Since announcing the sale of dozens of homes in the picturesque Italian village of Sambuca for just €1, the local government has been flooded with tens of thousands of enquiries, but as the adage goes, if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

While securing your own Italian hideaway for less than the price of your morning commute is tempting, there are a few downsides. Firstly, each of the homes is dilapidated and prospective buyers need to commit to spending at least €15,000 (£13.2k/$17k) in updating and restoring their rundown home. New owners will also need to put down a €5,000 (£4.4k/$5.7k) deposit, returned to them when work is complete. 

The sale is intended to halt the decay of the historic properties found in the Saracen district of Sambuca. The Arab heritage of the town has earned it the nickname ‘City of Splendour’ but as so many buildings stand empty they are beginning to fall into ruin. Surely it's worth the money to save these pieces of the past and earn a unique holiday home into the bargain?

With a brand-new kitchen and an asking price of just £595 ($767), you'll want to ensure your eyes aren't deceiving you and, well, they are. Unfortunately, the price advertised is the reservation fee and you'll need to pay £895 ($1.1k) rent per month. The good news, though, is that each month you pay, you'll be working towards owning the property, with no deposit up front.

While not quite as affordable as the houses in Sambuca, this attractive five-bed and three-bathroom house in Lake County, Indiana, is offered for sale through eBay for under $4,000. However, while it might look the part from outside, inside it bears the scars of a recent fire, hence the low price.

This two-bed village stone house in central Portugal is on the market with a guide price of just over £7,000 ($9k). The catch is simple, it's incredibly old and needs a lot of work to make it a comfortable home. 

One thing that won't need work, is that view. Surrounded by green fields, the house is located in the municipality of Penamacor, a 20-minute drive from the city of Castelo Branco. Love this? See more affordable homes with priceless views.

When we stumbled across this 3-bed home on Zoopla for sale for less than £14,000 ($18.05k), we couldn't believe our eyes. However, on closer inspection, we see that it’s a holiday home – a very nice one at that – but one that you will have to share with other ‘owners’.

Inside the house feels like a cute chocolate box cottage, thanks to the high-end decor designed by Glasgow-based Amanda Rosa. Over and above this property's chic good looks, owners can also make use of the five-star concierge service available.

The lodges are based within the expansive and grand grounds of the famous Gleneagles Hotel — Scotland’s most luxurious – which is just as well as with a small time slot allocated each year, this could work out as quite a pricey home from home. 

We are pleased to reveal that it is possible to buy a London home for under £20,000, but that home will be on the water. The price of this houseboat has recently been dropped by £7,000 ($9k) and you'll be relieved to know that you can arrange a viewing before you buy. Called Holly Lou, the barge has a steel hull with a wooden top plated with tin.

You will need to secure (and pay for) a mooring separately and they don't come cheap. But the good news is, if you fall out with your neighbour or get bored of the area, you can simply move on (as long as you have secured a mooring elsewhere, of course). Love this? See eight of the world’s most incredible houseboats.

With a guide price of just £25,000 ($32.2k), this three-bed semi-detached home in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, definitely falls into the realm of fixer-upper. With double glazing throughout, and central heating (albeit untested), if you’re handy at DIY and have some spare time, it could be the perfect renovation project.

This beautifully located house, in Scotland’s Caithness, is offered for sale at very reasonable £65,000 ($83.8k), but the catch is you will have to live without any contact with the outside world. If that’s not too off-putting, then you’ll be pleased to hear it also comes with five acres of land and its own private road.

Over the past year, the wood cabin has been significantly restored and more planning permission has been agreed. Its location, between Wick and Lybster, make it ideal for anyone who’s ever harboured dreams of crofting. Love this? These incredible earthship homes are completely off-grid. 

Ever dreamed of owning your own getaway in the French countryside? This Dordogne estate, on high ground with sweeping views of the pretty region of Aquitaine, comes with three separate houses, a swimming pool and a trio of garages. Plus, for less than a third of the full value of €678,400 (£597k/$770k), it could be yours.

While there are some nice features, such as old beams, work would need to be done to the interiors of the properties to turn them into either residences or holiday homes. Plus, as well as the down payment, there is a monthly rent of €1,200 (£1.05k/$1.4k), which will continue until the deaths of both vendors under the French system of Viager. This could mean you'll end up paying a lot more than €220,000 in the long run but probably less than its full value.

READ MORE: Amazing holiday homes around the world for less than £100,000