If you’ve joined the remote work revolution, you might have the opportunity to move anywhere you want 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 don’t know how you could afford to relocate, remember there are destinations across the country and around the world that want your business so badly that they’ll give you land , a house and/or a bunch of money to make you a member of their community. Meet the cities, states and countries that will give you property, money or both to become one of them.
Maenza, Italy
According to the LA Times, Italy’s $1 house bonanza began in 2011 in the village of Gangi. With 5,800 towns with fewer than 5,000 residents – 2,300 of which are entirely deserted or nearby – the country is at risk of losing its historic rural hamlet culture. Beginning with Gangi, small, remote villages across the country began selling abandoned homes for $1 to bolster their population.
Most locations have been isolated and remote – until now.
In 2021, Maenza became the first city near Rome to join the $1 craze, marking the first time a gifted city was not a remote backwater area where travel was difficult and opportunities for work and… Academics were sparse.
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Pipestone, Canada
The rural community of Pipestone in Manitoba, Canada is selling land for $10 for residential use. Prospects pay a $1,000 deposit and sign an offer agreement. If they build a home that meets the terms of the bid agreement, they will receive a $990 refund.
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 portions of their 130-acre property to build a new city around their home.
The Scottish Islands
Scotland is home to nearly 1,000 offshore islands whose communities are a crucial part of Scottish culture and history – but the populations of those communities are dwindling. To revitalize these isolated towns and hamlets, the government launched the National Islands Plan in 2019 and the initiative has weathered both Brexit and the pandemic.
Scottish authorities have launched a bond fund to provide £50,000 – the equivalent of around $65,000 – to up to 100 households moving to qualifying islands by 2026.
Mankato, Kansas
Mankato is a town of 900 in a county of about 3,000 — and if you like the small-town vibe in a rural part of a rural state, you can flock there for free land like the homesteaders of yore did. The city is giving away more than two dozen lots to people who agree to build homes on the lots within six months.
All lots are close to the local hospital, school, steakhouse and motel and only half a mile from the city’s shopping district.
West Virginia
Known for its rugged beauty and mountain wilderness, West Virginia is suffering from an acute population decline nearly unmatched in the rest of the country. To reverse the flow of people, the government launched Ascend West Virginia, a program aimed at attracting new residents and stemming the outward exodus.
The initiative is offering $20,000 to anyone willing to up their ante and relocate to the Mountain State. The first part of the bounty is a $12,000 cash payment – with no strings attached – which comes with $10,000 in year one and $2,000 in year two.
The other $8,000 comes from freebies like free whitewater rafting, skiing, and other outdoor activities that can otherwise quickly get pricey, plus free rentals and gear for you and your family. Participants also receive free co-working space and free professional development and entrepreneurial support.
Tulsa, Oklahoma
The Tulsa Remote program — which encourages out-of-state full-time remote workers to relocate to Oklahoma — saw a 300% surge in applications during the pandemic. Now it’s beefed up its offering with a new cash incentive.
The city will give $10,000 to qualifying participants who buy a home in Tulsa. The money is given in a lump sum, and in the city where the average home price is just over $205,000, $10,000 is about 25% of a 20% down payment.
Vermont
The Vermont state government offers two distinct incentives to attract new residents to the heart of New England. The New Relocating Worker Grant is for new residents who are filling a position with a Vermont employer. The New Remote Worker Grant is for newcomers working remotely for an out-of-state employer.
There are several qualifying factors, but those who fit the bill can get up to $7,500 to move to Vermont.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 7 Places Giving Away Land or Money to Move There
