So many towns in Italy are now competing to offload old houses for less than the price of an espresso that some are trying to sweeten the deal further to lure buyers away from their rivals. The latest destination on the scene is Bivona, a small town deep in the heart of the southern island of Sicily, which is easing restrictions and offering tax bonuses to anyone who wants to pay just over a dollar to buy one of a dozen empty and dilapidated properties.

As in other Italian towns and villages offering properties for next to nothing, Bivona's young people have been deserting their home in pursuit of better opportunities in big cities, leaving it depopulated and in danger of dying completely.