For those with a million bucks to spend on a fortress, we present this castle with plenty of potential. The three-bedroom fortress sits atop a hill in Eugene, OR.
“The castle was built as a tribute to the owner’s grandparents. He’s from a notable family in the area, and they just really felt like they needed a notable residence,” explains listing agent John Davis, with InEugene Real Estate.
The 4,141-square-foot castle, which was built in 1999, recently topped our weekly ranking of the most popular listings.
“It’s an amazing place. You get up there and there’s a little bit of a sense of mystery and magic to it, and the views are incredible,” Davis says. “Everyone has the same sort of reaction to it, which is, ‘Oh my gosh, really?’”
Davis says there has been plenty of interest in the home, which will require some finishing touches.
“The turret is pretty interesting. There isn’t anything built on the inside of the turret. It has been sort of a project that has been delayed,” he explains. “You look up there, and it’s sort of a tube. When people come and look at it, they say they wish they could walk up there and look around.”
Davis suggests building stairs inside it to make it a lofty perch worthy of a princess.
“There have been a couple of [potential] buyers who have had big dreams surrounding this property,” he explains. “They’ve talked about clearing the view a little bit and improving the turret so you could have a nice spot up there to sort of hang out and get more of the view.”
The castle comes with 6.84 acres in a grape-friendly region dotted with wineries. It’s the kind of place an owner would love to get cozy in with a glass of local pinot noir.
“It’s a hilltop castle nestled within the trees, and it’s very private,” Davis says.
It’s so hidden, he continues, many people who live in the area had no idea the castle was even t here.
“The reaction I’m getting is pretty incredible. I wasn’t sure when I listed it that people would just immediately react, but that’s been the case,” he says. “I think it has captured the imagination of the area. Eugene isn’t exactly known for architectural wonders. Discovering a castle upon a hilltop in the forest has been really inspiring to a lot of people.”
The sellers are working on a few outstanding issues, including a possible roof leak that is causing some discoloration on interior walls, Davis says. Overall, the home is in solid shape.
“The owner has worked on it for a long time,” he says. “I think he’s looking for someone to take on the challenge of making it sort of a centerpiece of the area.”