'Unassuming' suburban house hides bizarre interior: 'Greatest listing of all time'

Updated

A bizarre suburban home that includes a spaceship-themed dining area and a room full of sand is up for sale, if you dare.

The Pittsburgh, Penn., house, which is currently on the market for the bargain price of $159,000, went viral after a Twitter user shared a series of listing photos.

“I just discovered the greatest house listing of all time,” they wrote. “It starts out very unassuming and modest.”

Indeed it does — the front of the home offers not a clue of the secrets hiding inside the four brick walls.

And neither does the cute backyard, tbh.

But, the home’s interior tells a different tale — one of a decorator with a very eclectic design aesthetic.

For instance, in place of a traditional dining room, guests at 480 Rainier Drive may eat and drink as they feast their eyes on this retro space station.


Credit: Zillow


Credit: Zillow

Homesick for Earth sweet Earth yet?

No problem — beam yourself directly over to this indoor beach, just a stone’s throw away.


Credit: Zillow


Credit: Zillow

Naturally, the unique home has created quite a stir on Twitter, with many users desperate for information on the person who owns it.

“A big time nerd loved that house to death, god bless them,” one wrote.

“I hope someone who will appreciate this property as is will buy it & not gut or raze it. Maybe update & tweak it a bit,” said another. “A lot of love & effort went into that home.”

Others were amazed at the low price of the ultra-unique dwelling.

“$150k for a spaceship with a pool seems reasonable,” one user joked.

“It’s an absolute steal,” replied another.

Eventually, two granddaughters of the elderly homeowner — who has been identified only as “Cap’n John” — noticed the viral photos and stepped forward to provide some fascinating background information on how 480 Rainier came to be.

“This is my grandfather’s house lol,” Heather Wilkerson wrote on Twitter. “He still lives local, just downsized. He’s a retired electrical engineer and Navy veteran. Super fun to grow up with. He always hid new treasures for my younger sister and I to find when we’d come over.”

Sydney Charrie, another one of Cap’n John’s granddaughters, posted a video walkthrough of the property on YouTube and provided some insight as to how the home got its unique look.

“[My grandfather] likes to say that the beach, the hippie and the space nerd is all just three different types of his personality combined into one house,” she revealed in the 9-minute clip, adding that the house renovations served as somewhat of a “coping mechanism” for the Captain after his divorce from Sydney’s grandmother.

“He had just gone through a divorce with my grandmother and he found it easiest to rid of the past by changing something huge without having to get rid of it,” she shared.

Apparently, Cap’n John is getting a kick out of his home’s newfound fame.

“I can only assume that the viral interest … is a reflection of the extreme boredom people are going through right now, more than anything intrinsic in the house itself,” he told CTVNews.ca.

“I mean, everybody lives somewhere — I just happen to live in a 15th-century castle, that just happens to be connected to a 25th-century starship, with a tropical jungle island overhead,” he added. “No biggie.”

If you enjoyed this story, check out these floor tiles that make home renovations easy.

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