In the past few years, several small towns in Italy have made headlines for offering vacant homes for €1 in an effort to boost dwindling populations and breathe new life into abandoned villages.
Now, the well-received initiative appears to be catching on elsewhere in Europe - with a quiet French town recently joining the €1 homes club.
Ambert, located in the southeast of France, has become the latest community to adopt the tactic, in the hopes of stopping its population of 6,500 from shrinking any further.
The move is part of a wider five-year plan to attract new residents and rejuvenate local life.
In one area of the town, property vacancy rates have reached up to 60 per cent, prompting authorities to put two empty homes on the market for just one euro each - the equivalent to 85p.
So far, the broader project seems to be showing signs of success, as a new class was added to Ambert's school two years ago due to growing enrolment.
In addition, the town's historic chamber of commerce and industry building is currently undergoing renovations.
It's expected to reopen in 2026 as a public space - bringing with it new jobs for local residents.
This means selling the €1 homes shouldn't be too difficult - but, like many similar schemes, such as those seen in Italy, the offer comes with its fair share of terms and conditions.
While the initial cost is an indisputable bargain, buyers are expected to invest significantly in renovations and meet strict requirements if they want the keys.
To begin with, second-home buyers are prohibited from buying into the scheme.
According to The Local, those who purchase a €1 house in Ambert must commit to living in the property full-time for at least three years once it's been made habitable.
If they fail to do so, they risk financial penalties, including the repayment of any government grants given for refurbishment works.
And there's a good reason for that funding: the houses need a lot of work.
From the roof to the wiring, and everything in between, the two homes on offer require extensive renovations.
Potential buyers may even be asked to provide a written plan outlining the extent of the work and how long it will take to complete.
If you're already picturing your new life in rural France and don't mind taking on a challenging DIY project, one of these homes might be for you - although it's worth considering brushing up on your French language skills before making the move.
It comes after a British man who bought a house in Italy for the bargain price of just €1/85p has revealed he now has hundreds of people desperate to rent it out.
George Laing, 32, bought the derelict three-storey property in Mussomeli, a town in Sicily, in December 2022.
The Brit purchased the bargain home under a renovation scheme set up by the council. Once George had paid for admin fees, agency costs and energy certificates, the purchase price came to €5,000/£4,300.
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