Homes in this peaceful area starts at $500 bid, If I could buy one, I would

[theking]

..get one as a vacation home. Been to Japan and it has a very low crime rate.. :

There are more than 8 million empty homes in rural Japan, and local governments are selling them for as little as $500 in a bid to lure in residents The Japanese government is looking for people to occupy some 8 million empty homes. Local authorities are giving away free houses and renovation subsidies to incentivize move-ins. Some provinces even have "akiya banks," which are listings of vacant houses available for sale. There are millions of vacant homes in Japan, and some of them are being given away nearly for free. To find occupants for its millions of "akiya," or unoccupied homes, the Japanese government is enticing would-be homeowners with financial incentives like free properties and sizable renovation subsidies. Japan's Housing and Land Survey, conducted every five years, logged a record high of 8.49 million akiya in Japan in 2018. Many of these homes were left empty after relatives died or when people moved away, the survey found.

[DuMa]

be a good idea for investment if there is no catch.

Like them italy rural castle going for $1 but the catch is you got to renovate it which will cost you. 

I'll take that $500 and keep it as is but then again, who's gonna watch your house when you are not there?  If you buy enough, you can hire an agent who can do the maintenance, recruiting and bookkeeping for you, air bnb style. 

Imagine that.  EVery paycheck is a house for you.  With the going rate, I'll own the whole city block and I'll owe a million buck off property taxes. 

[theking]

Update, not going too well  :

Japan is trying to lure people into rural areas by selling $500 homes, but it's not enough to fix the country's 'ghost town' problem