House on Middle Sedge Island, New Jersey
Middle Sedge Island is a private island off the coast of New Jersey in the Atlantic Ocean that contains a single residence with numerous high-end features, including a heated pool, guest house, bocce court, and more. Unfortunately, all that opulence came at a price; not only is the home inaccessible except by boat or helicopter but it was completely wiped out in Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The cost of fixing the damage was prohibitive, so no action has been taken as of yet.
The Underground Homes of Coober Pedy, Australia
Coober Pedy, in the Australian state of South Australia, is famous as an opal mining center. But perhaps most peculiar of all is the fact that 80% of the town’s inhabitants reside in “dugouts” beneath the surface, all in an effort to survive the unbearable daytime heat. It can get as hot as 127 degrees Fahrenheit in the daytime in Coober Pedy, so if you live there, you should be prepared to risk heat stroke whenever you go outside.