Unable to Afford a House, Woman Buys an Abandoned Church on Facebook Marketplace Instead

A Brisbane, Australia, woman who could not afford a home thought outside the box—she bought a dilapidated church off Facebook Marketplace. Fanny Barlow, whose renovation of the quirky property is ongoing, chronicled her adventure in a viral video now with over 300,000 views.

“I bought it as my first house,” Barlow told Newsweek. “I am from Brisbane but couldn’t afford to enter the property market there.” With the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane on the horizon, she wanted a retreat to get away from rising rents and the chaos of the event.

Since banks would not lend her the money to buy it with a loan, she bought the church outright with her own funds. “The total cost was $82K, less than the deposit on a Brisbane family home, and I’m paying for it myself,” she explained. Given that the average price of Brisbane houses is around $742,500, her alternative strategy saved her money.

Her dream is to transform the ancient church into a habitable and usable home in anticipation of the Olympics. The video tour shows the tall ceilings, arched windows, and empty interior of the building, raising curiosity and debate among passersby.

All of the pundits made guesses about its history, and some believed that it could have been an old mission location or relocated building. Others made specific descriptions of its architecture, assigning it to neoclassical gothic Victorian churches.

The church is more than a home for Barlow—it’s a project, an investment, and a future hideaway plan.