long-term life plans before applying.
Defects are not always immediately visible
Moisture, structural problems, hazardous materials or outdated services may become apparent only during a professional inspection and can substantially affect the renovation.
DIY work also has a cost
DIY work may reduce costs, but it requires practical skills, materials, tools and considerable time. Certain work must or should be carried out only by qualified contractors.
Funding must be checked early
Funding programmes have eligibility rules and procedures. Applications often need to be submitted before contracts are awarded or building work begins.
The renovation must fit everyday life
A major project often continues for an extended period. Work, family, financing and the organisation of the renovation must be realistically compatible.
Current opportunities
Current one-euro houses in Germany
The first municipality featured on 1-Euro-Haus.de is Nordhalben in Upper Franconia, Bavaria.
Nordhalben · Bavaria
Two municipality-owned residential properties
Each property is offered for a symbolic purchase price of one euro and requires substantial renovation.
1-Euro-Haus.de does not broker properties. All binding information, viewings, application procedures, selection decisions and sales are handled by the responsible municipality.
From initial overview to practical preparation
The comprehensive one-euro house guide
This page explains the essential principles. Our paid PDF guide goes further and helps you prepare for a viewing, assess the project personally, plan the renovation and financing, and submit an application.
Prepare for the viewing
Assess the renovation requirements
Structure the financing
Plan the application and proposal
View the guide
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions about one-euro houses
Does a one-euro house really cost only one euro?
The purchase price can genuinely be one euro. However, buyers must also budget for acquisition costs, surveys, planning and, above all, the necessary renovation work.
Who decides on the sale?
The municipality or public owner responsible for the property decides whether it will be sold, to whom and under which conditions.
Are estate agent fees payable?
If a municipality sells a property directly without an estate agent, no estate agent commission is payable. Other acquisition costs must be checked for the specific property.
Must every one-euro house be owner-occupied?
Municipal projects do not all impose the same rules of use. The responsible municipality decides whether owner-occupation, another permanent use or further conditions are required.
Does 1-Euro-Haus.de broker the properties?
No. 1-Euro-Haus.de is an independent information portal, not an estate agent or seller. Binding information, viewings, applications, selection decisions and sales are handled by the responsible municipality.
Editorial responsibility: Jürgen Klausmann · Updated: 11 September 2026