With war, the rise of AI and a recent pandemic to contend with, the protection provided by a self-sufficient hideaway has never been more attractive. From former Cold War bases to impressive custom creations, there's a whole host of abandoned fortified shelters for sale, just waiting to be converted into high-end hideouts.

Whether you’re a survivalist, a die-hard military enthusiast or a house-hunter in search of a unique fixer-upper project, click or scroll on to browse the best deserted bunkers on the market right now...

If you're looking for a piece of British military history, have a modest budget or want to snap up a truly unique real estate project, then look no further.

This remarkable property lies close to the town of Sedbergh in Cumbria, England, and has a fascinating history and a very small price tag.

According to the listing, the site was once a ROC (Royal Observer Corps) nuclear bunker and was built in the 1950s, after the Second World War.

The affordable bunker is secure below the ground, but above you'll find a spacious garden with gated access, off-road parking and a shed.

The site is one of many built in the 1950s and was designed to "provide protective accommodation for three observers to survive a nuclear attack", the listing states. Observers were expected to report on any nuclear bursts and on the fallout of a nuclear attack. They were provided with enough food and water for 14 days and had a landline and radio communications available to them.

Of course, they would have had to descend this ladder staircase – accessible via a secure trap door – to get to the heart of the bunker below.

The ladder leads to a small corridor, which opens into this compact room. A real blank canvas, it is just waiting for someone with imagination to bring it to life. While a lot of work is needed, the bunker is in excellent condition and was recently redecorated and cleaned.

More importantly, it is both secure and watertight. It also comes with an active phone line, suitable for broadband.

Most of these military sites were decommissioned and sold off in 1993 and the listing suggests that many were bought up by telecom companies, who used them for mobile phone masts. So, there is also the opportunity for the buyer to generate an income, should they use the site for mobile telecoms.

If you fancy taking on this cool bunker, then it's going under the hammer with SDL Property Auctions on Thursday 25th July. The property has a guide price of between £15,000 ($19.4k) and £20,000 ($25.8k), so it could well be within your reach.

If you know anything about bunkers, then you'll have heard of Vivos xPoint. Located near the Black Hills area of South Dakota, just south of the city of Edgemont, the community is proud to be the world's largest survival bunker complex. 

Almost the size of Manhattan, Vivos xPoint stretches 18 square miles (46.6km), with 575 bunkers arranged along 100 miles (29km) of private roads. Amazingly, the compound can shelter up to 5,000 people.

If this sounds like the place for you, then there are currently three vacant bunkers for sale on the site. They are being sold off by Exit Realty Black Hills and prices start at just £38,700 ($50k). There's 10616 Bunker Road, 10703 Bunker Road and Lot E 103 Bunker Road.

No matter which bunker you pick, you'll bag yourself 2,080 square feet (193sqm) of interior space. You wouldn't have to worry about safety, either, since the reinforced concrete bunkers were designed to be impenetrable. Their history dates back to 1942, just after the United States entered the Second World War.

The site was established as the US Army's Black Hills Ordnance Depot and the domed bunkers were built to store weapons and ammunition. The military base was closed in 1967 and the site was abandoned, until real estate mogul, Robert Vicino, bought the land from a local cattle rancher and set about creating the world's most sought-after network of apocalypse shelters.

Inside, the bunkers are vacant, with soaring barrel ceilings. Many of the bunkers that have already been renovated have four to six bedrooms and two bathrooms, as well as a living space and kitchen.

Many residents have also installed solar panels for off-grid electricity and are no longer dependent on gas. Really, the possibilities are endless.

What’s more, water is supplied via an underground aquifer, but use of the water has to be purchased from The Vivos Group. Electric can also be purchased and installed privately and septic systems have not yet been installed. 

If you're looking for a ready-made bunker that has already been fitted out, then Exit Realty Black Hills also has a few on offer.

Another highly affordable option is this 40-acre (16.2ha) compound in Arizona. Nestled on the El Rancho Trail in Snowflake, the property has been described by listing agent Robin Stradling, of Realty Executives Arizona Territory, as "a diamond in the rough with beautiful views". 

The roomy plot comes complete with a steel bunker, built into the ground. A solid steel door is all that can be seen from the surface, but when opened, a full staircase is revealed, leading down into the space below.

Sadly, we don't know the square footage of the bunker, but we do know it has 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 space could accommodate between two and four people.

At the moment, the interior is fairly basic, but certainly move-in ready, with access to running water (provided by an on-site well) and a septic system.

However, the buyer may choose to undertake a renovation to make the bunker more comfortable and homely.

Plus, the acreage is also home to basement foundations, which could be put to use as part of a larger home.

The buyer will need just £193,200 ($249.6k), but no doubt more funds will be needed to turn this bunker into the survival compound of their dreams.

If you have the budget, then you could get your hands on an ultra-private and secure compound in rural Prescott, Arizona. Listed with The Brokery for £486,800 ($629k), the near 10-acre (4ha) estate is brimming with opportunities.

For starters, the gated property is surrounded by peaks and troughs, thanks to its position close to Granite Mountain, Williamson Valley and Prescott National Forest.

So, if you’re seeking a place that will allow you to switch off from the digital world and immerse yourself in nature, this listing is for you. For your money, you'll gain this concrete structure, which is waiting to be transformed into a home.

The property also benefits from a small, underground well-house bunker, situated behind a secure steel trap door. It might be super compact, but the space could easily be utilised as a hideout, should the worst happen.

Otherwise, the fenced property is just 20 minutes from local stores.

Head down the ladder and you'll find yourself in a small but light-filled storage room. But remove the shelving and belongings and you should have enough space to install some bunk beds, a small kitchenette and a bathroom of some kind.

The estate also comes complete with a well drilled over 700 feet (213m) below the surface and a septic system, both of which are capable of supporting more than one residence. A 2,200-square-foot (204sqm) heated concrete slab has also been poured with radiant pipes and plumbing.

There’s even APS electricity, working solar panels, propane tanks and a 40-foot (12m) shipping container that could be converted into an amazing home.

Have you ever wanted to own an Atlas E. Missile silo? Well now is your chance, because this one isn't just authentic, it's also huge and brimming with amazing military features.

Located on 23 acres (9.3ha) in Allen, Kansas, the former nuclear missile base is highly secure and ripe for restoration.

For sale with RE/MAX Connections for £579,700 ($749k), the bunker is extremely rare. In fact, it is thought that only 27 Atlas E. Missile silos were built in the 1960s, during the Cold War. 

The Atlas was the United States Air Force's first operational intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and went through several upgrades over the years.

Atlas E missiles were used between September 1961 and January 1965, after which they were phased out in favour of the more modern Titan and Minuteman models. This particular 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).

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 fence that spans the perimeter of the site and is protected by barbed wire.

As for the interior of the bunker, it's as if it hasn't been touched in decades. Countless rooms are waiting to be renovated, as well as a super cool entrance tunnel that leads down into the depths.

The listing suggests there are 15,000 square feet (1,394sqm) of space in the bunker, which means it's more than big enough for you and your entire entourage.

The estate is also home to a 4,000-square-foot (372sqm) Quonset hut, which offers both a garage space and living quarters. The house would be a great base for the buyer, while they transform the bunker into the perfect secure home.

But that's not all. For your money, you’ll also gain a private airstrip, providing the ultimate escape route when the need arises.

For sale with Keller Williams Metropolitan for £851,300 ($1.1m), this remote bunker is positioned on 120 acres (49ha) of land in Houston County, Texas, around eight miles (12.8km) from a small town known as Lovelady.

With a population of just 570, this historic railway town dates back to the 1870s but still has a high school, a post office, a gas station, a pizzeria and a doughnut shop within a 10-minute drive from the site.

The estate is forested pine timberland, which means the buyer will be able to establish their own timber company, should they wish to. The listing specifies there are: "varying ages of pine plantation with intermixed hardwoods [that] cover the property".

Plus, hunting here is big, making this listing ideal for anyone looking to be self-sufficient and live off their land.

Of course, there’s plenty of room to self-build a home or two, but there’s also ample space for a few extra bunkers – preppers’ compound, anyone?

There’s already a 1,000-square-foot (93sqm) bunker in place on the property, the steel trap door to which is hidden among the trees.

The underground shelter was formed from concrete and steel, making it super-secure. Inside, it’s bright and spacious, with impenetrable doors, simple carpets and cream walls. Essentially, it’s a blank canvas that’s waiting for a makeover.

Already set up as a renovated bunker, it features an open-plan kitchen with a dining space. Not exactly stylish, the room could do with a refresh, but it's perfectly serviceable, should the buyer wish to move in straight away. 

There's also a large vacant room that could be utilised as a lounge, media room or even an extra bedroom. At the moment, the bunker easily sleeps 14 people, but with a little reconfiguration, the buyer could increase this to accommodate everyone they know.

The abandoned bunker also benefits from access to a water well and while it's secluded and private, it's also conveniently located approximately 35 minutes from Huntsville and 20 minutes from Crockett, so you'll be able to reconnect with the wider community whenever you feel the need.

Described by the listing as “truly the safest 'bunker' on the planet”, this subterranean space is hiding nearly 200 feet (61m) underground, on a fenced and gated nine-acre (3.6ha) plot, in an undisclosed area of central Kansas, USA.

Known as the Rolling Hills Missile Silo, it was originally constructed in the 1960s to withstand “a nuclear blast or comparable natural disaster” and cost over £116 million ($150m) to build, in today's money. One of several Atlas missile silos built by the US Government during the Cold War, the prepper’s dream home recently hit the market for £1 million ($1.3m).

Utilising highly advanced technology, these government bunkers were constructed by engineering scientists to survive a nuclear attack, catastrophic storms and more.

This one was built with nine-foot (2.7m) thick reinforced concrete, measures 52 feet (15.8m) in diameter and is 182 feet (55.5m) deep. A whopping 600 tons (544,311kg) of steel rebar was used alongside the concrete, though all that is visible from ground level is a secure, 7,000 lb (3,175kg) steel blast door...

Once safely inside, stairs descend to the bunker's multiple levels – with surprisingly generous living space across each one. Now, after months of "hard labour", the former control centre has been fully restored and freshly painted ready to house a lucky new resident.

Described as ‘turn-key’ by the listing, a 40-foot (12m) tunnel leads from the control centre to the missile silo and the property is large enough to accommodate an 18-storey building inside. Impressive!

The brilliant bunker comes with a list of potential uses – from a two-storey safe house beneath a private home you could build above, to a training camp base and target range. There’s plenty of space for a large solar field and the ideal conditions for wind turbine installation, too. 

The property also includes some vital utilities: there are two septic tanks onsite, while county water is found at the driveway entrance and power is a quarter of a mile away. A generator is currently used to operate lights and it is said to be easy to connect solar or wind power.

It's suggested that the epic 18-storey silo itself could be converted into a multi-level underground residence or corporate headquarters. As each level stretches out across 2,000 square feet (186sqm), you could even decide to sell them as individual apartments – ideal for doomsday preppers and solitary property hunters alike.

The 52-foot (15.8m) concrete silo cover could also be used as a helipad, conveniently placed for easy access. The listing even suggests converting the silo into a survivor-themed hotel.

Located 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, this former battery belonged to the Marshall Military Reservation – a sub-post of Fort Moultrie. 

The property is situated on Sullivan's Island, on over half an acre (0.20ha) of land, at an elevation of 20 feet (6.1m) above sea level. The concrete gun battery was where the advance guard prepared for the Revolutionary War Battle that took place on Sullivan's Island. Just down the street is Breach Inlet, the home base of the H.L. Hunley, which became the first submarine to sink an enemy ship in battle, in 1864.

The property was constructed 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.

Therefore, 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 battery was deactivated in 1947 and today, the area surrounding it contains luxurious, private homes. Since then, the bunker 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 property was converted into a residence in 1972.

Despite its renovation, the bunker is still extremely secure and boasts many one-of-a-kind features, including walls and windows that can protect against hurricane-force winds and severe weather.

In fact, its walls are 15-foot (4.6m) thick and steel reinforcement beams run through the building. The concrete house spans 7,000 square feet (650sqm) and has four bedrooms and three bathrooms.

There’s also a living room, a kitchen and a dining area. A real piece of American military history, this unique property is crying out to be transformed into the ultimate secure home.

However, the buyer will need deep pockets, as it has an asking price of £4.2 million ($5.4m). Available via Brand Name Real Estate, this residence is perhaps the coolest bunker home we've ever come across. What do you think?

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