Here's How Much It Costs To Buy The Alaskan Bush People's House
Shortly after viewers met Discovery's Alaskan Bush People stars Ami and Billy Brown, they moved off the grid in the Alaskan frontier with their seven kids (Matt Brown, Joshua "Bam Bam" Brown, Solomon "Bear" Brown, Gabriel "Gabe" Brown, Noah Brown, Amora "Birdy" Brown, and Merry Christmas "Rainy" Brown) on a compound they named "Browntown." Creative, huh? And although the sprawling property — 29.11 acres to be exact — doesn't have the typical fixings of an average town, it's large enough to include one main house, Matt's abode, Bam Bam's home, and Bear's treehouse. But as fans of the longtime series probably already know, the family doesn't live in Alaska anymore, having moved to Washington state sometime in 2018. This means the Brown family's house is up for grabs, with the property going up for sale in the fall of 2019.
Even if you're not clamoring to live in the Alaskan wilderness, there might be a good chance you still want to know how much it costs to buy the Alaskan Bush People's house. Let's just say the figure is pretty eye-opening.
The Alaskan Bush People left behind a compound
Clearly, the Brown family didn't set up shop in any old place in "The Last Frontier" — in 2015, they erected their compound on Chichagoff Island, an area located 14 miles away from Hoonah, AK. One of the property's perks is complete tranquility, as there seemingly aren't any neighbors around and it's surrounded by total wilderness. And if you're the reflective type, there are two docks near the home where you can hang out or fish whenever you so desire. What's more? There's the ideal situation of having multiple homes one on a massive piece of land, which is perfect for large families like the Browns.
So what will this ginormous property run you? You're looking at a hefty price tag of $795,000, according to the Zillow listing. Considering this is the wilderness we're talking about here, it's arguably not a small sum. But we suppose privacy, endless room to roam, and having a connection to small scale fame is worth the dough. To each their own, right?
Why did the family move?
If you're wondering why Billy and Ami Brown decided to leave their sprawling estate in Alaska, know the reason is pretty sad — the family matriarch is battling cancer. After being diagnosed with Stage 3 non-small cell lung cancer in April 2017, the family decided it would be best if they moved somewhere closer to civilization, subsequently making it easier to monitor Ami's health. Their choice of locale? A "435-acre property in the North Cascade Mountains of Washington State" nicknamed "North Star Ranch," according to People. "We fell in love with the whole area," Billy explained to the outlet in February 2019.
Now that day-to-day activities are easier (think buying groceries, making a phone call, visiting the doctor), life for the crew is looking up. "Every week there'd be more revealed," Billy explained in reference to seeing the shift from winter to spring. "We'd be like, 'Oh my gosh, that's ours.' We started realizing just what God really gave us. There's still pieces [of North Star] that, on purpose, we haven't gone and seen yet so we can explore it later when Ami feels better."
Moving wasn't exactly easy
Ami and Billy Brown might be thrilled to have a new home in Washington, but their good fortune didn't come without struggle. Case in point: The couple — along with their kids — had to finish each of their homes on a tight deadline. "It's really important each one of the guys, they have their houses finished before the snow locks us up," Billy explained to his family in a teaser clip for the tenth season of Alaskan Bush People (via People). Joshua Brown stressed the urgency of the situation, adding, "For all of us, it's really important at this point in life to have our own piece of land. What we're doing here is symbolizing the future of the Browns." Although Joshua seemed intent on getting the job done, Gabriel Brown seemed more nervous about the situation, saying, "This is going to be a long, hard winter. I don't know what to expect."
On top of rushing to get construction completed, the family was confronted with an interesting problem. As Parade noted, the clan spent most of the time "fighting off predators, such as bears, which have taken a liking to the family's ostriches." Relatable, right? Who hasn't been tasked with guarding their hoard of ostriches in the midst of building a compound? Only the Browns, folks.
Here's to the Brown family enjoying their new home in the lower 48. And while the clan gets settled in, why not take a moment to check out what the Alaskan Bush People were like before the fame.