An Arizona man just sell his 2600 - square - foot household to the city of Scottsdale for about $ 4 million — but he is n’t using the cash to purchase a swank new home , Atlas Obscura reports . rather , former property possessor Shawn Murphy will stay put in his current digs rip - free for the remainder of his life sentence . In telephone exchange , Scottsdale will own the realm it sit around on : a serving of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve , a protect desert habitat .
TheMcDowell Sonoran Preservewas founded in the early 1900s , and in 1993 Scottsdale adjudicate to set apart 3000 extra acres of natural lands for preservation . Over the years , more land was tote up , and by 2012 , the McDowell Sonoran Preserve was the largest urban preserve in the Americas , wee up one - quarter of the city ’s land area . Today , it includes more than 30,000 acres of desert — and thanks to Scottsdale , it keep to grow . With their latest purchase , the preserve now let in even more contiguous land , and a menage to the boot .
For nearly a decade , Fox 10 reports , functionary test to purchase Murphy ’s household , which sits near the popular Tom ’s Thumb trailhead in the preserve . ( Murphy buy the menage and its surrounding lands in 1999 , before they were formally part of the conserves . )
" It ’s to the full surrounded by the conserve and … the north remainder of the McDowell Mountains , " preserves director Kroy Ekblaw toldThe Arizona Republic . " It ’s bring up with commanding persuasion of the Verde Valley and the Continental Mountains . "
The home ’s location was worthy , and metropolis official also venerate that its next owner would n’t be as good to the land as its current dweller were . " In some level of time , if they were expect to move , we might get a neighbour who does n’t partake the same goals , " Ekblaw toldThe Arizona Republic . The sale , he said , “ puts to bed the issue of any future variety . We ’re not faced with an unknown . "
Earlier this month , both parties finally hit a stack : Since Scottsdale measure the house at $ 2.69 million but a freestanding appraiser lease by Murphy prize it at $ 6.59 million , they compromised and settled for $ 4 million . ( The leverage was paid through a metropolis gross sales taxation that pays for desert conservation . )
Murphy scored a pretty sweet pile : He lives in the house for devoid , and he can even rent it out for half the year . However , he has to foot the bill for public-service corporation , maintenance , and insurance policy . When he pall , the city will likely either use the home as part of the preserve or tear it down , ABC News 12 reports .
Scottsdale official have mixed tone about the plate purchase . They know it was expensive , but " we do n’t care the idea of condemning someone ’s home for a park , " Mayor Jim Lane toldThe Arizona Republic . " I think we settled on a reasonable amount . "
[ h / tAtlas Obscura ]
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