The Free $5 Million Home: Only on Nantucket
Only on Nantucket could a “free” home cost millions to move.
A coastal property on Easton Street, valued near $5 million, is making national headlines for one unusual reason — the owners are giving it away. Their only condition: whoever takes it must move the entire house off-site within 180 days.
The 19th-century Shingle-style home sits on a waterfront parcel being redeveloped into a new estate. Rather than demolish the structure — which is still in excellent condition — the owners applied for a move permit through the Nantucket Historic District Commission. They’re offering the home at no charge to anyone willing to bear the roughly $500,000 to $800,000 cost of relocating it to another lot on the island.
A quirky island tradition
House moving isn’t new to Nantucket. Tight zoning laws and a fierce commitment to preservation have made relocation a practical solution for decades. Crews literally lift historic homes off their foundations and haul them through the narrow cobblestone streets to new parcels.
Islanders call it “the Nantucket shuffle” — a strange ballet of beams, dollies, and engineering ingenuity that keeps the island’s architectural heritage alive even as land values soar.
Why it matters
The giveaway reflects a deeper housing paradox: on an island where median single-family prices hover around $3.5 million, affordability is vanishing while heritage is priceless. By moving the home instead of razing it, the owners are keeping both history and sustainability in play — even if it takes a small fortune to do so.
🧾 References
Flood, J. (2025, November 10). These Nantucket homeowners are giving away their home for free. New York Post. Retrieved from https://nypost.com/2025/11/10/real-estate/these-nantucket-homeowners-are-giving-away-their-home-for-free/
Town of Nantucket Historic District Commission. (2025, October 31). Permit application #25-HDC-183 – Easton Street relocation. Retrieved from https://www.nantucket-ma.gov/
CBS Boston. (2025, November 11). Owners offer $5 million Nantucket home for free – if you can move it. Retrieved from https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/free-home-nantucket-move-it/
