A student bought a private island that cost less than some cars

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Oliver Russell and his beloved Helena Tomashevska plan to build a hut and a sauna with modern amenities on the island.

When Oliver Russell first saw the island, it was covered with white snow. Wrapped in thick raincoats, he and his girlfriend waded 150 feet (45 meters) across a frozen lake to reach an uninhabited patch of land — one of Finland's more than 178,000 islands.

The boy realized they had reached solid ground. the ground when the snow became noticeably harder. He and his friend, 20-year-old Helena Tomaszewska, found a relatively flat spot nestled among 2.5 acres of hills and trees. The couple lit a small fire and cooked sausages, which they took with them on the three-hour trip from Helsinki. The couple was struck by the tranquility of the place.

“Peace and tranquility,” Russell noted.

The island, put up for sale for $36,000, became an opportunity for a young man to fulfill his childhood dream of having a summer vacation spot in Finland. According to Russell, a real estate agent told him that the small piece of land had not been set foot on for ten years. In March, Russell's offer of $30,500 was accepted. The guy was surprised, he got all the real estate cheaper than some cars.

Most of the student's friends and relatives considered his idea to build a hut on the island “crazy”. Russell bought the island with the intention of building a house and a sauna on it together with Tomashevska.

The publication notes that in Finland there is approximately one sauna for every two people. They usually take the form of log cabins, heated with wood or electricity to a temperature of 212 degrees Fahrenheit. It was an ambitious project given that the couple, who met as they are both university students in Helsinki, have no construction experience. joked Russell.

After watching videos on YouTube about living offline and building huts, Russell and Tomaszewska said they were confident they could make their idea a reality. But not everyone was as inspired as they were.

“Most people said, 'What are you doing? Why are you doing this? This seems like some kind of madness. But I feel lucky. I'm in a pretty good position for my age, and I wanted to try something risky,” Russell explained.

Purchasing a private island wasn't something Russell did out of nowhere. Although the boy grew up mainly in Laguna Beach, California (USA), he spent most of the summer in Finland, communicating with relatives on his mother's side. As he grew older, he found that most Finns either owned or knew someone who owned a lakeside vacation spot, where in the warmer months it was customary to spend weeks fishing, kayaking, and swimming.

Russell knew from his own experience that islands in Finland were in less demand than mainland properties because they were more difficult to get to. He was able to buy the island at such a young age thanks to a lucky coincidence of financial circumstances. Russell made $80,000 from selling his condo in Colorado, which he used to buy the island.

In July, Russell and Tomaszewska set up a large bell-shaped tent with a bed, table and chairs. It has enough space for their clothes, food and other things. They deliver supplies to the island in a small boat. Next in their plans is to build a floating dock that will allow them to stay on the island longer and carry more equipment.

This winter they plan to cut down trees to use the wood to build a sauna next summer. It will be just over 100 square feet, and will be located close to the shoreline for easy cold water immersion.

Russell noted that Finland's laws regarding building permits are changing, which will allow can simplify the process.

“If the building is less than 30 meters squared, then as long as you comply with all the rules and regulations related to the shoreline and building codes, you do not need to get a permit,” he said.

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As soon as the sauna is ready, they will start building a country house with modern amenities. The guy added that he plans to add modern amenities like running water and a solar-powered electrical system.