Have you ever been blown away by a real estate listing? Well, some homes for sale make headlines for all the wrong reasons. Any house-hunter will know that first impressions can be deceiving, but the owners of these seemingly ordinary properties have taken their unique design tastes to the extreme. From creepy collectables to eye-watering décor and ghoulish goings-on, here are the most terrifying property listings ever. Click or scroll on to take a look around, if you dare…
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Jailer’s house, Vermont, USA
In November 2020 this charming Vermont property landed on the real estate market and it quickly attracted attention, but not due to its quaint façade or leafy one-acre garden. Situated on Courthouse Drive in the town of Guildhall, the timber clad home offers 2,190 square feet of inside space, as well as a rather unique history.
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Jailer’s house, Vermont, USA
Step through the front door and all seems normal, aside from some rather old-fashioned decorative choices. The traditional property was built in 1878 and is overflowing with period fixtures, including hardwood floors, large sash windows with timber shutters and original wood panelling and door surrounds. Yet the unassuming property begins to get less normal as soon as you step into the basement…
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Jailer’s house, Vermont, USA
Take the stairs down and you’ll find yourself in an authentic jail, which has been in place since the late 19th century. The property was originally a jailer’s house for Essex County, so the attached jail was where they would have kept any criminals doing wrong in the local area. Over the years, the home has been updated, but for some reason (perhaps fear) the jail has been left completely intact.
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Jailer’s house, Vermont, USA
The space hasn’t been used as the Essex County Jail since 1969 and yet it looks untouched. The haunting room comes complete with seven cells and bathroom facilities, as well as plenty of cobwebs and grime. There’s also an attached jailer’s office. The creepy historic home was originally listed for $149,000 (£111k) in 2020 but appears to have sold in February 2021 for $150,000 (£112k).
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Whimsical fairytale home, British Columbia, Canada
Yet not all nightmarish real estate listings are scary, as this whimsical fairytale home proves. Positioned in the city of White Rock in British Columbia, Canada, the home is pretty inviting upon first glance, thanks to its French-inspired design touches and southern-style aesthetic. Although the mannequins that line the exterior balcony, and the Ferris wheel that decorates the roof, could provide a clue to what awaits inside…
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Whimsical fairytale home, British Columbia, Canada
With some homes, unusual interior design can be quite off-putting, especially when you attempt to visualise your own belongings in the rooms, yet this house definitely makes that task even harder. Every single room in the 3,204-square-foot pad is overflowing with kooky extras, weird and wonderful decorations and eye-watering colours.
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Whimsical fairytale home, British Columbia, Canada
While the main living room is an explosion of Barbie-esque décor and Christmas and Easter themed fixtures, the kitchen boasts a model railway, an orange, yellow and green colour palette, and plenty of unusual homewares lining its walls. From pink ceilings to life-sized polar bears, checkerboard floors and shelving filled with dolls, every space reveals a new awe-inspiring detail.
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Whimsical fairytale home, British Columbia, Canada
This quirky four-bedroom property could definitely be described as one-of-a-kind, which might be why it failed to sell when it landed on the market in summer 2021. Although its reported $4 million (£1.8m) asking price may also have deterred buyers…
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Neglected townhouse, Devon, UK
The coastal county of Devon, UK, is one of England’s most sought-after places for both house-hunters and holidaymakers, so when you picture the idyllic hotspot, you’d be forgiven for thinking of cute cottages and incredible homes by the sea. However, this dark and dingy property is far from what you might imagine. The house is located in the seaside resort of Ilfracombe and it caused quite the stir when it hit the market in March 2019 – and its surprisingly low price tag was the least of it…
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Neglected townhouse, Devon, UK
When the house went to auction with a guide price of $61,350 (£45k), it gained a lot of interest from property developers and first-time buyers looking for a bargain. In Ilfracombe, the average house costs $364,000 (£272k), making this listing something of a steal at first glance. But step inside and the reason behind the home’s low valuation becomes very, very clear.
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Neglected townhouse, Devon, UK
Deemed unsafe and structurally unstable by the real estate agents, the house has far more issues than damaged floors and broken windows. Head upstairs and you’ll find entire rooms caked in pigeon waste. In some areas, the excrement piles up to two feet deep, which is one of the main reasons why people weren’t able to view the property in person. Yet things get worse on the top floor – prepare yourself for a fright!
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Neglected townhouse, Devon, UK
Just when you thought things couldn’t get more horrifying, there’s a giant pigeon-headed figure hiding behind one of the doors. But, as it turns out, this creepy addition was all part of the auctioneer’s marketing plan to promote what was otherwise a rather difficult listing. Yet despite the home’s state of decay, it sold for more than double the asking price in April 2019 when it was snapped up by father and son duo John and Guy Jones for $136,300 (£100k). If you’re feeling brave, you can take a full tour of the vermin-riddled house.
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House of mannequins, California, USA
When this unique home hit the real estate market in February 2021, the listing quickly went viral. Not because of its fixer-upper potential or its location in the sought-after area of South Lake Tahoe, California, but for something that no one was at all prepared for…
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House of mannequins, California, USA
Inside, the 2,116-square-foot dwelling seems like a completely ordinary suburban property. Built in 1962, the house has been split into two units with a total of five bedrooms and three bathrooms, and aside from some old-fashioned interior design, there’s nothing here that would instantly scare away potential buyers. That is, however, until you venture inside the property’s second unit…
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House of mannequins, California, USA
That’s right, dotted around the upstairs apartment you’ll find dozens of eerie mannequins, each dolled up in glitzy ballgowns as if they’re attending a party. Each one has been posed with purpose throughout this otherwise nondescript residence. Some look like they’re mid-dance, while others are sitting casually in the living room as though watching television.
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House of mannequins, California, USA
Unsurprisingly, the unexpected display led to the house racking up hundreds of thousands of views on Realtor, after just weeks of being on the market. Many even reached out to the real estate agent, Jesse Yohnka, to find out the story behind the dolls. As it turns out, the current homeowner has been collecting mannequins for 20 years and currently has 150. The property sold for $550,000 (£403k) after 129 days on the market – we wonder if the new owner kept the housemates…
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Intergalactic property, Pennsylvania, USA
Over in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, you’ll find this rather unassuming ranch-style house that dates back to 1969. The three-bedroom property is pretty pedestrian from the outside, but step through the front door and you’ll be faced with some unusual, out-of-this-world décor.
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Intergalactic property, Pennsylvania, USA
Offering 1,475 square feet of inside space, the home’s main rooms are ordinary if a little eclectic, with an aesthetic that was described by the listing agents as “13th-century castle décor”. The lounge boasts a double-height ceiling and a grand spiral staircase that leads up to the bedrooms. Yet things begin to get a little more interesting when you approach the room’s floor-to-ceiling space mural…
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Intergalactic property, Pennsylvania, USA
A talking alien greets you at the entrance of the dining room, which has been completely transformed into a command centre. The room comes equipped with solar-themed wallpaper, an aluminium foil ceiling, and quirky space décor that appears to have been plucked straight from Star Trek.
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Intergalactic property, Pennsylvania, USA
The rear wall even opens up to reveal a replica spaceship, complete with a main bridge, computer and original controls from an Apache helicopter. The ultimate sci-fi superfan room, the space boasts speakers and a 55-inch television for when you fancy watching a few episodes of The X Files! The home hit the market in May 2020 for $159,900 (£117k) and sold two months later for a little under the asking price, although it’s unclear whether the property came complete with little green men…
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Clown house, Ontario, Canada
From spiders to things that go bump in the night, we all have fears that make our blood run cold. But if you’re a coulrophobe, you might want to look away now because this seemingly idyllic house in Brantford, Ontario could be your worst nightmare. Nestled on a quiet suburban street, the pretty normal-looking bungalow goes from sweet to scary extremely quickly…
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Clown house, Ontario, Canada
The house found itself up for sale in 2017 for around $194,000 (£142k) and it quickly became a very popular listing. When you first step inside the 748-square-foot home, nothing really stands out. Yet as you move from room to room, taking in chintzy wallpapers and lace curtains, you get the creeping feeling that you’re not alone. The clown theme begins subtly, with Ronald McDonald fridge magnets in the kitchen and this rather creepy clown doll in the dining room.
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Clown house, Ontario, Canada
Then suddenly, you find yourself in a house of clowns, entirely surrounded by dolls, framed portraits, circus-themed rugs, life-sized statues and glass cabinets filled with miniature clown trinkets. There’s even an entire basement level kitted out with clown toys, memorabilia and artwork. Yet surprisingly, the story behind the house of clowns isn’t as fiendish as you might think.
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Clown house, Ontario, Canada
The homeowners’ son told Vice that the clowns came about after his mother looked for a way to curb his stepfather’s drinking. Every time they went out, instead of buying a bottle of beer, they’d instead purchase a clown-themed item. The result is a house filled with more than 1,500 clowns, collected over a 25-year period, each representing a drink that wasn’t consumed. The unusual collection wasn’t enough to put buyers off and the property soon sold.
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House of horrors, Adelaide, Australia
From the outside, this traditional bluestone mansion in Adelaide, Australia, appears to be the stuff of real estate dreams. It’s grand, attractive and offers plenty of interior space. Yet when it hit the property market in 2019, no one was quite prepared for what they found inside. In fact, when the deceptive dwelling went to auction, the listing warned all prospective buyers: “Brave people only.” Let’s step inside and find out why…
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House of horrors, Adelaide, Australia
Step through the front door and everything still appears normal – impressive in fact. Spanning 28,179 square feet, the grand historic home was built in 1856 and offers towering ceilings, elegant hardwood floors and original built-ins. The five-bedroom house is classically styled, with kitschy rugs and heavily patterned wallpapers, but aside from being a little old-fashioned, nothing really stands out. It’s only when you head further inside that things start to get a little spookier…
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House of horrors, Adelaide, Australia
That’s right, to the rear of the house you’ll find a small chapel with red stained-glass windows that hint at what awaits downstairs. Head into the cellar and you’ll find that the 160-year-old mansion comes complete with a creepy Madame Tussauds-style exhibition, but instead of waxworks of movie stars, you’ll find a gang of spooky witches and ghastly ghouls.
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House of horrors, Adelaide, Australia
Occupying several rooms, the horrifying display boasts macabre masked dolls, oversized bats and giant spiders. Like a scene from a bad horror movie, the basement was apparently just a storage space for the homeowners’ unusual party decorations, but that doesn’t stop it from being extremely off-putting for potential buyers. Yet despite the sinister scene, the house sold at auction in 2020 for around $919,000 (£679k) – we don’t think the décor came included!
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Scream house, Michigan, USA
Real estate agents are always looking for unique and interesting ways to draw attention to their latest homes. From giving away surprising extras to creating high-tech virtual tours, there are plenty of ways to ensure a listing goes viral. Yet the agents attempting to sell this attractive house in Lansing, Michigan took an altogether different approach to publicity. If you take a closer look, you might just be able to spot a mysterious figure lurking on the front porch…
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Scream house, Michigan, USA
That’s right, in almost every listing photograph you can spot someone dressed up like one of the calculating baddies from the iconic 90s slasher movie, Scream. While this creepy character might be enough to put some buyers off, the realtors got exactly what they were hoping for and the house went viral almost immediately.
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Scream house, Michigan, USA
Spanning 1,568 square feet, the four-bedroom property was built in 1911 and boasts plenty of characterful details. It went up for sale just a few weeks before Halloween in 2019, so the unique listing was luckily just a seasonal joke used for publicity purposes. Yet many house-hunters questioned whether or not the property was haunted – or if it had once been the scene of a grizzly crime.
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Scream house, Michigan, USA
Most people saw the listing as a bit of fun and by late November 2019, the house sold for $94,750 (£69k), though as yet it’s unclear whether the masked gardener came included in the sale price! As far as haunting Halloween homes go, this strange and surreal pad is up there with the best of them.
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Dracula’s lair, Maryland, USA
You might be a fan of the Twilight saga, or love nothing more than delving into a copy of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, but could you live like a vampire? Well, that’s exactly what the previous owners of this pad in Baltimore, Maryland, did. Let’s step inside and see how they turned an ordinary 1940s residence into something straight out of True Blood…
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Dracula’s lair, Maryland, USA
Stepping through the front door, you’re instantly greeted by a monochromatic interior. Images of guillotines and ghouls decorate the walls, while the entertainment centre in the living room wouldn’t look out of place in a funeral home. There’s even a full-size coffin casually positioned in one corner of the room. Sure, nothing strange about that…
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Dracula’s lair, Maryland, USA
The 1,540-square-foot house offers just one bedroom, which comes complete with a custom cobweb balustrade and black church pews. The bed is positioned inside a mirrored alcove with an angular ceiling that resembles the shape of a coffin. We don’t know about you, but we doubt we’d get much sleep in this space! Completely terrifying, or cool and creative? You decide…
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Dracula’s lair, Maryland, USA
Outside, things take another turn for the weird, with the addition of a cemetery and crypt. There are fake headstones decorating the lawn and even a table that resembles a tombstone. The outdoor kitchen and garage have also been customised with giant cobwebs and spooky graffiti, showing that there’s no safe space when it comes to this pad. Yet the dastardly décor didn’t deter buyers. The house was on the market in March 2021 and found a new owner in less than 30 days, selling for $225,000 (£168k).
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Crime scene house, Connecticut, USA
Interior design is a very personal thing. While some people love a minimalist white aesthetic, others enjoy loud patterns, bright colours and all-out drama. Yet some homeowners definitely have nicher tastes, as this Connecticut house proves. Nestled in the sought-after neighbourhood of Avon, the spacious property has all the hallmarks of a great family home, but once you step inside you’ll see that it’s definitely not child-friendly.
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Crime scene house, Connecticut, USA
Built in 1962, it’s akin to a truly terrifying crime scene. The home’s interior is decorated with custom-made furniture, while every wall offers unusual paint effects that resemble blood splatter patterns. The dining room even comes complete with an entire wall of underwear and if that wasn’t bad enough, check out the kitchen…
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Crime scene house, Connecticut, USA
The 2,949-square-foot home has five bedrooms and four bathrooms, but the kitchen is perhaps the most disturbing space. While the cabinets look like they’re covered in broken glass, the walls are smeared in blood-red paint. There’s definitely something very Buffalo Bill about this abode…
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Crime scene house, Connecticut, USA
The house has been on and off the market a lot over the years and was last listed for $339,900 (£249k) in 2016, but it’s unclear if a buyer has since been found. The listing agents revealed that the sellers were artists, which explains the avant-garde decorative choices…
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House of dolls, Washington, USA
Have you ever had the eerie feeling that you’re being watched? Well, if any house was to make you feel uncomfortable, it’s this one in Bellevue, Washington. From the outside, the 1960s residence looks idyllic and even offers a pretty garden overflowing with flowers. But something altogether more sinister lurks inside…
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House of dolls, Washington, USA
The 2,010-square-foot house went up for sale in 2017 and gained plenty of attention for one particular area of the house. While some of the rooms in this five-bedroom house appear perfectly normal, one room will be enough to cause those with pediophobia to run screaming into the street.
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House of dolls, Washington, USA
That’s right, the living room in this unassuming house comes complete with hundreds of dolls. While some are posed in glass display cabinets, others are arranged around the fireplace, as if keeping watch over the home’s residents.
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House of dolls, Washington, USA
As well as the large doll collection, the previous owners also continued their love of plants inside, creating custom training wires for their climbers to follow. Yet the home’s surprising décor didn’t put off potential buyers and the house quickly sold for the not-insignificant sum of $800,000 (£587k).
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Chucky house, Louisiana, USA
When this fixer-upper landed on the property market in September 2021, it caught the eye of plenty of people – and not just because of its location, affordable price and renovation opportunities. With its quaint façade and spacious yard the home offered bags of potential for the right buyer, but its interior extras would certainly have been enough to deter some. In fact, if you take a closer look at the front porch you might just be able to guess what lies inside…
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Chucky house, Louisiana, USA
That’s right, house-hunters browsing online listings couldn’t quite believe their eyes when they clicked on the home’s interior images, because two haunting Chucky-like dolls can be found lurking in every photo. The two dolls have been dressed in quirky Victorian-style costumes and one even boasts a jaunty cane.
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Chucky house, Louisiana, USA
Interestingly, the listing itself makes absolutely no mention of the dolls or why they appear in each real estate image, but since the property was marketed close to Halloween, it’s likely this played a part in the agent’s rather unorthodox marketing method. Yet the tactic paid off, because after just 33 days on the market, the extreme fixer-upper sold for $149,500 (£110k).
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Chucky house, Louisiana, USA
Located in a suburb of New Orleans, Louisiana, the spooky abandoned house could definitely be described as creepy or even haunted, yet it offers plenty of charming elements, too. Built in 1966, it spans 1,370 square feet and features three bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms, a lounge and kitchen, as well as a 6,901-square-foot garden. The pad even comes with a large garage that’s seen better days. We’re sure the new owner is already making plans to ‘doll up’ this rundown wreck…
