"I bought a whole island for $31k - it was cheaper than a deposit for a house"

A man swapped life in the US to live on a $31k island in Finland - for "less than a house deposit". Oliver Russell, 24, who is half American and half Finnish would spend every summer in Finland visiting his friends and family. After growing up in Laguna Beach, California, US, and moving to Fort Collins, Colorado in 2020 he struggled to get inter-state tuition - which is more affordable - so he looked elsewhere. He thought about moving to Helsinki, Finland, to study and made his dream a reality in August 2022. After moving to Finland, Oliver met his girlfriend, Helena Tomaszewska, 20, and the pair bought the island - which they saw advertised on a property website - in March 2024 for just $31,000 (€28,000).