Think the idea of buying a plot of land for $10 is just a pipe dream?

One rural municipality in Manitoba is hoping to boost its dwindling population by appealing to aspiring homeowners sick of increasing real estate prices in larger centres.

The municipality of Pipestone is in the second phase of a project offering a total of 24 lots for sale in the rural community of Reston — which is 95 kilometres southwest of Brandon — for $10 each.

It also plans to begin selling lots of land in other nearby communities within its boundaries such as Cromer and Pipestone in the spring, said Tanis Chalmers, economic development officer for the rural municipality of Pipestone.

“We want authentic growth,” said Chalmers, explaining the reasons behind the program. And with the increasing activity in the oil and gas industry and the expensive cost of housing in other locations, rural communities are perfect alternatives.

So perfect, the rural municipality has been inundated with queries about the cheap lots. There has been so much interest in the program Pipestone’s website crashed earlier this week when it logged close to 1.4 million hits.

“It seems the timing is right,” said Chalmers.

But speculators should not apply, she warns. The community isn’t trying to attract buyers who just want to sit on the land and resell it at a profit. Applicants must meet a number of requirements, including building a home.

Interested parties must fill out an offer agreement, Chalmers explains. They must put down $1,000 on the property. Then they have 90 days to build foundations or a basement and 12 months after that to construct a house. Once a landowner has completed construction they are given $990 back.

Chalmers said the rural municipality also has a number of commercial properties for sale albeit with a more expensive price tag of between $16,000 and $20,000. But she added that grants of up to $32,000 are available for those who buy commercial property and either build a business or purchase an existing business.

The program to buy cheap residential property in the Pipestone municipality began in 2010. But a second phase began on September 13, 2012.

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