5 US cities that will give you a free house or land
Jordan Pandy
- Some cities in the US try to lure people to move there by giving away property for free.
- In some spots, land is given for free, but the recipient is responsible for building a home.
A decent plot of land can be hard to come by.
According to the latest data from the Realtors' Land Institute, sales of American land increased 1.2% from 2022 to 2023, while its cost jumped 1.9%. Home prices hover around record highs in most of the US, while mortgage rates haven't dampened enough to make Americans feel they can easily afford homes.
At the same time, dozens of cities across the US offer incentives for people to move there. Perks range from $10,000 cash, like in Tulsa, to free childcare and access to coworking spaces.
Some towns, meanwhile, are offering movers land or entire homes at low or no cost. Smaller spots — mostly Midwestern towns with small populations — are establishing programs for current and future residents to acquire a home or land to build one on for free. In Kansas, multiple cities are giving away land, and one city in Iowa has an entire community full of lots up for grabs.
These cities' programs, which might help generate property tax revenue or revive sometimes-blighted areas, are designed for whoever wants to take advantage of them — whether they're already a resident of the area or moving from somewhere else.
Here are a few places across the country that are offering land or property to movers.
Elwood, Nebraska
In Elwood, Nebraska, the city's chamber of commerce has free lots for acquisition in what the city is calling, Wheatfield Addition.
Lots are 110 feet by 115 feet and are part of an homeownership program that allows recipients to build owner-occupied homes. The lots are free, but potential homeowners will need a $500 deposit, which will be refunded at the completion of the home.
Elwood, which is 230 miles from Omaha, Nebraska, is also offering down payment assistance and a 10% payment of the construction cost up to $25,000.
Lincoln, Kansas
With a population under 1,200, Lincoln, Kansas, is providing plots of residential land to residents as long as you build a home on it.
Each lot — which ranges from 14,000 to 35,000 square feet — has access to streets, water, and sewage. They're not far from downtown, the local high school, and hospital.
There are criteria that must be met for applicants as well as for the homes. The minimum footprint must be 1,300 square feet for a one-story house and 900 square feet for a two-story house, each house should have a two-car garage, and be on permanent foundation.
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