Free land !

**ironmaiden** · 11-28-2005, 08:51 PM

This is from the November 2005 issue of Kiplinger's Personal Finance:

Atwood, Kansas is giving out 4,650 square foot plots to nearly an acre in Lincoln Kansas.

Basically there are town in Kansas that are "dying" town - losing population to the point of having trouble justifying schools and having serious employment problems.

Try the Ellsworth County's economic development department to find out what's up.

**favesis37** · 11-29-2005, 07:57 AM

wow! how neat

**CheapBugger** · 12-27-2005, 10:51 PM

OOPS did I miss something? Is there a link?

**bevjean** · 12-27-2005, 11:06 PM

I'm definitely curious. I went to the Ellsworth County's economic development department website and it mentioned under projects a Welcome Home Plan (free resdential building lots and other incentives). It didn't give details but you could contact them for more info.

http://home.classicnet.net/welcomehome/eced/

**CheapBugger** · 12-27-2005, 11:16 PM

Thanks Bev. To me, seems like a "FREE, but you'd better pay your way through every one of our hoops" type of thing. Will check it out.
JOhn

**bevjean** · 12-27-2005, 11:22 PM

I'm not in a position to move out of state right now but let me know what you find out. I'm still curious and the right deal could change my mind about moving.

**owiebrain** · 12-28-2005, 01:30 PM

Several towns started doing this a year or two ago. Besides Kansas, there's Nebraska, I think Iowa? and a couple of other states as well. All were in smallish towns and all had certain guidelines, such as building xx number of square feet, building completed within x months, appraised at $xx worth, etc, etc.

I think it would be great for those who were already looking to build new homes that fit the criteria but for folks looking for a cheap way to get land/home? Nope. I know some of those areas and the price of land is so low that you could easily go buy a regular piece of land and build the way you want for cheaper than what those towns would have you doing. Or buy a good piece of land with a house already on it cheaper.

So, good for those who are already planning fancy houses. Not good for simpler folks who are cheap and/or looking to set up a homestead. Maybe they've loosened the criteria now?

**bamamomto4** · 01-12-2006, 10:20 PM

How Cool! I'd love to move to Iowa or Nebraska on a huge farm with an old farmhouse.Kinda like the house in Bridges of Madison Co...thats my dream house

Maybe I could be neighbors with Jamee