No man is an island — but if someone wants to buy this private island off the coast of Maine, they’ll need to put themselves to the test.
Duck Ledges Island, home to the “loneliest house in the world,” has sought a new owner since hitting the market last June, The Post reported, and it seems that it’s had some problems luring someone in.
New details about the current owner’s conditions may have something to do with that — and it requires some daredevils.
Billy Milliken, the island’s owner and real estate agent with Bold Coast Properties revealed that he is looking for someone who is willing to stay overnight in the deserted property — accessible only by a 10-minute boat ride.
Milliken, 52, told Insider that “to qualify as a buyer, you’ve got to stay,” explaining that he wants to make sure the new owner can see the beauty of the property, but also all the quirks that come with it. Namely, its total isolation.
Priced at $339,000, some of the other quirks include the fact that the home has no actual bathroom. Instead, there’s an outhouse on the island for those willing to leave the 540-square-foot house to make a midnight run.
It also lacks running water and heat — not ideal to stay on the island during the winter months. Milliken also added that he stays away from the island during inclement weather, adding it’s unfit for “man or beast.”
“There’s been three different times when the storm surges have come up to the cottage, and maybe under the cottage to a degree,” Milliken told Insider. “But it’s elevated. It’s never ever damaged the structure or the flooring.”
“I had a friend stay there during a storm in the wintertime,” Milliken said, adding that the friend was curious to see what it would be like to live off what the island could provide, including fish, clams, and mussels. “He really roughed it. He was ready to come home after three days.”
Milliken himself has admitted that he rather likes to share the island with his family and close friends, who tend to make day trips rather than stay overnight.
For Milliken, the beauty of the island comes during the summer when “you can very much experience the ocean and be part of it,” he said.
Conditions aren’t always risky. He recalled one time coming out to the island during the summer, when the water is still cool.
“It was just such a relief, physical relief,” he said of the coastal breeze. “I slept outside in the hammock. It was the best night’s sleep I ever had.”
According to Milliken, two prospective buyers have already completed the overnight request, with three more parties also daring to stay on the very dark, secluded island as well.
“It’s going to be coming from the gut,” Milliken, 52, said. “When it’s right, it’s right. I’ll feel it, and they’ll feel it.”
And it appears that Milliken has found his dare-devil buyer. The island, which spans 1.5 acres, went into contract over the weekend, The Post has learned.
Milliken, who has owned the island for more than decade, explained why he has hung onto the property for so long.
“In our lives, we’re busy, and there’s so many distractions, but when you’re out on that island, you really feel small,” Milliken said. “It’s very healthy to be there alone where you can really listen to yourself. You’re a guest of nature when you’re there.”
“The longer I own the island,” he added, “I understand even more that it is a special place.”
