Since so many people seemed to love our bad listing photos article, we decided to take a break from writing more actionable real estate content to bring you this list of weird houses. But not just any weird houses. We’re talking 15 of the weirdest and most wonderful real estate listings of all time.
So turn your ringer off, tell your broker you’re taking a mini staycation, and get ready to gawk at some of the wildest real estate listings to ever go on the market—oh, and bad puns. There are lots and lots of bad puns in this article, too. We had an insanely long list to work from, but we managed to pare it down to just 15 very weird and very wonderful listings.
1. Dick Clark’s Flintstone’s-inspired House in Malibu
Location: Malibu, California Asking price: $1,777,777 Did it sell?: YES!
More wonderful than weird, radio legend Dick Clark’s Flintstone’s-inspired house in Malibu was a no-brainer for our list. Believe it or not, it wasn’t actually built to look like Fred and Wilma’s beachfront vacation villa. In reality, the architect was tasked with appeasing the local home owner association (HOA), which didn’t want anything “crazy” built on the site. The design he came up with is intended to look like a natural rock formation. They accepted his design, and the rest is history.
2. At Least You’ll Never Forget Your Swim Trunks
Location: Margate, New Jersey Asking price: $138 per night on Airbnb Did it sell?: It’s still for rent!
At first glance, this place doesn’t really look that weird at all. Sure, that shade of red is a little strange, it’s super-narrow, the ceiling curves in a weird way, and those dueling doors and staircases don’t really make sense … but overall, kind of, well, normal.
OK, let’s step outside and see why this seemingly normal listing deserves its spot on our list of the weirdest listings of all time:
Yes, you can rent this elephant house in scenic Margate, New Jersey, for your next vacation. Like many New Yorkers, we love to get out to the Jersey Shore ivory now and then. Just avoid the summer months, if possible. There’s usually a stampede of tourists on the boardwalk.
3. I Dunno, This Listing Is Kind of Growing on Me…
Location: Pittsford, New York Asking price: $5,500 per month Did it sell?: Not yet! It’s currently still on the market.
OK, no more bad jokes. The listing agent here is a really fun guy, and deserves all the morel support we can offer. If you’re an out-of-state agent, just make sure to look up your state’s license portobello-ty laws if you want to bring their buyers over for a showing. Potential investors should know that the cap rate on this listing will continue to grow even if the local market isn’t all that sunny.
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4. If Sci-Fi Was Real Life
Location: Joshua Tree, California Asking price: Unavailable Did it sell?: Not yet! It’s currently off the market.
There’s just something about the desert in California that leads people to have visions of beautiful and strange things. In the spiritual enclave of Joshua Tree, one architect had visions of this actually beautiful shipping container home. Construction is currently on pause due to COVID, but we can’t wait to see this beauty in person.
5. Boldly Go Where No Realtor Has Gone Before…
Location: Boca Raton, Florida Asking price: $199,900 per month Did it sell?: It’s still for rent!
Realtors log: I’ve arrived at this very normal listing after battling my way through a crowded early bird special. I had the Grand Slam Breakfast, a highly caloric meal the inhabitants of this strange planet seem to rely on for sustenance.
From the exterior, this home is idyllic. Surrounded by swaying palm trees, this Spanish-style mansion has grounds that can only be described as a tropical paradise.
I am now stepping inside …
The entryway is opulent and stylish. I am still uncertain why I was put on this mission. This home seems rather normal for a Florida mansion.
I am now heading deeper into the home to investigate further …
There appears to be another bar area here. I have been invited by the listing agent to have a Mai Tai, an intoxicating drink made from local fruits.
This command center is highly unusual. Wait, the screen is not showing vital ship information. It appears to be showing a film by someone called “Adam Sandler.” Heading back to the bar for another Mai Tai before investigating further. Realtor over and out.
6. This Listing Is Ready to Take Off
Location: Eskridge, Kansas Asking price: $1,599,475 Did it sell?: Not yet, you can submit an offer here.
Here’s another very normal listing that launched this year and then rocketed to the top of Realtor.com in a matter of days. Strange for such a normal-looking house though, right? I mean, that castle turret is a little weird, but other than that this is just a cozy cabin on a huge rural property. Not exactly something that would start a bidding war …
Let’s check out the basement. The entrance seems a little weird. Maybe the owners just like security? Can’t be too careful these days, I guess.
Let’s head inside. I’m sure this house is very normal and someone sent it to us by accident. Wait, why is this hallway so long … and so round?
Let’s see where it ends …
Welp, it’s a decommissioned Atlas E nuclear missile base. The current owner spared no expense transforming the base into a sprawling, six-bedroom underground home on 32 acres of prime Kansas prairie land. If you have clients looking for a place to wait out a zombie apocalypse, then congratulations, you just found them the perfect listing!
It’s actually pretty cozy:
7. This One’s for the Dogs
Location: Cottonwood, Idaho Asking price: $132 per night on Airbnb Did it sell?: It’s still for rent!
So here’s another very normal rental on Airbnb. Yup. Very, very normal. A little boring even. Why are we even bothering to include this very boring listing here?
Well, let’s take a step outside…
This rental in Cottonwood, Idaho, is very real, and yes, the entire home is actually an enormous dog. Still very cozy, but watch out for the changes in weather in Idaho—the wind can be a little ruff.
8. The Clocktower Apartment in Brooklyn
Location: DUMBO, Brooklyn Asking price: $15,000,000 Did it sell?: Yes!
Straddling the line between supervillain and superhero lair, the DUMBO clocktower apartment was the talk of the town when it was first listed by Corcoran a few years ago. Brooklynites have gazed on that clocktower for many years wondering what was inside, and after a high-end renovation, we finally got our answer.
9. Your Buyer Will Need an Ironclad Contract to ‘Lock In’ a Great Deal for This Listing
Location: Fayette, Missouri Asking price: $340,200 on Realtor.com Did it sell?: Off market
There’s a lot to love about this sturdy and stately brick home in Fayette, Missouri. It has a beautiful yard with old-growth trees, 2,500 square feet of living space, and lots of Instagramable, turn-of-the-century details like this stunning antique door hardware:
Just make sure your buyers are on their best behavior when you show because the basement has a secret …
Built in 1875, this brick beauty was the former home of the local sheriff. For extra security, the city actually built the local jail in the basement of the home.
10. The Bubble Palace
Location: Theoule-sur-Mer, Alpes-Maritimes, 06590 France Asking price: Price on request, Christies Did it sell?: On the market
Sorry, we don’t have any cheesy puns for this jaw-dropping waterfront French estate. Estates in this region are highly sought after, so we know the local market is not in a housing bubb—never mind. Just look at this place:
It even has a 500-seat outdoor auditorium overlooking the ocean and the Bay of Cannes.
11. This Listing Is Still in Ship-shape
Location: Mercer Island, Washington Asking price: $1,758,100 Did it sell?: Off the market
A veritable ocean of shiny wood paneling will greet your buyer as soon as they enter this listing on tony Mercer Island in Washington. A very normal, if a bit expensive home for Washington.
Well, not quite. It’s only when you step outside into the manicured waterfront property that the true weirdness begins …
Yes, that’s right, this home was built out of the stern of the USS Manzanita, a turn-of-the-century Coast Guard ship.
Here she is in her former sea-worthy glory:
12. What’s the Skinny on This London Listing?
Location: Shepherds Bush, London Asking price: £950,000 Did it sell?: On the market
This sliver of real estate heaven is located in Shepherds Bush in London, which explains the cool £950,000 asking price. It’s also sandwiched between a doctor’s office and a hair salon, so you’ll look great and feel healthy when you pare down your furniture to fit into this skinny space. This six-foot-wide home actually has over 1,000 square feet of living space and a lovely garden out back.
13. A Work of Art You Can Live in … for $45,000,000
Location: Sutton Place, Manhattan Asking price: $45,000,000 Did it sell?: Not yet, it’s currently on the market.
If you ever wanted to indulge your Andy Warhol fantasies and have a spare $45,000,000 lying around, then this Manhattan penthouse is for you. Kidding aside, this is a truly stunning space located in a landmarked Manhattan building designed by the famed architect for the 1% Rosario Candela.
14. The ‘One’ Most Expensive House EVER
Location: Bel Air, Los Angeles Asking price: N/A Did it sell?: Not yet, it’s currently off the market.
First listed for an eye-watering $500 million, this Bel Air mansion is a case study in impossible-sounding numbers: 100,000 square feet of living space, a 6,000-square-foot master bedroom, a 50-car garage …
Dubbed ‘The One,” this Bel Air mega-mansion has yet to find a buyer, but hopefully will soon.
15. The SCUBA House
Location: Lake Quivira, Kansas Asking price: $5,750,000 Did it sell?: Not yet, it’s currently on the market.
Who knew Kansas was filled with so many weird houses and wonderful real estate listings? We sure didn’t. Of course, after the missile silo house, we stumbled across this palatial estate with a highly unusual feature that easily made our list.
The home boasts 17,000+ square feet of living space but also includes self-contained SCUBA diving tunnels, complete with fossils for intrepid divers to discover after taking a dip on a hot day.