While buying a home can be a frightening experience for some people, one viral home listing took the scares to another level thanks to an appearance from a horror icon.
The spooky listing for a $375,000 two-bedroom home in Weare, New Hampshire, went viral after it was posted on Friday due in part to a cameo from Halloween movie villain Michael Myers.
In numerous photos shared on realtor.com and Zillow, the fictional knife-wielding killer could be seen hiding behind pieces of furniture and in distant parts of the home. Fortunately, Myers is no Waldo and can be easily spotted so no prospective homeowners need not fear any jump scares.
The spooky addition to the listing quickly went viral in a post shared by the Twitter account Zillow Gone Wild. Within hours, the tweet featuring the photos of the home was liked thousands of times.
According to the real estate website Zillow, the average home in New Hampshire is valued at $438,246—a 16 percent increase in one year.
A property detail description on realtor.com said the home is perched on a hilltop and overlooks the forests in Weare.
"The main level has a living room, kitchen, and dining room. Upstairs was originally three bedrooms but has since been converted to a two-bedroom allowing for a larger primary bedroom," the listing said.
The lower level has a separate laundry room and bar area that the real estate agent said could be used as a play space or as an office.
Despite Myers being included in the photos, he does not come with the property, and homeowners do not have to worry about battling the killer like Laurie Strode. They may want to keep looking out the curtains, though, to see lots of wildlife thanks to its location on a quiet dead-end street.
Jonathan Rolande, a property expert at House Buy Fast in the United Kingdom, told Newsweek that while the stunt helped the homeowner get publicity, it could be unsettling to some prospective buyers.
"They say any publicity is good publicity and this viral listing will now be seen by potentially millions more people thanks to the Halloween theme. It's a bold move that could backfire," Rolande said.
"The seller should, in my opinion, have opted for a slightly less 'mad axe murderer' character. The Mike Myers vibe is almost too creepy and could deter a nervous buyer, especially as the property looks a little remote," he added.
"It's a great idea but next time use a friendly-looking ghost, Frankenstein's Monster, or Dracula for a similar effect without scaring away the buyers."
People across the globe are getting creative with their properties in a bid to raise some money.
Nicole Rudder bought a derelict 17th-century castle for nearly $300,000 and hopes to rope her extended family into renovating it into a wedding venue.
The baronial castle known as Garrion Tower, located in Garrion Bridge, North Lanarkshire near Glasgow, Scotland, is expected to cost an estimated $6 million to repair. But Rudder hopes the renovation could lead to a lucrative deal in the future and result in the venue hosting weddings.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Anders Anglesey is a U.S. News Reporter based in London, U.K., covering crime, politics, online extremism and trending stories. Anders ... Read more
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