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‘Fixer Upper’ Shotgun House Blasts the Competition for 2017’s Most Popular Home

In 2017 we looked at a whole lot of homes. Consider us the ultimate looky-loos. We browsed everything from $1 abodes all the way up to $200 million mansions.

But there’s a special place in our heart for the homes that generated the most clicks over the past year. They’re a reflection of what truly interests casual and die-hard real estate observers the most—and 2017’s most popular listings on realtor.com® ranged from quirky to quintessentially awesome. And, if you’d like your own piece of uber-popularity, most of these home are still on the market.

In fact, this year’s first-place finisher is still available. And it has a lot to do with the price tag. Located in Waco, TX, it’s the shotgun home from Season 4 of HGTV hit “Fixer Upper.” The charming home designed by Chip and Joanna Gaines created a furor when the owners put it on the market with a hefty “Fixer Upper” premium.

It’s not even the only “Fixer Upper”–designed home to crack this year’s list. You’ll find another Gaines creation sandwiched between the San Francisco home of a guitar god and the infamous Massachusetts home of a former NFL star.

You’ll also be reacquainted with a mannequin-filled home, the awesomely kooky Kessler mansion in Indianapolis, and the “Flintstone House” in the San Francisco Bay Area.

With that, we ask you to have a yabba-dabba do time with all of 2017’s most popular properties.

10. Wolf Trap Lighthouse, Mathews County, VA

Price: $249,000
Why it’s here: In March, the web lit up this listing of an actual lighthouse, located three miles from land. True, it’s in dire need of renovation, but that light still shines. (The Coast Guard maintains it.) While the unique property soaked up tons of clicks, there have been no takers. So, there’s still hope for a buyer who truly would like to leave the mainland behind—and is on the prowl for a place with a killer 360-degree ocean view. Just follow the beacon…

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9. 308 Sea Cliff Ave, San Francisco, CA

Price: $13,000,000
Why it’s here: This glorious 1920s mansion overlooking the Pacific owned by Metallica’s Kirk Hammett rocked the competition when it landed on the market for $14 million. Since we first covered it earlier this year, it disappeared from the market for a bit and was relisted just days ago, with a million-dollar reduction in price.

“The house is gorgeous. The site is unbelievable,” says listing agent Mark Levinson, adding that the home is “right on the cliff over the beach and the ocean. It’s magnificent.” All it will take is One … buyer.

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8. 123 Spring Creek St, Lacy Lakeview, TX

Price: $1,200,000
Why it’s here: The “barndominium” craze continued apace this year, and this home is further proof of the popularity of living in a barn. Spruced up by “Fixer Upper” duo Chip and Joanna Gaines, the barn stored up plenty of clicks when it hit the market in April. The listing remained in our countdown for months thanks to its TV tie-in and the controversy around the actions of the seller, who put the home on the market rather than live in it. Love it or hate it, this barndo is still for sale-o.

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7. 22 Ronald C Meyer Dr, North Attleboro, MA

Price: $1,299,000
Why it’s here: The infamous house of former New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez just can’t find a buyer. After it was reportedly purchased by a Patriots fan and real estate investor, the sale apparently fell through. The home caught the attention of the web after Hernandez was imprisoned; he later committed suicide in his cell. The home is still in need of a buyer, and someone unafraid to break the curse of a home with a very sad story.

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6. 1261 Shadow Ln, Green Bay, WI

Price: $999,999
Why it’s here: We’ll leap for this property. For a true Cheesehead, the location just can’t be beat. We noted the phenomenon of homes close to Lambeau charging a Packer-based premium. And this modest home directly across from Lambeau Field pumped more air into the bubble with a million-dollar asking price. Already tricked out in Packer decor, it’s still available. Tackle it before the season is over.

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5. 5760 Winkler Mill Rd, Rochester Hills, MI

Price: Sold for $1,900,000
Why it’s here: The chart-topping artist Eminem also hit No. 1 in popular home searches with this listing of his Michigan mansion. The 17,500-square-foot spread was popular with gawkers after it was initially listed for $2 million. It sold for $1.9 million in a little less than a month, but the rapper probably wasn’t popping bubbly to mark the occasion. He had purchased the property for $4.75 million in 2003.

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4. 45 Berryessa Way, Hillsborough, CA 

Price: Sold for $2.8 million
Why it’s here: The iconic domed home that can be seen from Highway 280 is known locally as the “Flintstone House.” The one-of-a-kind home went on the market in 2015 for $4.2 million. After several price reductions, it rolled back on the market for $3.2 million in January 2017. The distinctive landmark needed just the right buyer.

“It has to be the right mix of someone who can afford it and can appreciate the design,” the listing agent told us at the time. The right mix was located this summer, when a buyer plunked down $2.8 million for the colorful casa.

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3. 4923 Kessler Boulevard East Dr, Indianapolis, IN

Price: $1,750,000
Why it’s here: The web simply couldn’t get enough of the Kessler mansion, which became an internet star for its bizarre design, oddball owner, and strange history. What started as a ranch house eventually morphed into a 30,000-square-foot, over-the-top design. We’re just happy we were introduced to the story of a former pimp who became a construction magnate.

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2. 4302 Colony West Dr, Richmond, TX

Price: Off market, never sold
Why it’s here: Perhaps no one would have given this home a second glance—the property’s exterior and grounds are nice enough. Unremarkable, even. But it was the insane interiors that set the web aflame. Inside the artist-owned home, viewers were treated to the sight of the owner’s collection of mannequins, many of them life-size, sitting in chairs, lying on the bed, and even walking on the ceiling. As far as we can tell, the home didn’t sell and has since been taken off the market.

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1.624 S 7th St, Waco, TX

Price: $950,000
Why it’s here: This adorable shotgun house that got the “Fixer Upper” treatment on the popular HGTV show also attracted tons of clicks—the most of any listing this year.

All the attention hasn’t added up to a sale. And although it’s quite perfect, it’s also pretty darn small with a pretty huge price tag. The home’s premium price is due to the charming design and decor done by “Fixer Upper” stars Chip and Joanna Gaines.

The median price per square foot of home in Waco hovers below $100, but this place is asking for a whopping $905 per square foot. While San Francisco Bay Area and Manhattan home shoppers may be accustomed to paying nearly $1,000 per square foot, we’re talking about Waco here. No disrespect, but the Gaines-based premium on this place seems way too steep a mountain for a buyer to climb.

But if you like the look, you’re in luck: All the furnishings come with the property.

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