Half-finished off-grid home on private B.C. island for sale for less than a Vancouver condo

A man died before he could finish building his off-grid dream home on a B.C. island. Now, it's up for sale.

In 2023, Dinny Corcoran died before he could finish building his off-grid sanctuary on a small private island in B.C. The piece of property – along with the half-completed home – is on the market, waiting for a buyer with a similar vision.

The 1.1 acre property in Long Harbour, off Salt Spring Island, is listed by Colliers International for $695,000 and the architect-drafted plans Corcoran had drawn up – along with permits that are valid through August of 2025 – come with it.

Realtor Alan L. Johnson says those who live on Salt Spring and the nearby Gulf Islands are familiar with the tragic story behind the unfinished home.

“It’s not a happy story. The man that acquired it had this vision, had this dream. And unfortunately, he did pass away,” Johnson told CTV news. “It shook the community quite a bit.”

According to the Gulf Islands Driftwood, a local paper, the search for Corcoran began when an empty boat was reported, and a dog people recognized as Corcoran’s black lab named Ninja came ashore. The next day, July 13, 2023, Corcoran’s body was found.

Johnson said Corcoran was transporting materials to Clamshell Islet when his boat capsized, and explained what the vision for the island was.

“It was really creating a home that was as much off-grid as physically possible and building out of local materials and creating a bit of a sanctuary. That that was his idea. He got quite a ways to it,” Johnson said. “It’s really quite spectacular,” he added.

Corcoran was from Australia, and moved to Canada in 2010, according to a letter his family wrote to the local paper after his death. He began building on Clamshell Islet in 2021.

“He was living his dream and loving his life. We are devastated that he is gone but will remember his adventurous spirit and carry him in our hearts always,” the letter said.

While many people may dream of escaping to a private island, there are relatively few people who actually end up doing so and even fewer who share Corcoran’s desire to live completely off-grid – relying completely on solar power and foregoing plumbing in favour of a composting toilet and a system reliant on rainwater.

“It takes a special buyer to understand what they’re going to have to do to finish it,” Johnson said.

Whoever does end up buying Clamshell Islet can, of course, adapt the plans – which will add extra costs and create additional challenges when it comes to permits and logistics. A small, rustic cabin on site has been built to allow for storage and sleeping while construction is underway.

While the real estate market has been unpredictable due to interest rates and the construction industry braces for threat of U.S. tariffs, Johnson says volatile economic conditions sometimes lead to an uptick in people interested in going off-grid.

Regardless of what the island’s new owner decides to do with their patch of property, Johnson said the main selling points of Clamshell Islet are its affordability and its proximity to Salt Spring and the ferry terminal at Long Harbour – which make it fairly accessible for people looking for a seasonal or recreational getaway.

“It’s a fascinating little island,” Johnson said.

With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Shannon Paterson