For decades, Australia was the destination of choice for migrants chasing a better life. Among them were thousands of Italians who arrived after World War II, lured by steady jobs, affordable housing, and the promise of building a future for their families.
Now, in a twist few could have imagined, some Australians are starting to wonder whether the journey could be heading in the opposite direction.
Four Aussie mates, Miles, Ricky, Jack and Riley, have become social media sensations after packing up their lives and travelling to Italy in search of something many young people feel is increasingly out of reach at home: home ownership.
The group purchased a crumbling house in the Sicilian town of Salemi through Italy’s famous €1 home scheme, which aims to breathe new life into regional communities suffering population decline. While the price tag translates to little more than loose change, the reality is far from glamorous.
Their renovation adventure, shared through the Instagram account The One Euro Dream, has already attracted millions of views as the friends document collapsed roofs, structural damage, endless dust,c and plenty of unexpected setbacks.
“We got fed up with house prices,” the group explained in one of their videos, echoing a frustration felt by many Australians who have watched property values soar over the past decade.
While buying a home for €1 sounds almost unbelievable, there is a catch. Owners must commit to renovating the property, often spending tens of thousands of dollars in the process. Still, for many, that can feel far more achievable than entering Australia’s increasingly expensive housing market.
The story has resonated because it taps into a growing sentiment among younger Australians. The traditional “Great Australian Dream” of owning a home is becoming harder to achieve, particularly in major cities where median home prices have climbed beyond the reach of many first-home buyers.
That doesn’t necessarily mean Australians are giving up on the dream altogether. Instead, some are looking beyond Australia’s shores and asking whether home ownership, lifestyle, and adventure might be found elsewhere.
Ironically, it was once Italian families making the opposite calculation. In the 1950s and 1960s, thousands left villages much like Salemi, seeking better wages and greater opportunities in Australia. They helped build communities, businesses, and suburbs across the country.
Today, some of those same Italian villages are struggling with shrinking populations and abandoned homes, prompting local authorities to offer properties for symbolic prices in an effort to attract new residents.
Whether the trend takes off remains to be seen. But as four Aussie mates swing hammers in a centuries-old Sicilian house, they may be highlighting something much bigger than a renovation project.
For a growing number of Australians priced out of the local property market, the question may no longer be “Where can I buy a home?” but “Which country should I buy one in?”
