Confidence is king, it would seem, even for houses.
A real estate listing is attracting online attention for its meager offerings — and enormous price tag.
In Holtville, California — a city of less than 6,000 in the state’s poorest region just 10 miles from the Mexico border — a currently uninhabitable two-parcel property has listed with a self-assured $1 million sticker price.
Photos of the properties at 1896 and 1890 East Underwood Road reveal a series of serious fixer-uppers: An assortment of wooden shacks appear to be scattered between the addresses.
These include a peak-roofed building with boarded-up windows and a pallet porch, the words “Costumes & More” painted over its doorless entry, as well as a badly burned-out structure and a white-painted wooden home of sorts.
Together, the cabins amount to 1,032 square feet of space with one bathroom and two bedrooms between them, according to the post.
The listing advertises the acreage as an “opportunity to renovate a country home or build on almost 5 acres,” defending the shack, built in 1924, as having “character” but allowing that “you may choose to build your own or subdivide this lot.”
Across the street, the listing adds, is the city limit boundary and a field, details which will surely entice those who’ve always dreamed of feeling like they’re inside a Cormac McCarthy novel.
“Schools are conveniently located, and new housing developments are being built closer and closer to the property,” the listing continues, concluding with “The possibilities are endless to make this your own country paradise.”
Internet denizens were less than convinced the situation is a steal.
“VERY open floor plan,” one critic tweeted.
“5 acres of nothing in the middle of nowhere is worth very little, even in California,” another noted.
The California compound is far from alone in punching perhaps aggressively above its weight in terms of asking price: In Palo Alto, a teardown also recently went viral for commanding a very high asking price.
