World's cheapest home? Detroit-area listing turns heads with $1 price tag. Is it legit?

A two-bedroom house for $1? It sounds crazy, but there's one listed for that price in the Detroit suburb of Pontiac.

The 724-square-foot home at 70 E. Ypsilanti Ave. is causing a stir on social media after being showcased on Zillow Gone Wild, a platform dedicated to featuring distinctive properties from around the nation.

“I like mixing it up, doing crazy marketing tactics to get maximum exposure,” said listing agent Christopher Hubel from Good Company Realty in nearby Royal Oak.

And that $1 listing price? It is indeed just a tactic, he acknowledges. Hubel actually expects the house to sell for around $45,000 to $50,000, which is what he estimates the market value to be.

Still, the house in the heart of Pontiac is being marketed as “the world’s cheapest home.”

Investors from all over the country and even Great Britain have reached out to Hubel about the property, along with several TikTok and YouTube influencers who are eager to acquire the house and launch their own viral campaigns.

Hubel has used similar attention-grabbing strategies in the past, such as a controversial 2019 listing that featured Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus in a condo in the suburban Detroit city of Birmingham.

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Home features: Peeling paint, missing drywall, a hole in the floor

The Pontiac house, built in 1956 and was listed on Tuesday, has been vacant for several years and needs some TLC.

Photos reveal paint peeling from walls, missing drywall in several rooms, a hole in the floor exposing the crawl space, and overgrown weeds and bushes.

Hubel's description of the house offers a playful perspective on its condition.

“The roof might have seen better days, but hey, it's not leaking yet — it's just keeping you on your toes, providing an unexpected shower of excitement when you least expect it,” he wrote.

“Who needs a traditional open-concept layout when you can have an open floor plan thanks to an authentic, unfiltered glimpse into the crawl space?" the listing says. "But wait, there's more! The garden is a blank canvas waiting for your green thumb to work its magic. Imagine a garden so wild, even Mother Nature would raise an eyebrow. The overgrown shrubbery and exotic weeds lend an air of mystery, inviting local critters for an impromptu garden party.”

Cash offers for the property are due by 10 a.m. Wednesday, Hubel said.

Brendel Hightower is an assistant editor at the Detroit Free Press. Contact her at bhightower@freepress.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe to the Detroit Free Press.