Houses for sale in Matmata

Few Tunisian villages have a house as recognisable as Matmata's. Beneath the hills, the inhabitants dug circular courtyards several metres deep, and around each courtyard rooms carved into the soft rock: bedrooms, granaries, kitchen. Above ground you see almost nothing, apart from craters, olive trees and the low walls of the jessour, the farming terraces that hold back water from the wadis. It is this heritage that now draws some of the buyers.

Listings of houses for sale in Matmata are rare and almost always posted by private sellers, often families whose parents left the village. You contact them directly on Houni. Supply is small; to compare with the rest of the region, see the houses for sale in Gabes governorate, from Gabes city to Mareth.

The troglodyte house: a purchase apart

A troglodyte house is not bought like an ordinary house. Its value depends on its condition, the quality of the rock, the size of the courtyard and the number of rooms still sound. Many were abandoned after the inhabitants left for New Matmata, and some have lost part of their vaults. Others have been maintained without a break, or restored to host visitors.

Before making any offer, have the property inspected by a craftsman or an engineer who knows this kind of construction. The weak points are cracks in the carved ceilings, water seeping in during storms and the condition of the access tunnel. A serious restoration is expensive, and it must respect the character of the place, which is precisely what you are buying. Also plan the comforts today's occupants expect: a bathroom, ventilation, wiring up to standard, without spoiling the volumes.

The guesthouse project

Tourism remains the village's main economic activity: southern tours, day trips from Djerba or Douz, the curiosity of film buffs. Some buyers therefore aim for a guesthouse or a holiday lodge. The project is feasible, but it requires an operating licence, a reliable water and electricity supply, and road access suitable for guests' cars.

Seasonality must also be kept in mind. The village is lively in spring and autumn, quieter in the height of summer, when the heat puts off the tours, while winter partly benefits from Saharan tourism. A realistic business plan allows for these troughs, and for competition from established accommodation, some of which has been running for decades. A successful guesthouse in Matmata bets on authenticity and the quality of the welcome rather than on the number of rooms.

Village houses above ground

Alongside the dug-out houses, Matmata has houses built above ground, in stone or breeze block, with a courtyard and a few rooms, sometimes a plot of olive trees below. These are the homes of families who stayed in the village. They sell at modest prices and suit those who want to live here or keep a family base. Their appeal lies mainly in location: a house near the main road and the village centre lets and resells more easily than an isolated house up on the heights, reached by a dirt track. Check the orientation too, because in summer a courtyard facing full south turns into an oven. If you are searching more broadly, upper floors and family dars included, see the property for sale in Matmata.

Ownership, land, heirs

The legal position is often the trickiest point. Many old houses were never registered, and belong to a large family line. Ask for the land title if there is one, the deed of acquisition otherwise, and the written consent of all the heirs. If the sale includes jessour or an olive grove, have them marked out by a surveyor. A foreign buyer needs prior administrative authorisation. Have the deed drawn up by a notary or a lawyer from the region.