A California house has traded hands for the first time since it was featured in the horror movie “Poltergeist.” And its new owner has big plans to capitalize on its storied past.
The four-bedroom, three-bedroom house in Simi Valley went under contract Aug. 27, just two weeks after it was listed, according to Homes.com. That deal closed Friday, when the property sold for $1.28 million, 9% above its asking price.
The sale marks the first time the house has sold in 45 years, and though the house’s appliances and carpets were updated, much of its original design and decor, listing agent Lauren Murdock of Equity Union said in an interview when the house hit the market.
“It does look dated,” Murdock said at the time. Murdock also said she had to assure buyers that the property wasn’t haunted after it’s prominent role in the 1982 movie “Poltergeist” that tells the story of the Freelings, a family whose house is taken over by evil spirits that abduct their daughter.
But those traits are what attracted the new owner, who now plans to restore the house, recreating the house's looks from the movie and making it a short-term rental property, according to real estate agent, Christian Melgar. Melgar and Zo Amilee with Coldwell Banker Realty Westlake Village represented the buyer.
“That's the best part about this house. You don't have to upgrade it,” Melgar said in an interview. “Like the more you keep it as is, the more value it has.”
Ready for rental
Even so, Melgar said he anticipates the property won’t be available to renters until early next year, explaining that the kitchen, for example, needs some necessary renovations.
“She has to get the right furniture; she has to get the right vibe,” he said. “She has to do a lot to make it worth her while.”
Melgar said the buyer is not a seasoned investor, but she was in town visiting her sister who lives nearby and came across the property. It piqued her interest, and from there, things moved quickly. The buyer beat out eight other offers with a cash offer that was higher than the property’s listing price.
And her investment already seems to be paying off, according to Melgar.
Within a day of launching a website for the property, and before she shared the link with anyone but her real estate agents, the new owner had received more than 45 requests to rent the property and had several streaming platforms reaching out to her asking about filming documentaries at the house.