Zillow Gone Wild: The Most Over The Top Home Listings

Shannon Quinn - January 28, 2023
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Zillow Gone Wild: The Most Over The Top Home Listings
Credit: Zillow

This House is Literally on Fire

Normally, this house would be too “normal” to be featured on somewhere like Zillow Gone Wild. But when you scroll through the listings of Franklin, TN, this image is sure to pop out at you. The very first picture they feature on this listing is the mansion on fire. In the description, they talk about how the house is being sold in “as is” condition- meaning that there is most likely still fire damage to the house. The property has over 5 acres, with a small guest house that wasn’t touched by the fire. Even with the damage, they are still asking $1.5 million for the home. My personal theory is that maybe they didn’t have homeowners insurance to cover the damage, and they had no choice but to sell. At the time this post was written, the house was already under contract with a buyer.

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The Dragon Staircase

It’s not uncommon for homeowners with vast, winding staircases to decide to paint some sort of mural. Most people will go with something traditional, like a mountain scene, birds, or flowers. But this homeowner in Baltimore, MD decided to go over-the-top with this amazing dragon mural on the staircase. When you browse through the photos on the listing, you can see more Asian style influences throughout the house, as well as some amazing works of art. This is a townhouse in the city, so the backyard is very small, but beautiful. And there is even an elevator, which is very convenient if you want to skip the stairs all together. The house sold for $825,000 in September of 2022.

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Credit: Messy Nessy Chic

This Home Looks Like It’s From a Fever Dream

Not everyone appreciates art…Especially if they’re being asked to live inside of it. This wacky artist’s house was originally listed for $825,000, and the price has lowered to $500,000. Images of the interior were also taken off of the original Zillow and Redfin listings, maybe because it made it more difficult to sell. The outside of the house looks completely normal. Imagine the surprise, though, if you think you’re showing up to a normal house tour and you see this in the living room! According to the description on the listing, “the artwork throughout the house was done by the seller and was made with caulk, styrofoam, wood, and paint. There is a hidden storage room in the basement which might be perfect for wine storage.” It eventually sold in November of 2022.

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This Home in Rochester, MI Looks Like a Fairytale Castle

Our next listing isn’t just a house. It’s a castle! This home is surrounded by 6 acres of forest, which truly makes it look like something out of a storybook. It even has a moat with a drawbridge, plus secret passageways throughout the castle. There are 26 rooms, and the interior also looks very much like a Tudor style estate. At the time this was written, the house is still for sale at $2,260,000. In the description of the listing, it says that the owner spent $10 million to build the castle in 1990. They are actually selling this home at a huge loss. Maybe someone could buy this home and turn it into a hotel. But the location is very random, and a small town in Michigan doesn’t exactly seem like a great vacation destination.

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The Panther Tub… In The Middle of a Bedroom?

So, there is a lot to unpack from this image. Towards the back wall, you can see what looks like a kitchen hood attached to the ceiling. Clearly, the owner decided to renovate this space, and added a random bathtub in the middle of the bedroom. What’s even more surprising is that this is a trailer! This is located in Long Beach, California, which makes it an expensive area to live. It’s also right next to a marina, which is perfect for anyone who owns a boat. So they are listing this trailer for a whopping $209,000. The interior is very outdated, and downright strange. So even in this current market, it’s a lot of money to ask…Which is probably why no one has bought this property yet.

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A Literal Tree House

Did you grow up having a treehouse when you were a kid? There is a whole movement of people who decided to build actual tree houses when they grew up, and many of them are listed on AirBnB. But this listing in Pismo Beach, CA, is a bit different, because it was literally built around a live tree trunk. They are asking $3.8 million for this property on 6.7 acres, which is just a mile away from the beach. Yes, that sounds like a lot of money. But this is more than just a home. It’s an entire business opportunity. On the property, there is also a museum, an art studio, and multiple dwellings that you could rent out on AirBnB. It even has a campsite ready for RV hookups.

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A Sandy Home Theater

I don’t know what this person was thinking when they made this sandy home theater, because it’s going to be impossible to clean up. The house itself looks like a combination between a castle and a log cabin. Its name is Eagle Ridge Lodge, and it’s located on 29 acres in Mora, MN. After a bit of Googling, I discovered that this is, in fact, a vacation resort with its own website. It seems like their main attractions are hiking and fishing. And, of course, this indoor beach theater…Because who doesn’t want to immediately go shower the sand off of themselves every time they watch a movie? The owners are asking $1,650,000 for the home.

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Pretty in Mid Century Pink

The homeowner of this property in Saint Cloud, MN was very bold in their color choices, because the outside of the house is painted a very retro mint green. And once you go inside, you’ll see that the kitchen was remodeled in all pink. It sold for $250,000 in 2022. Considering that prices have gone up with inflation, this seems like a very normal price to pay for a 3-bedroom house. So there is no telling if the new owners will demolish this retro pink kitchen or not. It’s very cute, and feels like a well-maintained time capsule. Hopefully they take lots of pictures before they make any changes.

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This House in Florida is Like Walking Through a Fairytale Jungle

Speaking of “wild”, this house in Orlando, FL literally looks like a jungle. It’s like someone really enjoyed going to the Rainforest Cafe and decided they want to live there. This 12-bedroom mansion is listed for an eye watering $12 million, and it has been on the market since 2021. A house like this is a perfect example of how you should always think about future buyers before you spend a lot of money on renovations. The only person I can imagine buying this house is an eccentric billionaire who wants a property close to Disney World. On top of it being oddly specific, a lot of the style looks very outdated, from the 90’s. The house is also surrounded by water, and looks like it’s in the Florida swamps. I can only imagine that the mosquitos are horrible in the summertime, and there is the risk of alligators.

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Someone Constructed an Entire Nightclub in Their Basement

This house in Northfield, OH looks normal from the outside, but the basement is hiding a secret nightclub called The Valt Complex. On their Facebook Page, they advertise it as a place to record music or give live performances. There is even a promotional video on YouTube. But it never reveals the fact that the business is actually located in the owner’s basement. The house was originally built in 2018, and The Valt Complex didn’t open until 2019. They are asking $800,000 for this 3-bedroom home. Personally, I would love to know the story behind this house. Who built this? And why are they selling it after just a few years? My best guess would be that the pandemic threw a wrench in their plans to make this night club profitable.

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This Property is Filled to the Brim With Weird Objects

When you look at this property from the outside, you would never expect it to look like this. The front lawn is filled with rusty old cars that need to be recycled. In a way, maybe it’s not actually surprising that they are hoarding strange objects in their house like this. The hoarding extends both inside and outside. It was originally listed for $140,000, and is currently off the market. Usually, it’s a lot easier to buy a house when everything has been cleared out first. That’s not always possible for the seller. But if this is an as-is situation, a lot of people are going to be put off by the prospect of getting rid of the stuff that comes with the property.

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This House Was Made to Blend In With the Mountain

From a distance, if you were looking at this mountain in Lamy, NM, you might not even notice the house is there. It’s purposely made to look like part of the mountain, so that it blends in with nature. It was listed for sale at $899,000 in September of 2022, but quickly taken off the market just two months later. Even though this house is very cool and unique, it’s only 1 bedroom. And since it’s on the edge of a mountain, it’s not safe for kids. So it’s a very expensive house that would only work for a very limited number of people. On top of that, it was last assessed to only be worth $440,493. So they’re literally trying to charge double what it’s worth. Even in this crazy housing market, that’s still way too much.

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You Must Love Whales to Own This House

So far on this list, we’ve only covered homes in the United States, but this one is from Canada. When you first approach this house in Sooke, BC, the first thing you’re greeted by is a statue of an orca whale. The property is located right next to a 3500 acre park, so it’s very private, basically in the middle of nowhere. But besides the random whale statues and flooring in the entryway, there are a lot of other unique style choices, like red kitchen cabinets. According to the property records, this last sold for only $200,000 in 2015. Sure, the property owners probably put a lot of money into upgrades. But asking $1.5 million for the house seems like a stretch, because it’s so strange. Whales are not the first thing people think of when they imagine luxury.

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A Round Home on the Lake

Our next house from Inman, SC looks like some imaginary home out of a storybook. It’s located right on the water of Lake Bowen, and comes with its own dock. But once you scroll through the pictures of the interior, you can see that it’s incomplete. The property was last sold in 2005 for just $60,000. Now, the current owners are asking $650,000 despite the fact that the house is still an unlivable construction zone. They literally want ten times more than what they bought it for. Even in this housing market, that’s ridiculous. Especially since it’s round like a basketball, and definitely not everyone’s cup of tea.

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The Great Pyramid Houses

These two buildings are part of an 18-acre property in Rockwell, NC. The pyramids were built in 1987, and the two buildings are connected through a breezeway. It’s definitely a liveable space, but it looks very outdated, like it still has all of its original features from the 80’s. But some of the bedrooms look very claustrophobic with their slanted ceilings and floor-to-ceiling wood paneling. The property is listed at $675,000, and has been on the market for roughly 6 months at the time this article was written. It’s understandable why potential buyers would hesitate before buying this house. Not everyone wants to live in a pyramid.

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A House Built Inside of a Barn

If you were to drive past this property in Drums, PA, you would actually see a very large red barn. That’s because this house is built inside of the barn. On the listing, they try to say it’s great for car enthusiasts. But I can’t imagine living in a house where you can’t get natural sunlight or fresh air coming through the windows. It’s listed for $155,000, which is one of the cheapest houses so far in this article. I’m not sure why this person decided to build a house hidden inside of a barn. But I do see that the property was purchased for just $14,600 in 1999. And they originally tried listing this for $200,000 and have been gradually lowering the price as they try to sell it.

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This House Has a Star Wars Themed Home Theater

Some people love Star Wars. Clearly, this homeowner in Orlando, FL was obsessed enough to pay for an entire Star Wars themed home theater, which must have cost a fortune. When you look at the listing, it’s a beautiful mansion. Everything is tastefully decorated, and there are even some stained glass windows specially made to honor the home’s proximity to Disney World. (Maybe they were someone higher-up working for Disney). They are asking $13,995,000 even though they only bought the house for $952,600 in 2013. Clearly, they put a lot of money into the property with renovations, and they’re trying to recoup what they spent and make a profit. But on top of the monthly mortgage cost, the HOA fee alone is $2,315 per month!

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Gigantic Home Compound Has Its Own Arcade

At first glance, most people would assume this picture is of an arcade somewhere, maybe in a beach town. But, no. This is the game room in someone’s house. The house is a huge estate on 60 acres in Leverett, MA. It was built by the founder of the Yankee Candle Company, Michael Kittredge, who passed away in 2019. Not only is the arcade insane, but there is also a tennis court, indoor pool, bowling alley, and so much more. The kitchen has 6 islands. It looks like the set of the Great British Bake Off. The real estate company even paid actors to create a promotional video for the listing. According to CNBC, the house is on the market for $23 million.

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A Private Island Surrounded By Oysters

Ever want to live on your own private island? This home in Branford, CT is listed at $3,750,000. And it’s currently under contract. The house is stunningly beautiful. It’s truly like something out of a movie. But personally, as a survivor of Hurricane Sandy, I always think about the possibility of flooding. All it takes is one bad storm for this house to disappear… Especially since it’s such a small island with very little land to spare, should the water begin to rise. Not only that, but you would need to get in the boat every time you wanted to go grocery shopping, commute to work, etc. And your car needs to be parked somewhere on the mainland. But clearly, somebody out there likes the idea of living on an island, since it is about to be sold.

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Who Doesn’t Need Indoor Shuffleboard?

Not going to lie. I love this house in Minneapolis, MN. Built in 1955, this is a great example of mid-century modernist architecture. It was designed by Carl Graffunder, who took a lot of inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright. This was listed for $825,000, and it has at least one offer. Considering that this is a 4-bedroom home in a major city, I think that price is actually very reasonable. In the photo above, you can see the quirky shuffleboard built into the floor tile, which is the reason why it made its way onto Zillow Gone Wild in the first place.

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Star Trek Themed Mansion Rents For $199,000 a Month

All of the homes so far have been houses that are up for sale. But in this listing, we have a Boca Raton, FL home that was renting for $199,000 a month. As you can see in the photos, they have a Star Trek themed movie theater in their house. There is also a huge arcade room, a wine cellar, basketball court, pool, and a giant walk-in-closet off the master bedroom. Now, it’s off the market. Zillow estimates that it’s worth $2,646,600. So with that kind of money, the owner could have paid off their mortgage in less than 3 years. But according to the property history, they tried to sell the house for almost $20 million back in 2020.

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Fifty Shades of Zillow

These people from Celina, TX really need to clean up before they agree to let the real estate photographer into their home. No kink-shaming, here. But these people literally have a black bedroom with their “special” swing, harnesses, and toys all displayed out in the open. Not surprisingly, the real estate agent removed the photos from Zillow that featured the inside of the house, presumably because this was shared all over the Internet. It was only listed for 1 month, and then taken off the market. During an interview with the seller on a website called Candy’s Dirt, the owner said that they received a lot of interest in buying the home, along with some bashing from conservatives. However, it doesn’t seem to have been sold. So maybe they decided to keep it.

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This House Looks Like a Rainforest Cafe

Here is yet another house that looks like an actual jungle. This home in Ashland, OR has been built in a gorgeous scenic mountain area. And it looks like something out of a movie. Whoever built this house definitely wanted to feel one with nature. It has a tree branch motif throughout the house, dragons on the fireplace, and an incredible mountain view in the bedroom. As incredible as this house is, it’s only 2 bedrooms. And with a price tag set at nearly $6 million, there are very few people who can afford to buy it. This person has been trying to sell it since 2010. In the past, they were asking $7 million. But tax assessment values the property at just $2 million.

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The Bar-Urinal Combo Package

This house was clearly designed by a man who came up with the “brilliant” idea. Clearly, he’s too lazy to make his way to the bathroom, so he created a bar with urinals on the side. Or maybe, he anticipated having massive house parties with a lot of people, and thought it would make sense to give his guests plenty of places to pee. From the outside, this is just a small, normal-looking 3-bedroom house in Ferndale, MI. Not a party mansion. It’s just very strange overall. But hey, someone bought the house for just $169,420. Clearly, the buyer wasn’t bothered by the urinals. Maybe they thought it was a brilliant idea, too.

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Geodesic Dome

This home in Redding, CT is interesting, because it’s a geodesic dome. In case you have never heard of one before, the definition of a geodesic dome is “a hemispherical thin-shell structure based on a geodesic polyhedron. The triangular elements of the dome are structurally rigid and distribute the structural stress throughout the structure, making geodesic domes able to withstand very heavy loads for their size.” They are asking $950,000 for the home which is nestled in the middle of the woods. I love this home. It’s very unique. But it was built back in the 1970’s, so it would also need some updating.

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Credit: Zillow

The Crescent House

Here is a house that is included on the list simply because it’s very cool. This house is famous for being designed by Wallace E. Cunningham, and also because it was featured in season 3 of Westworld. Now, the owners are trying to sell it for just under $20 million. As you can see in the photo, this Encinitas, CA home is right on the ocean on the side of a cliff. Scrolling through the photos, it really does have Bond Villain vibes. It was last sold for $11 million back in 2016, so the owner is now trying to get almost double what they paid for it.

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Credit: Zillow

Topsy Turvy Art House

From the outside, this house in Colorado Springs, CO looks very stylish. But once you open the door, the entire home is full of wild, quirky pieces of art. In the photo above, you can see a chandelier made out of Barbie dolls. When you flip through the gallery on the listing, you’ll see shag carpet on the walls, creepy outsider art, a rainbow patchwork kitchen, and a door covered in stuffed animals. The entire house is like living in a modern art installation. I can only assume that when these people sell the home, their art will come with them. But it’s hard to think about this as a “normal” home with the way things currently are. It’s currently listed at $560,000.

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The Garcia House

A lot of the houses on this list are mentioned because they are weird. This one in particular made it on the list, because it’s over-the-top beautiful. The iconic “Garcia House” in Los Angeles, CA features “60-foot caissons” that elevate the structure above the canyon, a lava rock entry, a parabolic roof and a 55 foot wall of windows. It was designed by a famous architect John Lautner, and built in 1962. Outside of the house, it looks like a futuristic spaceship. And inside, it’s absolutely stunning with so much natural light pouring in through the windows. The house is currently listed for $16 million, which is pretty normal for the Los Angeles area.

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Credit: Realtor

Lion Gate Estate

In Detroit, MI, there exists a house that looks very normal from the outside. But once you go in, you’re greeted by a carpeted wall, a crochet ceiling, and so much more. Both the house and the backyard are full of statues. It’s a mixture of ugly, outdated wood paneling in the kitchen and dining room with over-the-top expensive features in other areas of the house. This house has been on the market since 2018, and it’s still listed at $425,000. They actually increased the price from $325,000 after the real estate market changed. It’s so weird. Please look at the photo gallery. You’ll thank me later.

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