Buy a South Dakota town for around $497,400

DALLAS (REUTERS) - Prospective buyers who want to be masters of their own domains could turn to south-western South Dakota, where an entire town can be had for US$399,000 (S$497,417).

The owner of Swett, pronounced sweat, is selling the roughly 2.5-hectare town that includes a tavern, a three-bedroom house, three trailer homes and a former tire shop about 160 km southeast of Rapid City, South Dakota.

Swett's population peaked at 40 residents in the 1940s when it had a post office and grocery store, but now stands at two: owner Lance Benson and his wife, three if you count their dog.

Mr Benson acquired Swett in 1998, later gave it up in a divorce settlement and then reacquired the town in 2012.

He will toss in a 1990 Volvo semi-tractor now used for hauling trailers, according to a real estate listing by realtor Stacie Montgomery.

Mr Benson, who owns a travelling concession stand, told the Rapid City Journal last week that he wants to sell the town to focus on his business. He will keep the tiny prairie domain if no one wants to buy it within a year, he told the newspaper.

Ms Montgomery said on Monday that calls were pouring in from potential buyers in California, Texas, New York and New Jersey since she placed an announcement in a local newspaper.

"I've even had one call from a production company out of Russia," she said. "They want to make a movie. I don't know how legitimate all these calls are."

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.