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Be Afraid: Haunted Houses Top This Week’s Most Popular Homes

We implore you—do not be afraid to look at the most popular homes on realtor.com^® this week.

However, it’ll help if you have an affinity for apparitions. Your clicks pointed a creepy finger in the direction of two allegedly haunted houses, which top this week’s most popular properties.

If you’re not afraid of wandering wraiths, the week’s top finisher can be had for less than $100,000. Recently toured by amateur ghost hunters (are there really professionals?!), the historic home in Joliet, IL, will require another $100,000 in renovations. If you can ward off the evil spirits and spend significant time rehabbing the house, your reward will be a home that’ll likely earn a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.

Ghosts, be damned!

The runner-up is a little less creepy, but a lot more expensive. Located in Central Florida, the abandoned Howey Mansion currently sits in foreclosure for $480,000. For this formerly grand property, a buyer must cough up a cool million in renovations and upgrades to undo decades of neglect.

Away from these two haunts, you were also interested in the rumors of Angelina Jolie‘s next destination, a gorgeous mansion on car-free Mackinac Island, and a general store for sale in Pennsylvania.

So don your finest Ghostbuster costume and let’s count down this week’s most popular properties.

10. 1155 Pine Rd, Carlisle, PA

Price: $335,000
Why it’s here: It’s your chance to become a grocer, deli owner, and purveyor of antiques. Listing agent Charlie Mallios says the owners of Kings Gap General Store are ready to retire, and this business in Central Pennsylvania is a turnkey opportunity. As Mallios dryly puts it, “The business had to be somewhat profitable for the owners to stay for 30 years.” Plus, the place already has 3.5 stars on Yelp, so it’s simply a matter of continuing a tradition of excellence. Save us a cheese wheel!

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9. 105 N Elm St, Chaska, MN

Price: $539,900
Why it’s here: Built in 1889, this Queen Anne Victorian is simply stunning. With five bedrooms, four levels of living space, and two fireplaces, this Minnesota charmer makes perfect financial sense.

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8. 1557 Lauderdale Ave, Lakewood, OH

Price: $149,900
Why it’s here: It’s a cute Colonial for under $150,000! We love the hardwood floors, wood trim, and beautiful built-ins. And we spy plenty of man cave potential in the basement.

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7. 1344 River Ridge Rd, Danbury, NC

Price: $4,875,000
Why it’s here: The rustic four-bedroom home is gorgeous, but it isn’t this property’s main allure. A buyer also gets 372 acres “offering hiking trails, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, horseback riding, and gem mining.” All those features plus a mile of frontage on the Dan River make this place a true sportsman’s paradise.

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6. 2000 De Mille Dr, Los Angeles, CA

Price: $24,950,000
Why it’s here: Is this mansion the next place Angelina Jolie will rest her weary head? Rumors of her imminent arrival continue as the Cecil B. DeMille estate went under contract this week.

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5. 121 Suzette Rd, Duson, LA

Price: $485,000
Why it’s here: Sitting on nearly 5 acres, this three-bedroom home offers a “country feel,” according to the listing. It has a bit of that ever-popular “barndominium” vibe, thanks to the metal roof. The pond out back is stocked with bass, and the backyard patio has a built-in cooking station.

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4. 123 Spring Creek St, Lacy Lakeview, TX

Price: $1,200,000
Why it’s here: Here’s a true barndominium! Featured on Season 3 of “Fixer Upper,” this three-bedroom home bears the expert touch of Chip and Joanna Gaines. After spending some time as a vacation rental and ruffling local feathers, it’s available for a buyer looking for a touch of Magnolia magic.

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3. 6901 Main St, Mackinac Island, MI

Price: $3,450,000
Why it’s here: If you’re interested in this waterfront mansion, you may want to learn a bit more about Mackinac Island. For instance, cars are banned and horse-drawn carriages and bicycles are the only method of transport on the island. Located right on the water, this six-bedroom home comes with a dock.

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2. 1001 Citrus Ave, Howey in the Hills, FL

Price: $480,000
Why it’s here: The bank-owned Howey Mansion is looking for a happy ending. Listing agent Lori Wall says she’s been inundated with folks wanting to know more about this historic (and dilapidated) gem and throngs of interested buyers have shown up for the open house.

Built in 1925 for citrus magnate William Howey, the mansion has been stuck in financial limbo for the past couple of years. Wall thinks the abandoned property may sell for over asking, but it’s up to the bank to pick the winning bid among the multiple offers that have come in. Wall estimates the home needs nearly $1 million in renovation expenses.

As for claims the place is haunted, Hall isn’t a big believer in the supernatural.

“It’s creepy,” she admits. “But it’s a lot less scary when you’re there in the middle of the day with 60 other people in it.”

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1. 608 Morgan St, Joliet, IL

Price: $99,900
Why it’s here: Listing agent Steve Roake, of Brian Ernst Realty Group, says this historic home is “allegedly haunted.” Roake doesn’t believe in ghosts, but he credits the home’s popularity to a recent YouTube video of ghost hunters wandering the home in search of apparitions.

Built in 1887 and known as the Frank Shaver Allen house, the five-bedroom home is appealing if you’re not afraid … of renovations. Roake estimates the home will need about $50,000 to $150,000 to bring it back to its former glory.

Some work (drywall, plumbing, windows) has been done by the current owners, who are selling the place because they don’t have the time to do a full-scale renovation. Once restoration is complete, the home will be a great candidate for the National Register of Historic Places—or an extended episode of “Ghost Hunters.” Keep the lights on.

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