This one’s for home buyers who want to be put under “house arrest.”
A Vermont realtor redefined “jailhouse” after listing a New England cottage that manages to look picturesque on the outside — but utterly horrifying inside: The house features a real-life clink.
According to the listing on Realtor.com, the 2,190-square-foot “Single Family Home” in Guildhall, Vermont, originally served as a “Jailer’s residence” when it was constructed in 1878.
As such, “attached to the north wall of the house is the former Essex County Jail (discontinued in 1969)” complete with “the original prison cells with barred windows & the Jailers Office,” per the historic property’s description. Indeed, accompanying photos depict heavily rusted floor-to-ceiling cages and busted bathroom fixtures, which evoke something straight outta Alcatraz.
And the hoosegow holdovers aren’t just for show. The listing invites prospective buyers to “bring your own ideas on what this 28′ x 40′ wing could be!”
We might suggest a pandemic-proof “lockdown” bunker or a timeout room in which to place certain credit card-swiping 6-year-olds under house arrest.
Naturally, some might balk at the prospect of living in a real-life Sing Sing (especially since it’s yet unclear if the defunct jail is up to code). Fortunately, the quaint, four-bedroom abode features a host of more appealing features, from a covered porch to a detached barn for “additional storage.”
Best of all, the jailhouse-cum-cottage is practically a steal at the $149,000 asking price.
The house was last bought for $75,000 in 2018.
Also, eagle-eyed social media viewers spotted one of the homes more unusual bedrooms on the popular Instagram account Zillow Gone Wild, which entertains its 279,000 followers with oddball real estate listings.
“Nothing like waking up here and thinking you slept through an earthquake,” one commenter quipped of this cockeyed bedroom window in the home at 43 Courthouse Drive.