Some ghost town deals just aren’t meant to be. In 2002, the tiny logging town of Bridgeville in northern California made history when it became the first town to be sold on eBay. A bidder purchased the 82-acre property, sight unseen, for $1.7 million but later backed out of the deal after discovering the dilapidated condition of the town’s structures, according to the BBC. Two years later, mortgage banker Bill Krall acquired the town for $700,000 but, deciding that it required too much work to develop, soon re-listed it on eBay. He managed to flip it for $1.25 million to a Los Angeles entertainment manager who dreamed of developing an environmentally sustainable community. But the buyer committed suicide three months after moving to the town. His relatives are now trying to selling the property again, this time for $1.35 million. Despite dozens of inquiries, realtor Bruce McNaughton has had little luck finding a buyer. He admits it’s a tough sell, telling MSN, “If you just want 64 acres, you can probably get a better deal.”
Mayor for Life: 6 Uses for That Town You Purchased on eBay
A spate of North American ghost towns have made their way onto the auction block lately, enticing global buyers with cash to burn with the promise of their very own zip codes. But what might an intrepid buyer do with such an out-of-the-way acquisition? Here are six ideas.
6. Get Rid of It—Before It Ruins Your Life
Full List
Town You Purchased on eBay
- 1. Rename it for Your Chain of “Breastaurants”
- 2. Create a Religious Enclave—and Be Very, Very Mysterious About it
- 3. Sell Your Imported Wares…Albeit from the Middle of Nowhere
- 4. Develop a Blockbuster Tourist Destination
- 5. Create a Colony of Do-Gooders Dedicated to Eradicating Disease, Malnutrition and Poverty
- 6. Get Rid of It—Before It Ruins Your Life