Secluded Mountain Village Near Lake Como Selling House For 82p

But a pretty little Swiss village has come to the rescue, because they are offering a house in the mountain town of Monti Sciaga. You need to get brushing up on your Italiano, though, because it's in the Ticino province and that's the language that's spoken there.

It's in Switzerland but it's really close to the Italian border. Overlooking the lovely Lake Maggiore, it's also just a short trip from Lake Como and Milan - both known as rather bloody nice destinations.

But as with many good things, there's bound to be a catch. The properties are quite dilapidated, and to own one of the old homes, or 'rustici' in the local lingo, the buyer would be responsible for renovating it in line with the law of the land.

While this might seem like a drawback, it's not really. The money you have saved on buying the actual property could go some way towards making it your own.

And it's not all bad - even though it sits at the top of a meadow, the small town has plumbing, which might make it more appealing to developers.

The scheme is designed to 'breathe new life' into communities that have been left deserted. Other schemes on the continent have seen local councils on the Greek islands offering free homes, food and money to young families in the hope of giving them employment in local trades.

And it's not the first time Italian houses have been going for cheap.

As a ploy to bring more people to the area, the Mayor of Sambuca (yeah, like the liquour that makes you want to throw up) in Sicily has slashed the price of houses in the area to €1 (80p / $1.10).

Too many people have left the rural countryside in search of a busier life in the capital cities and the town could wither away if nothing is done to pump up the population.

"We're located inside a natural reserve, packed with history. Gorgeous beaches, woods and mountains surround us. It's silent and peaceful, an idyllic retreat for a detox stay."

Now, you're probably wondering where the catch is once more, and this time there actually is one.

In order to acquire one of the homes, you'll have to spruce it up within three years, with the minimum spend allowable being €15,000 (£13,200 / $16,800). You'll have to cough up a €5,000 (£4,400 / $5,600) security deposit, which you get back once the refurbishment is completed.

What are you waiting for? You could be riding around Italy on a Vespa eating ALL the pizza in no time.