14 Exceptional (and Sometimes Shocking) Homes Listed for Sale

In preparation to find the perfect home, you’ll need the best mortgage lender for the funding and a good realtor to guide you through showings. You’ll likely have a list of must-haves when it comes to characteristics and amenities, along with a budget to suit your finances.

While housing hunting, you may come across listings that leave you completely awestruck. Some properties stand out and are very unique, but there are others that almost defy words. Check out these shocking home listings.

The spectacular home, called the Sun Valley Starship, features a below-ground courtyard and a towering atrium. With five bedrooms, a freshwater pond, and even an outdoor amphitheater, it potentially warrants its $6 million price tag. But one its most stunning features is the pool on its roof that sticks out over the lower-level entry of the house and gives swimmers a spectacular view of the horse pasture and mountain ridge.

From the street view, this over $2 million property appears to be a square patch of concrete surrounded by rocks — but the real shock is that the home is subterranean. As you descend the stairs, you enter a gorgeous courtyard boasting beautiful greenery and windows in every direction. The home gets plenty of light and it’s perfect for those who want an airy outdoor feel while still being underground.

When you think of an island getaway, you’re probably imagining a tropical paradise. But there may be something a little farther north that could still be appealing. This $6.6 million island retreat in the middle of a Minnesota lake comes fully furnished and includes a boat and a hovercraft to help you access your home year round, even in the icy winter.

“The Manor” was originally built by TV producer Aaron Spelling, who created shows like The Love Boat and Melrose Place. It possesses the charm of TV royalty with a price to match at $165 million. The vast mansion, which boasts 56,500 square feet, has its own beauty salon along with a bowling alley and screening room. There are 14 bedrooms and 27 bathrooms, plus a rose garden, pool, and tennis court.

Note: This property has since been taken off the market.

Sure, the water views from this $2.6 million seaside home near Seattle are beautiful, but it’s the pool that really sets this place apart. The owners were such fans of David Bowie that the pool’s tilework features a huge version of the singer decked out as his Ziggy Stardust persona. It may be a spacy-looking oddity, but it also feels pretty cool.

Welcome to River City Railway, the perfect tailgating spot that’s within walking distance of Jacksonville’s football stadium. This sweet little $285K home is a train train car converted into a 550 square foot retreat with one bedroom and one bath. There’s also an outdoor patio space for entertaining and waving to your neighbors — it’s part of a development with 25 train cars total.

This one may be a fixer-upper, but it has some potential if you’re in the market for a $117K bunker to prepare for apocalyptic times. The former missile silo stretches 170 feet underground, and includes the launch control center. You’ll need 1200 square feet of imagination to transform the main living area and 4000 square feet of ingenuity for the auxiliary structure, but you’ll be secure.

Custom built on 19 acres, this very square castle is really a modern open-concept home fit for royalty. With 17 foot ceilings and secret tunnels and passageways, this $851K stunner comes with the grandest front doors.

Why buy a home when you can buy a whole town? This wild west-style village in Colorado includes a saloon, chapel, and general store. For your guests who may want to stay the night, it has a hotel as well as a bunkhouse, plus RV hookups for those just wheeling by. At $4.7 million and with 22 bedrooms throughout the property, you may be able to live here with your entire family. 

Some people have a favorite color, and we suspect the owners of this home prefer black. The exterior is all black while the interior’s main color is also the darkest of dark hues in every room. This enchanting home is shaped like an octagon and there are no square rooms, which is really on brand for its mysterious vibe.

Fairy tales may come true in this three bedroom tower house valued at $765K. Surrounded by trees, this home boasts rounded walls, balconies, and spiral staircases. The home’s designer is artist John Kahn, who worked with Muppets creator Jim Henson, which explains its whimsical charm.

Rev your engines for this car home that’s perfect for automobile aficionados. This nearly $8 million abode includes everything a motorhead could want — car lifts, a paint application booth, glass repair center, and antique car memorabilia throughout the main house and seven acres. There’s also a garage that can hold up to 10 vehicles.

The Las Vegas Underground House is an impressive 15,000-square foot, $5.9 million luxury bunker. Aside from the very practical living space, there is also a pool, spa, and an “outdoor” area complete with real trees and painted wilderness landscapes. The vast grounds also feature special lighting to mimic day and night.

The home developer calls this masterpiece located in prestigious Bel Air, “The One.” This 105,000-square-foot house features 21 bedrooms and 45-and-a-half bathrooms. There are five pools, a 30-car garage, and a wine cellar with room for 10,000 bottles. The glass-encased jogging track, which runs along the perimeter, is definitely one of the more unique aspects of this jaw-dropping home. In March, it broke records as the most expensive house sold at auction for $141.12 million.

These listings have outrageous qualities, but maybe they have convinced you to start investing so you can buy your dream property. It’s incredible to see the amenities others have added to suit their lifestyle — and it’s also inspiring.