The new owner of a private island off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, better have access to a boat or helicopter.
Strum Island, a 10-acre property in a collection of over 350 islands in Mahone Bay, sold for $8.4 million Canadian dollars, or about $6 million US dollars, in September 2025 after originally listing for $9.95 million Canadian dollars. It was listed by Tim Allen and Eric Meredith of Coldwell Banker Realty.
The island is about 2,100 feet from the mainland, and about an hour's drive to Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The developer, Fred Kern, told Business Insider in 2024 that the property was primarily used for its lodge, named The Lodge at Strum Island.
"It's a lodge," Kern told Business Insider. "They go there and say they wanted to go duck hunting or they wanted to go there for a week to go sailing."
The former owner, Richard Goldenberg, told Business Insider that the buyer could live there if they wanted to — especially because the electricity is connected to the mainland, it has its own well, and its own sewer system.
It's one of the closest islands to the mainland, making it ideal for anyone who doesn't want to be too far from civilization. But because of some of the island's features — from gardens to fishing opportunities — you might not ever have to leave.
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The developer purchased Strum Island in 2001 and started construction on the lodge in 2003.
The seawall was the first major step in construction. It's made up of a circle of five- to 10-ton boulders that surround the island.
The property took about 16 years to complete.
After construction finished in 2019, Goldenberg and Kern, the developer, became business partners.
One of the obstacles to building on an island is that you must travel back and forth between the mainland for materials and supplies.
"Most of the stuff comes in on a barge," Goldenberg said. "The barge loads up the building material, brings it over to the island, and then it's used for construction."
The main lodge is 9,500 square feet.
The lodge has six bedrooms, each with its own bathroom.
There is also a two-story guest house.
There's another building on the island that has two staff apartments, according to Goldenberg, which can also be used to house even more guests.
The staff were provided by the property management and did cleaning, laundry, and cooking.
The island is only a three-minute boat ride from the mainland.
The town of Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, one of the closest access points to the mainland, can be seen from the island.
Nearby Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is only a 12-minute drive from the dock on the mainland.
According to the listing, the property's sale included two boats.
All the furniture was also included in the purchase price, according to the listing.
For an even faster mode of transport, there’s a helicopter landing pad on the island.
Strum Island is about 70 miles from Halifax Stanfield International Airport, the closest major airport.
There’s an undersea cable connecting the island to the mainland’s power grid.
There are also propane generators to provide backup electricity in case the power goes out.
The property has its own well, so visitors are not reliant on the mainland for water.
There's an aquifer under the island that supplies the island with water.
There's an underground sewage system as well.
There are also gardens to grow your own food.
There are over 50,000 plants on the island and a greenhouse on the property as well as a vegetable garden with blackberries, strawberries, and more.
Fishing also provides another way to secure food without traveling to the mainland.
"There are an abundant number of different species of fish there at different times of the year that can easily be caught from there," Goldenberg said.
"There are fishing companies that will be happy to pick up guests right up the island and take them out for day trips to go fishing," he added.
If the weather gets turbulent, there are double-paned windows to protect from the wind.
There are also three different types of heating systems in case it gets chilly.
The average annual temperature in Mahone Bay is 64 degrees.
"The current it has comes from the south, so it's probably a little bit cooler than Cape Cod," Goldenberg said.
Goldenberg and his two partners sold the lodge because they lacked the time to visit.
They were involved in another construction project in California and didn't have time to be on the island for extended periods.
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Jordan reports on moving trends — from remote work to house hacking. He also writes about movers struggling with issues around relocating like buyer's remorse and the many intricacies of moving to an unfamiliar state. He also has stories focusing on property technology and in 2022, moderated a panel on fractional investing at real estate technology conference Blueprint. Before Insider, he covered luxury real estate in South Florida for The Real Deal. He holds a Master's degree in Magazine Writing from New York University and a Bachelor's degree in English from Florida State University.
