Affordable castle listed in NY has Instagram flipping out. ‘There has to be a catch’
It’s not a common thing to open up a popular real estate site like Zillow and see an actual castle for anything under, perhaps, seven figures — certainly not one listed for only five figures. A home in Elmira, New York, however, has Instagram buzzing thanks to its cheap price tag of $99,900.
That’s right. A 10-bedroom, four-bathroom castle with over 8,200 square feet of space for under $100,000.
Never mind that’s it’s a bit of a fixer upper. Though that doesn’t seem to scare away potential buyers, who have been hounding property broker Shane Searfoss of Signature Properties Corning, the Ithaca Journal reported.
“It was insane. We had to call in extra staff to answer the phones at the office,” Searfoss said to the Ithaca Journal. “I would answer the phone and get three messages while I was on the phone. But I’m thrilled for the exposure for our city as well as for this incredible property.”
While the castle isn’t exactly “live-in” ready yet for an optimistic buyer, it certainly is a project that will have anyone’s creativity knocking at the door of their imagination.
“Truly amazing Mansard style mansion with gothic influences,” the listing on Zillow said. “This property is a whopping 41 rooms! Incredible woodwork. Multiple fireplaces. Some original light fixtures. Stunning stained glass. Massive open curved staircase. Restoration has begun. New electric service has been added. Newer rubber roof. 2 High energy efficient boilers.”
And yes, there’s even a barn (though it’s currently not habitable, the listing warns).
The castle and the cost have dazzled folks on social media, who flooded the comment section of the popular Instagram page @cheapoldhouses after the unique property was posted in mid-July.
“’Not habitable’?” one person exclaimed. “For that stunner, I’d camp out in the living room until it was fixed up. What a STUNNER! The staircase?! The mouldings? The fireplaces?! That wall of windows upstairs?! Omg.”
“It looks like something from a Wes Anderson movie!” another person observed.
“Please whoever buys this Instagram EVERYTHING,” one fan said.
“Who do I send the Venmo to?” someone asked.
And, of course, there were questions about the low price as people asked an obvious question: Does the property come with ghosts?
“This house haunted for sure,” one person commented.
“Absolutely haunted. No doubts,” someone wrote.
“There has to be a catch,” a fan commented.
This story was originally published August 3, 2021 at 4:31 PM with the headline "Affordable castle listed in NY has Instagram flipping out. ‘There has to be a catch’."