Texan town sold for US$3m on eBay

ALBERT, a 93,000-square-meter historic town in Texas, the United States, has been sold for almost 1.5 million pounds (US$3 million) on auction Web site eBay.

The town, which is 113 km from the state capital, Austin, includes a house, dance hall, tavern and a schoolhouse reportedly attended by former U.S President Lyndon Johnson in 1920.

Bobby Cave, 47, of real estate company urbanspace Realtors, said he sold the property after three and a half years as he was ready to move on to his next project.

"I bought it with the intention of creating a little family camping venue where people could come out and drink and enjoy local live music," Cave said.

He said it was supposed to be a 10-year project, but it had been completed in three and a half years. The town's population consisted of himself and a groundsman at weekends.

A total of 58 different bidders placed more than 120 bids since Albert was put on eBay last month, its listing describing the town as "known for its towering oaks, wildflowers, German heritage and laid-back attitude."

"The historic town, once a popular stagecoach stop, is a lot quieter now. Serene, even. No longer the Wild West, Albert is now a popular stop for weekend day-trippers in the middle of Texas' burgeoning winemaking region.

It went on: "On the edge of town sits an old stone schoolhouse, attended by a young Lyndon Johnson in 1920. There's an outdoor patio and beer garden beneath massive 500-year-old oak trees, under which Spanish explorers, early pioneers and Texas Independence fighters once rested."

The listing also said the sale included detailed plans for improvements, including a restaurant, cottages, an outdoor cinema and refurbishment proposals for the old dance hall.

It added: "Or the new owners may want the whole, peaceful place to themselves. Whether someone wants a town they can share or they want their own private retreat, the next Mayor of Albert will be owner of a very special place."

Albert, which was originally named Martinsburg, was owned by Albert and Minnie Luckenbach, descendants of a German family, but was renamed in 1982. Luckenbach, a respected merchant, was known for never breaking a peace treaty with the local Comanche native Americans.

In response to a question from a potential bidder, the owner said the buyer can "build whatever you want," that taxes were low, and that permits had never been needed before.

(SD-Agencies)