Environmental campaigner and writer George Monbiot said he sold his house in Machynlleth to a local family in the town rather than a potential second home owner.
Mr Monbiot, who has owned the house in the Powys market town since 2007, described the second homes crisis as "obscense and grotesque".
For the last nine years, the writer has rented out the house to a local housing co-operative. However, in January he decided to sell the house but not on the open market, which he says has meant that he has accepted an offer at a lower price.
