One year ago, a guy named Kyle McDonald set out to get buy a house . . . with only one red paperclip.

Using Craigslist, he decided to barter the red paperclip for something slightly better.  Then he would take that object and barter it for something slightly better. 

And so on . . . until he got a house.

He traded the red paper clip for a fish-shaped pen, and posted on Craigslist again.

Roaming Canada and the United States, he exchanged the pen for a ceramic knob, and in turn: a camping stove, a generator, a beer keg and Budweiser sign, a snowmobile, a trip to the Canadian Rockies, a supply truck and a recording contract.

Next, in April, he got himself really close, obtaining a year’s rent in Phoenix…

One year and sixteen trades later, he got a house.  Here’s his blog.