9 Places Giving Away Land or Money To Move There
If you’ve joined the remote-work life, you may have the wonderful opportunity to move wherever you want, or wherever you can afford, for the first time in your career.
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If you’re looking for a change of pace in a brand-new place, but you don’t know how you could possibly afford to relocate, consider the fact that there are destinations around the country and world that want your company so badly that they’ll give you land, a home and/or big piles of cash to make you a member of their community. Meet the towns, cities, states and countries that will give you property, money or both to become one of them.
Maenza, Italy
Italy’s $1 home bonanza started in the village of Gangi in 2011, according to the LA Times. With 5,800 towns with fewer than 5,000 residents — 2,300 of which are totally abandoned or close to it — the country is at risk of losing its historic rural hamlet culture. Starting with Gangi, small, remote villages across the country began selling abandoned homes for $1 to try to bolster their populations.
Most locations have been isolated and remote — until now.
In 2021, Maenza became the first town with proximity to Rome to join the $1 craze, marking the first time that a giveaway town that wasn’t an off-the-map backwater where travel was difficult and opportunities for work and academics were sparse.
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Pipestone, Canada
The rural municipality of Pipestone in Manitoba, Canada, is selling plots of land for $10 for residential use. Interested buyers pay a $1,000 deposit and sign an offer agreement. When they build a home within the terms of the offer agreement, they get a refund of $990.
According to the Canadian Citizenship & Immigration Resource Center, it’s part of a nationwide movement that began in New Brunswick when a single couple began giving away chunks of their 130-acre plot of land to create a new town around their home.
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Mankato, Kansas
Mankato is a town of 900 people located in a county of around 3,000 — and if a small-town atmosphere in a rural part of a rural state sounds good to you, you can flock there for free land like the homesteaders of old. The town is giving away more than two dozen lots to people who agree to build homes on those lots within six months.
All lots are close to the local hospital, school, steakhouse and motel — and are just a half-mile away from the town’s shopping district.
West Virginia
Known for its rugged beauty and mountain wilderness, West Virginia is suffering from acute population decline that’s nearly unmatched in the rest of the country. In order to reverse the flow of people, the government launched Ascend West Virginia, a program designed to lure new residents and stop the outward exodus.
The initiative offers $12,000 in cash — $10,000 your first year and $2,000 your second year — and a free year of outdoor recreation to anyone willing to pull up stakes and relocate to the Mountain State.
The outdoor reaction includes free whitewater rafting, skiing and other outdoor recreation, which can otherwise get pricey fast, plus free rentals and gear for you and your family. Participants also get free co-working space and free professional development and entrepreneurial assistance.
Tulsa, Oklahoma
The Tulsa Remote program — which incentivizes telecommuters with out-of-state full-time remote employment to relocate to Oklahoma — saw applications soar by 300% during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, it’s beefed up its offerings with a fresh cash incentive.
The city is giving $10,000 to qualifying participants who purchase a home in Tulsa. The money is awarded as a lump sum, and in the city where the median home price is just over $191,000, $10,000 represents a significant down payment.
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Topeka, Kansas
The capital of Kansas will hand you the keys to a new life and a big check. Receive $10,000 if you relocate and rent in Topeka — or $15,000 if you buy a home. That kind of money goes far when the average home price sits around $150,000. Use the cash for renovations or knock down the price of your mortgage.
Northern Alabama
The Shoals region of Northern Alabama wants more vibrant residents to liven up its quaint communities. Remote workers who relocate here for a year get $10,000. Even a six-month stay comes with a $5,000 reward. Outdoorsy types will delight in the area’s many lakes, hiking trails and promoted “rural lifestyle.”
St. Clair County, Michigan
If you’re a recent grad from this county in Michigan and earned a degree related to science, tech, engineering or math, you could receive up to $15,000 towards paying off student loans if you move back home after school. With ample parks, trails and water recreation like sailing, it’s an attractive place to launch a career.
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Newton, Iowa
People who purchase homes valued at $190,000 or more in Newton qualify for $10,000 courtesy of the town. Plus, the city provides another $2,500 in vouchers to spend at local businesses. Newton offers top-rated schools and a family-friendly environment, ideal for planting roots.
Andrew Lisa contributed to the reporting for this article.
Photo Disclaimer: Please note photos are for representational purposes only. As a result, some of the photos might not reflect the locations listed in this article.
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