It’s the season for ghosts, goblins, and haunted house tours. So take a break from house hunting and find out if you have what it takes to go inside some of the spookiest homes in America.
The Mortgage Note spoke with real estate industry professionals across the country to find well-known haunted homes, and most importantly, whether they are open to the public for you to experience. Here’s what they had to offer:
Lizzie Borden House
Location: Fall River, Massachusetts
Open to the Public: Yes
According to its website, Andrew Borden bought the home in 1872 and completely remodeled it. Then, on the morning of August 4th, 1892, he and Abby Borden were hacked to death with a hatchet.
To this day, the home stands as it was with original furnishings and duplicated decor.
The public can book a room and/or take a tour. According to the website, “a visitor is literally transported back to that morning when a perfect storm of events culminated in a double murder.”
Haunted Hill House
Location: Mineral Wells, Texas
Open to the Public: Yes, but you must book an overnight stay in advance
This house was once a speakeasy where multiple murders allegedly occurred. It is said spirits wander among the halls as if the place is still their own, because if you die in this house, you never leave.
According to its website, the house is a 3,800-square-foot Victorian mansion with five full bedrooms, four bathrooms, and a full kitchen to explore.
But guests shouldn’t necessarily expect a good time. “Many people become nauseous, some get a headache, and [even fall] ill upon entering the grounds,” the website warns.
Amityville Horror House
Location: Amityville, New York
Open to the Public: No
Among Long Island’s most famous haunted locations, this estate was where Ronald DeFeo, Jr., murdered his parents and four siblings while they slept on November 13th, 1974.
Thirteen months later, the house’s most well-known haunting occurred when the Lutz Family moved in. They claimed to smell strange orders, see spirits, and experience cold spots in certain areas of the home.
The stigma behind the home’s history has impacted its value substantially.
“This house has lost a massive amount of value because of the story behind it,” said Roy Condrey, founder and CEO of DiedInHouse.com.
According to Biography.com, “The Amityville house officially sold in February 2017 to an undisclosed owner for $605,000, which was $200,000 less than the original asking price.”
In October of 2010, the house – located at 108 Ocean Avenue – was sold for $950,000, and prior to the sale closing, hundreds of curious fans got a rare glimpse inside.
The Conjuring Home
Location: Harrisville, Rhode Island
Open to the Public: No
This home inspired The Conjuring franchise, but according to BostonGhosts.com, the story told in the movies is not just a tale told by Hollywood.
The Perron family experienced years of relentless hauntings, which prompted paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren to step in and investigate.
One of the spirits portrayed in the movies that is said to be based on actual occurrences is Bathsheba.
“Whoever the spirit was, she perceived herself to be mistress of the house, and she resented the competition my mother posed for that position,” said the eldest Perron daughter, Andrea, according to BostonGhosts.com.
The home has been a hotspot for paranormal investigators and for those interested in all things haunted. On Halloween, it will be sold in a foreclosure auction.
The Haunted LaLaurie Mansion
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Open to the Public: No, but there are ghost tours that stop at the LaLaurie Mansion
Samara Poché, a realtor with Compass, reveals that back in the 1820s, Madam LaLaurie bound her slaves in her attic and showed immense cruelty to those who worked for her. There was a fire in her home in 1834, and that is when the public learned about what was occurring in the house.
LaLaurie escaped with her family to France, never to be seen again, but the house still stands to this day. The official address is 1140 Royal Street.
“It is rumored that there are sounds of chains shaking and screaming people that can be heard from both inside and outside the house,” said Poché.
If haunted homes aren’t your thing, try some of these activities to get into the Halloween spirit.
The Tomb of Marie Laveau
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Open to the Public: No, but there are guided tours of the St. Louis Cemetery
Poché describes Marie Laveau’s tomb as being in one of the oldest cemeteries in the city of New Orleans.
“You are only allowed to enter if you are on a guided tour or have a family member that is buried in that cemetery. So many people have painted or written on the tomb,” said Poché.
The legendary Laveau is known as the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, and her spirit has reportedly been seen around her tomb and walking in the French Quarter.
Resurrection Cemetery
Location: Justice, Illinois
Open to the Public: Yes
According to Wendy Martorano, realtor with The Yackley Group, United Real Estate in Chicago, in the 1930s a young woman named Mary was killed after a night of dancing at Willowbrook Ballroom.
Mary haunts Archer Avenue in Chicago and numerous sources have reported seeing her at Resurrection Cemetery in Justice.
“People would think they picked up a young, blonde hitchhiker by the cemetery, but when they would turn around, she would be gone. I refuse to drive by this cemetery after dusk,” said Martorano.
But she added that a lot of people do, especially during Halloween, with hopes of spotting this mystery hitchhiker. There have been reports of a young woman in white walking among the gravestones and glowing apparitions near the cemetery gates.
Haunted Monroe Street
Location: Stoughton, Wisconsin
Open to the Public: Yes
This street may not be haunted, but it is an excellent attraction for those who are Halloween enthusiasts.
“This is an entire street where every house decorates for Halloween every year,” said Joshua Holt, CEO & Broker at Holt Real Estate Team powered by PLACE in Madison, Wisconsin. “The town closes traffic and it can even be a bigger celebration than Christmas.”
While the homes that reside on this street don’t necessarily see a spike in home value because of the Halloween celebrations, Holt says the typical homeowner who buys here is in it for the long haul.
“Because of the attraction, people who live there tend to stay there long term,” Holt said. “I have even seen multigenerational homeowners because the attraction brings those who want their situation to be long term.”
