Olympic Podium, But Make It Real Estate: 3 Standout Properties From Norway, the U.S., and the Netherlands

The Winter Olympics just wrapped up, with Norway finishing first on the medal table, the United States second, and the Netherlands third. That got me thinking: if those same countries had to compete in a completely unnecessary but much more entertaining category — unusual real estate — who would take bronze, silver, and gold?

So this week’s video is exactly that: an Olympic-style podium for three properties that are anything but ordinary. Not just expensive. Not just “luxury.” Memorable. The kinds of places that remind you real estate can still have some personality.

Bronze: The Netherlands

A live-in water tower in Leerdam

Starting with bronze, the Netherlands brought a converted water tower to the conversation, which feels very on brand. The property at Watertorenerf 1 in Leerdam is listed at €1,000,000 and includes 499 square meters of living space on a 2,600 square meter lot. That works out to about 5,371 square feet inside, with 1 bedroom, 9 rooms, and 9 levels plus a basement. The listing describes it less like a standard home and more like an architectural landmark that was built to be lived in, worked in, and reimagined over time.

What I like about this one is that it does not feel like a gimmick. It has history — the tower was built in 1929 — but it also feels usable in a very modern way. The upper levels remain flexible, there is a permit for a lift shaft, and the transformation even won the Dutch Water Tower Foundation’s 2024 Watertower Prize. It is one of those rare properties that feels both weird and oddly practical, which may be the most Dutch thing possible.

Silver: The United States

A private island with a lighthouse in Michigan

Silver goes to the U.S., and more specifically, to Michigan. Middle Island near Alpena is listed for $3,699,000 and offers something you do not see every day: a 227-acre private island in Lake Huron with more than 10,000 feet of waterfront and a fully intact 76-foot lighthouse built in 1905. The listing also highlights a 12-room keeper’s quarters, a converted fog signal building that sleeps ten, and a protected dock area for boat access.

This is the one in the video that really leans into the old maritime-novel vibe. It is not just a property; it is a setting. The kind of place where you start to feel like you should own a peacoat and stare into the distance with purpose. Jokes aside, what makes it stand out is the scale. Most “unique” properties are really just unusual houses. This is a whole landscape with a lighthouse on it.

Gold: Norway

Henningsvær Lighthouse in Lofoten

And gold goes to Norway, because of course it does. Henningsvær Lighthouse in Lofoten is currently being marketed as a rare chance to own one of Norway’s most iconic lighthouse properties. The estate includes four buildings — a main house, guest house, bathhouse, and boathouse — along with a private pier, and it traces its roots back to 1857. The listing highlights a bathhouse with sauna and sea-view bathroom, a boathouse that can host guests, and a restoration carried out with deep respect for the site’s history.

This one is listed through PrivatMegleren and is being marketed at 50,000,000 NOK. More than any other property in the lineup, it feels like it sits right on the border between home and myth. It is dramatic without being flashy. Historic without feeling frozen in time. And yes, the combination of private lighthouse, sauna, and North Atlantic weather does feel like the most Norwegian sentence imaginable.

Why I liked this video idea

There is a lot of real estate content online that starts to blur together. Same angles. Same talking points. Same polished kitchen, same oversized island, same “luxury” language. What I liked about this group is that each property had an identity you could feel immediately. A Dutch water tower that turns vertical living into architecture. A Michigan private island that feels like a Great Lakes legend. A Norwegian lighthouse compound that looks like the edge of the map.

That is really the fun of real estate, at least for me. Not just square footage and finishes, but context. Story. Place. The things that make a property memorable five minutes after you close the listing.

If you watch the video, I’d love to know which one gets your gold medal: the Dutch water tower, the Michigan lighthouse island, or the Norwegian lighthouse compound.