From backyard bomb shelters to decommissioned military bases and huge nuclear missile silos, there are more bunkers for sale than you might imagine. Fear of a nuclear conflict in the 1950s and 60s prompted many citizens to build covert hideouts to hunker down in, should the worst happen. These ultra-safe relics are becoming more sought after during these uncertain times.
So whether you’re looking for a comfortable home with an added layer of security, a doomsday survival shelter or a truly unique piece of real estate that's ripe for restoration, these amazing subterranean sanctuaries could be for you.
Click or scroll to step inside some awesome bunkers for sale...
You don't always need a big budget to be able to buy something unique and impressive. This former Royal Observer Corps bunker lies in Caister on Sea, Norfolk, and is a piece of British military history.
Up for auction via Brown&Co, with a guide price of just $13,000 (£10k) to $26,000 (£20k), it's affordable and ultra-cool!
The site is one of many observation posts built during the 1950s and was designed to provide protective accommodation for three observers, in the event of a nuclear attack.
A small metal entrance lies above ground and when opened, reveals this rather dilapidated-looking ladder.
The steps lead down to a small, windowless space. Although very compact and dingy, the bunker likely has enough room for a bunk bed, kitchenette and toilet.
This image highlights what the bunker would have looked like back in its heyday. Although not really suitable for day-to-day living, the buyer could certainly use the space as a secure shelter or turn it into a cool Airbnb!
Will you be placing a bid?
Secluded beneath the ground in the wilds of the American Midwest, Vivos Indiana is an ultra-safe shelter that can accommodate up to 80 people.
Designed by Robert Vicino as a fortified haven to wait out any type of disaster, the subterranean hideaway is situated within a converted Cold War-era bunker complex and is strong enough to withstand a 20-megaton nuclear explosion.
The highly affordable bunker extends 10,000 square feet (929sqm) and a bed here will set you back just $35,000 (£27k) per person. In fact, you might be able to bag a bargain as the listing quotes 'deep discounts for people with special skills'.
Kitted out with everything you could need, the underground bolthole is more like a comfortable hotel than a spartan military bunker. Think 600-thread-count sheets, plush carpets, flat-screen TVs and reclining armchairs.
The impressive facility can accommodate residents for up to a year, with no need to venture up to the surface. Overflowing with luxury amenities, the shelter has a huge kitchen, a movie theatre, an open-plan lounge, bathrooms and cosy bedrooms, so there's no need to scrimp on creature comforts.
Other highlights include pet accommodation, a gym area and an indoor garden for growing fresh fruits and vegetables.
Equipped for all eventualities, the bunker also offers a makeshift infirmary, although we're not sure we'd fancy going under the knife here.
The state-of-the-art facility is stocked with vital medical supplies, enough food and fuel for a year and its own well, providing the bunker with a reliable supply of fresh water.
If you'd rather buy a project, then this listing is for you. Look closely at the clearing among the trees and you might just be able to spot a mound of earth.
Far from just being a heap of soil, this is actually the exterior of a secluded and ultra-safe bunker.
The 2.4-acre (0.97ha) waterfront property is nestled on the shoreline of the scenic Pasquotank River in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
Although it doesn't look like much from the outside, the structure is a one-of-a-kind, World War II bunker.
The abandoned bunker offers endless possibilities. The buyer could create a unique home, or build a separate property and use the bunker as a secure space, a private studio or even a quirky holiday let.
A total blank canvas, the inside has a bare concrete floor and rounded walls and ceiling. The buyer will need to install some windows and add a few creature comforts to make the space liveable, but there's plenty of room for an open-plan living space, a bedroom and a bathroom.
All this could be yours for just $120,000 (£93k). Water Street Real Estate Group has all the details you need.
Another highly affordable option is this 40-acre (16.2ha) compound in Snowflake, Arizona.
Located on the El Rancho Trail, the property is described by listing agent Robin Stradling, of Realty Executives Arizona Territory, as "a diamond in the rough with beautiful views" and we can't help but agree.
The expansive plot is priced at $249,593 (£194k) and comes equipped with a steel bunker, hidden below the ground. A solid steel door is all that can be seen from the surface, but when opened, a staircase is revealed, leading down into the secure fortress below.
Sadly, we don't know the square footage of the bunker, but it does have more than one room.
There's a fully equipped kitchen, a large storage space, a bathroom and a bunk room, so it's likely the interior could accommodate between two and four people.
Currently, it's fairly basic, but certainly move-in ready. There's access to running water, provided by an on-site well, as well as a septic system. However, the buyer may choose to undertake a renovation to make the bunker more comfortable.
Plus, the acreage is also home to basement foundations, which could be put to use as part of a larger home.
Another move-in ready bunker, this renovated shelter is located in Fall River County, South Dakota, on the former Black Hills Army Base.
The site was originally built by the Army Corps of Engineers as a fortress to store projectiles and munitions. It was utilised between 1942 and 1967, after which the base was decommissioned. Now, this converted bunker on the estate is up for grabs with Exit Realty Black Hills for a mere $298,000 (£232k).
Interestingly, the former military base is owned by The Vivos Group, so you know the bunker will be secure and comfortable, with only like-minded individuals living nearby.
This particular home benefits from 2,050 square feet (190sqm) of interior space, with an open-plan living area, complete with a lounge, dining zone and kitchen.
It also has three spacious bedrooms and one full bathroom with a walk-in shower. Although renovated, the home is still a blank canvas that the buyer can put their own stamp on.
As for green credentials, the home boasts an AO Smith Smart 50-gallon heat pump, a huge solar system and a backup generator for stormy weather.
There’s also keyless entry locks on the front door, a separate mechanical and electrical room and a huge shop area in the rear that could be further built out.
Providing more than 100 acres (40.5ha) of land in Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, this secluded compound is perfect for someone seeking privacy and a place away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
The estate is home to a secure bunker, which was purchased and installed by the previous owner.
While small, the underground retreat would make for the perfect place to escape, in the event of a natural disaster or other catastrophic event.
Inside, the 800-square-foot (74sqm) bunker is compact but modern. It has enough space for a sitting area, bunk bed, kitchenette and small bathroom. The bunker is solar-powered, too, meaning you'll always have access to electricity.
Plus, the site is home to a year-round stream for fresh water and a pond for fishing.
The acreage is home to a small, solar-powered cabin with one bedroom, as well as two storage sheds. But with all this land available, the buyer could create a full-time home and utilise the bunker for emergencies, or build themselves an amazing underground sanctuary.
If you fancy taking it on, it's for sale with Survival Realty for $600,000 (£466k).
This sprawling property not only comes complete with 23 acres (9.3ha) of land and a modern, workshop-style building, but an amazing abandoned bunker – a nuclear missile base, to be precise.
Located in Allen, Kansas, the home is listed for $749,000 (£582k), which is surprisingly good value, considering all the property has to offer. The mammoth underground facility was built to house an Atlas E missile and was designed, like all similar bases, to withstand a one-megaton airburst from a distance of up to 1.6 miles (2.6km).
It's thought that only 27 Atlas E. Missile silos were built in the 1960s, during the Cold War, so this one is also extremely rare.
The underground bunker is not only extremely secure, with steel blast doors and impenetrable concrete walls, but it is further protected by a chain link and barbed wire fence that spans the perimeter of the estate. As for the interior, the bunker spans 15,000 square feet (1,394sqm) and looks like it hasn't been touched in decades.
An entrance tunnel and countless vast rooms are waiting to be renovated. Of course, there are no windows, but there's endless space for a living room, kitchen and multiple bedrooms.
The estate also boasts a modern home that's perfect for day-to-day living. Bright and spacious, it comes with a living area, an eat-in kitchen, one bedroom, one bathroom and a laundry room. Now that's what we call bang for your buck!
Over in Lincoln County, Washington, you could snap up a former Atlas E Missile Silo for just over $1.5 million (£1.1m). Occupying 25 acres (10ha) of land, the military unit was constructed during the Cold War period, in 1959.
These bases were designed to withstand a one-megaton airburst from a distance of up to 1.6 miles (2.6km). According to missile base specialists 20th Century Castles, each cost $3.3 million (£2.6m) to build, which in today's money is close to $30 million (£23m).
With its impenetrable steel blast door and entrance tunnel, the new owner will feel like they’ve gone back in time. Inside, there are two living areas, one measuring 820 square feet (76sqm) and one larger at 1,906 square feet (177sqm).
Both are connected to a 3,794-square-foot (352sqm) metal garage that lies above ground.
An elevator takes you down to one of the living spaces, which is modern but a blank canvas that the new owner can transform as they see fit.
There's a lounge, dining zone and kitchen, as well as three bedrooms and three bathrooms across the bunker spaces.
There's even a large workshop that could be renovated and utilised as further accommodation.
So, whether you're looking for a private preppers' base, a unique family home or an investment opportunity, this listing won't disappoint.
If you're looking for bang for your buck, then you could snap up not one, but two bunker homes in Park County, Montana, for a snip under $1.6 million (£1.2m).
The dual earth-sheltered properties can be found on seven acres (2.8ha) of land in the heart of Paradise Valley, offering one – or perhaps two lucky buyers the chance to live off-the-grid in a truly stunning landscape.
The bunkers are separately deeded and privately spaced, so the buyer could easily sell one of them to a friend or family member.
Both are positioned underground and have reinforced concrete walls, floors and ceiling, with a solid steel door, meaning they’re entirely secure.
Dating back to 1989, the structures provide over 9,000 square feet (836sqm) of inside space in total. The first earth home measures around 2,500 square feet (232sqm), with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, while the second is larger at 6,000 square feet (557sqm) and was designed to accommodate many people.
The latter is laid out over two floors and boasts a basement storage area, numerous small bedrooms, a master suite, 11 toilets, seven showers and two kitchen areas.
The bunkers are on the grid, but each has its own backup power, central air ventilation system, fresh water well and gravity-fed septic system, so you could survive even in the event of a disaster.
Both homes could do with a makeover and currently are fairly basic in terms of facilities and design. Are you a prepper seeking an ultimate fixer-upper?
If your budget allows, you could buy this incredible former military battery for a cool $5.4 million (£4.2m). Located on Sullivan's Island, one block away from one of the most desirable residential beaches in South Carolina, this unique property is unlike any we’ve seen before.
Part of the Harbor Defence of Charleston during World War II, the former battery belonged to the Marshall Military Reservation – a sub-post of Fort Moultrie. This was where the advance guard prepared for the Revolutionary War Battle that took place on Sullivan's Island.
The bunker was built in 1941 and, following the attack on Pearl Harbour, the military combined its focus on coastal and aerial defence. Existing batteries were camouflaged to avoid detection.
That's why this artillery was positioned under thick concrete shields, covered with vegetation. Considered among the largest batteries to be built in America, it is said to have hosted two 12-foot (3.6m) long-range rifles, mounted in "casemate barbette carriages".
The facility was deactivated in 1947 and since then, has become shrouded in mystery. According to the listing, many believe that one of America's most wanted criminals, Trigger Burke, hid out in the bunker in 1948, with a stash of stolen money that was never recovered.
The battery was converted into a residence in 1972 but it's still extremely secure and boasts many one-of-a-kind features, including walls and windows that can protect against hurricane-force winds and other severe weather events.
The concrete house spans 7,000 square feet (650sqm) and has four bedrooms and three bathrooms, as well as a living room, kitchen and dining area. The home's walls are 15-foot (4.6m) thick and steel reinforcement beams run throughout, making it entirely safe and secure.
If you've fallen in love, then you'll need $5.4 million (£4.2m) in the bank to be able to buy it. Available via Brand Name Real Estate, this residence is one seriously cool piece of American military history.
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