Ellen Ruby Blog's: A $400K Claptrap Castle in Indiana Is the Week’s Most Popular Home

Wednesday 30 June 2021

A $400K Claptrap Castle in Indiana Is the Week’s Most Popular Home

We should warn you, this week’s list of the 10 most popular homes on Realtor.com® travels from Champagne wishes and caviar dreams to a hot nightmare real quick.

Take the week’s most popular home as a prime example. It’s technically a castle in Indiana, but it’s truly just a royal mess.

From the outside, it resembles all things we’d expect to see in a castle: It’s a walled structure with the exterior of a fortress and a concrete courtyard. But upon further review, it’s really just a run-down and cluttered project in desperate need of a regal savior. It’s the sort of place you can’t help but click on when it’s shared online.

On what’s practically another planet—yet still occupying our same list—is the lavish Pasadena, CA, mansion being sold by “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Erika Girardi and her estranged husband, Tom Girardi. It’s been discounted by $1.5 million after a devastating documentary on Tom’s alleged financial malfeasance dropped on Hulu.

Less fancy but still spectacular is a Virginia ranch house decorated by someone with extreme taste and courage to match.

You also clicked on the Massachusetts home being sold by retired NBA legend Danny Ainge, the SoCal home of YouTube personality and makeup mogul Jeffree Star, and an opulent 25-acre riverfront estate in Maryland that was once a monastery.

It’s a study in extremes across this week’s list. Have a look for yourself.

10. 321 S Jefferson St, Hastings, MI

Price: $349,900
Why it’s here: When this Queen Anne was built in 1885, it was hailed as the “Most Handsome Residence In Hastings,” according to the listing.

Over a century later, the five-bedroom home is still striking, filled with ornate woodwork and other vintage details. An original safe sits under the stairs, a dumb waiter runs from the kitchen to the basement, and recent updates include two rebuilt fireplaces.

9. 100 Los Altos Dr, Pasadena, CA

Price: $11,500,000
Why it’s here: The opulent mansion of Tom Girardi—estranged husband of Beverly Hills housewife Erika Girardi—just had its price cut by $1.5 million.

Built in 1928, the landmark property could be seen in a recent Hulu documentary that detailed the couple’s financial troubles and Tom’s alleged crimes.

8. 3349 Finch Farm Rd, Trinity, NC

Price: $899,900
Why it’s here: Modern farmhouse mania continues. Custom-built in 2019, this four-bedroom home is surrounded by 10 private, wooded acres with a creek.

Inside, you’ll find soaring 16-foot ceilings in the master suite, a dream kitchen, and a keeping room with fireplace. There’s also an upstairs loft with built-in shelves and hardwood flooring throughout.

7. 1501 Ranch Rd, Warsaw, IN

Price: $329,000
Why it’s here: Built in 1951, this Indiana home was recently rehabbed from top to bottom.

Everything got a makeover, including the kitchen, bathrooms, and garage. The four-bedroom residence sits on just under an acre and embraces all of today’s decor trends, from its fresh farmhouse interiors to its bold, black exterior paint scheme, making this an easy move-in ready choice.

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Watch: Cutting Edge Connecticut Home With Ice Rink Glides Onto the Market for $5.9M

6. 140 Wellesley Ave, Wellesley, MA

Price: $4,500,000
Why it’s here: This six-bedroom Colonial is being sold by former Boston Celtics exec Danny Ainge. Complete with a golf simulator in the game room, this place is designed for a baller.

Besides the athletic accoutrements, the home features a new kitchen, an office, and a media room. Outside, the yard is beautifully landscaped with living areas designed for entertaining a large crew.

5. 1604 Winchester Rd, Annapolis, MD

Price: $24,900,000
Why it’s here: Opulent by any measure, this private 23-acre estate sits on the Severn River less than an hour from DC.

Built in 1922, the remarkable home was once a Capuchin monastery. Today, it’s a 35,435-square-foot mansion with 11 fireplaces, a commercial-sized kitchen, ballroom, conservatory, indoor spa, game room, and secret vault. Outside, there’s a roof garden, infinity pool, tennis court, private dock, and boat lift.

4. 1605 Wilton Rd, Petersburg, VA

Price: $145,000
Why it’s here: An owner with bold taste and no fear just went all-out it when it came to color. See the blue kitchen below as an example.

Built in 1959, this affordable three-bedroom ranch will require a buyer who doesn’t mind applying a few coats of paint. This place is being sold as is, but the low price leaves room in the budget for the several gallons of paint a buyer will need to cover up some of the more fanciful decor choices.

3. 25220 Walker Rd, Hidden Hills, CA

Price: $20,000,000
Why it’s here: Views surround this palatial French Normandy estate in one of Southern California’s most exclusive neighborhoods. The magnificent mansion is being sold by YouTube sensation Jeffree Star.

Everything throughout the mansion is over the top, draped in luxe fabrics, and custom-suited to Star’s penchant for pink accessories. There’s also garage parking for 10-plus cars, a pool, spa, and two covered patios.

2. 1161 La Mirada, Southlake, TX

Price: $5,000,000
Why it’s here: Built in 2010 and inspired by a medieval castle, this eight-bedroom mansion spans 13,917 square feet.

Inside, there are 10 fireplaces, a wine room, separate apartment, and elevator. The 1.58-acre property also has a tennis court and a guesthouse for visiting royalty.

1. 6900 Dave Carr Rd, Charlestown, IN

Price: $400,000
Why it’s here: Built in 1997, this Indiana castle offers a two-bedroom residence, but the building itself appears as if it’s never been fully finished.

A center courtyard appears to be intended for industrial use and is currently full of gravel, heavy equipment, and cars.

Listing photos show a baffling array of spaces, some finished and some in various stages of disrepair. Priced at only $400,000, this 1-acre structure sits on an 8-acre plot and needs a really royal rehab effort.