Ollolai, Italy, is offering $1 homes to Americans upset over Donald Trump’s re-election as president

As many communities around the world wonder what to make of Donald Trump’s re-election as president, one village on the Italian island of Sardinia has sensed a potential opportunity.

Like many other places in rural Italy, Ollolai has long sought to attract outsiders to move in to revive its fortunes after decades of depopulation. To sweeten the deal, run-down houses were sold for as little as one euro – a little over a dollar.

Now, following the November 5 election results, the company has launched a website aimed at would-be American expats, offering more cheap homes in the hope that those upset by the result will rush to snap up one of the vacant ones to buy houses.

“Are you exhausted by global politics? Do you want to live a more balanced lifestyle while securing new opportunities?” the website asks. “It’s time to start building your European vacation in the stunning paradise of Sardinia.”

Mayor Francesco Columbu tells CNN that the website was created specifically to attract American voters after the presidential election. He says he loves the United States and believes Americans are the best people to help revitalize his community.

“We want and will focus primarily on the Americans,” he says. “Of course we can’t ban people from other countries from applying, but there will be an accelerated process for Americans. We are counting on them to help us revitalize the village, they are our winning ticket.”

“Preferential treatment”
Columbu says the village now offers three levels of accommodation: free temporary accommodation for certain digital nomads, one-euro homes in need of renovation and move-in-ready homes priced up to 100,000 euros ($105,000).

The mayor says he has assembled a special team to guide interested buyers through every step of the purchase, from arranging tailored private viewings of available apartments to finding contractors and developers and completing the necessary paperwork.

He says photos and plans of available vacant properties will soon be uploaded to the website.

Over the past century, Ollolai’s population has shrunk from 2,250 to 1,300, and only a handful of babies are born each year. Many families left the village during difficult economic times in search of work and a better life.

In recent years the population has fallen further to just under 1,150 residents.

As the village desperately tries to attract newcomers to stop depopulation, offering “preferential treatment” to Americans, as Columbu describes it, seems somewhat controversial.

The website does not mention having a U.S. passport as a requirement, but the mayor says U.S. citizens will be given preference over potential applicants of other nationalities.

“Of course, we cannot specifically name a US president who has just been elected, but we all know that he is the one that many Americans now want to escape and leave the country,” Columbo added.

“We have now created this website specifically to address the US’s post-election relocation needs. The first edition of our digital nomad program, launched last year, was already exclusively for Americans.”

The mayor says City Hall’s website has recently been flooded with 38,000 requests for information about homes, mostly from across the United States.

“So we really wanted to create a platform aimed at US citizens and combine our different projects,” says Columbu.

A remote paradise
Ollolai has previously tried to attract new residents with attractive housing offers.

In 2018, as CNN first reported, City Hall began selling run-down, vacant houses for one euro. Vacant workspaces were then rented for a symbolic euro.

Finally, a “Work from Ollolai” program for digital nomads was launched last year. So far, four Americans have been accommodated in fully equipped accommodation for a symbolic euro. In return, they had to create something for the community, such as a piece of art or a book.

The town hall covers the rent for local families’ houses for the remote workers, paying around 350 euros per month for multi-story, two-bedroom apartments. Utilities, bills and council taxes are also covered.

But reconstruction plans did not go as well as local authorities had hoped. Since 2018, only ten houses have been sold and renovated for one euro, says Columbu.

“The village remains half empty, we still have about 100 unoccupied, cheap houses that may be for sale and ready to move into. We have mapped and listed them all and photos will soon be online for buyers to view.”

Most of the buildings are located in the historic center and vary in size.

These are picturesque old farmers’ and shepherds’ dwellings made from local granite rocks. Some turnkey properties even come furnished and equipped with modern comforts.

There are no demographic requirements for US applicants. These can be people of any age, pensioners, remote workers or entrepreneurs who want to open a small business in the village.

Located off the beaten track, Ollolai is ideal for those looking to unplug and live a simpler life.

It lies in a wild mountainous region and rises on an untouched piece of land where ancient farming traditions live on. It offers fresh, pollution-free air, low crowds and great views.

In the fall, at an event called cortes apertas (open courtyards), stables and old peat taverns are open to the public and offer wine, ham, cheese and other delicacies. The area is famous for its locally made Casu Fiore Sardo cheese.

Another highlight of Ollolai’s calendar is a masked carnival with goat-like costumes and archaic rituals that takes place every February.