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Can’t afford a house? Buy this $144,000 island instead

Deer Island, Scotland. (Source: Future Property Auctions)
Deer Island, Scotland. (Source: Future Property Auctions)

Sydney’s median house price is nearly $900,000, according to CoreLogic’s latest figures.

But if you can’t afford anything in that price range, consider snapping up this rugged Scottish island for just a fraction of the cost.

Situated off the west coast of the Scottish highlands, the uninhabited Deer Island will go under the hammer tomorrow evening, with the opening bid starting at £80,000, or AU$144,110.

It’s the first time the island has gone on sale for more than 500 years, and has been listed as a “unique opportunity” to buy land that “can be enjoyed with zero chance of intrusion”, according to auctioneers Future Property Auction.

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The buyer of the 11-acre rugged island will end up neighbours of Virgin Group founder Richard Branson and his family.

Branson’s sister Vanessa Branson, owns the island closest to Deer Island, Eilean Shona.

“They use that as a business Eilean Shona is bigger, significantly bigger, but they've got chalets and a retreat there where a number of celebrities go and stay,” property manager Stephen McCluskey told CNN.

The island is surrounded by a moat of water, with local fauna including red squirrels, seals, and occasionally dolphins.

Deer Island, Scotland. (Source: Future Property Auctions)
Deer Island, Scotland. (Source: Future Property Auctions)

The uninhabited island has also been left largely undisturbed, McCluskey added.

“It's rock and trees really at the moment – there's nothing on it – and never been anything [built] on it, or any application to have anything on it," McCluskey said.

“There's nothing at all. It's been completely uninhabited for 500 years.”

The eventual owner of the island would have to seek planning permissions to build anything on Deer Island.

The online auction will take place on Thursday 26 March at 10am Glasgow time (9pm AEDT). There are already two potential buyers who have registered their interest.

Though the opening bid is $114,000, Deer Island is expected to sell for around £150,000 to £200,000 ($270,000 to $360,000).

The island has attracted buyers from all walks of life, McCluskey added.

“You get overseas investors, wealthy landowners, and you get the romantics who fall in love with the idea of owning a Scottish island.”

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