Look: Five odd real estate properties that are actually real

For many people, buying real estate — whether it’s a strip mall or a multifamily building or even an office building — is the key to building wealth. But there are some purchases that are a bit more eccentric. Which doesn’t mean they don’t have their own profit-generating potential. But there may be a bit more vision needed to see where the dollars are.

Here are five properties that have either gone on sale or were purchased this year that are a little more left of center.

Stairway to nowhere

There’s a man who’s sure / All that glitters is gold / and he’s buying a stairway … to nowhere.

OK, those changed lyrics to the classic Led Zeppelin song aren’t nearly as catchy, but there is an actual stairway to nowhere in London that fetched $32,000 on the open market, the New York Times reported. 

The unused stairway is attached to the back of a building, next to a garage, in south London, the outlet reported. 

Entrepreneur Simon Squibb, who bought the stairwell, told the New York Times he’s going to use it to help people start companies by offering desks on the landings and displaying advertisements. 

All in all it’s … just a wall

Pink Floyd fans can get their hands on a wall at 30th Street Northwest in the Georgetown neighborhood in Washington, D.C., for $50,000. 

In the 1960s, Allan Berger’s father bought a wall at auction as a lark to say he owned property in Georgetown. When dad died, Allan Berger inherited the property.

“You can go there, take a girl out on a date, go walk around and say, ‘See, I own that,’” Berger told the publication.

But some trouble with the owner of the home the wall is attached to, the wall beginning to crumble and $1,600 in resulting fines, has led Berger to try to sell it. The $50,000 is a little above the $600 assessed value of the wall. 

Tilt at this windmill

OK, a little bit of a cheat here. Yes, a historic windmill that appeared in the 1968 movie “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” has gone up for sale. But it comes with a main home, 37 acres of land, and a swimming pool, according to the New York Times. 

The price for Cobstone Mill and more than a few consequential amenities in Buckinghamshire, England, is $11.5 million, or 9 million pounds. 

Balloon companies are more than hot air

At least two balloon companies were on sale in late 2022.  

Bob Barbarick put his business, Balloons Above the Valley, on the market as well as the three properties it operates from, for $12 million.

At the heart of the sale is Balloons Above the Valley, which comes with eight hot air balloons, most of which have capacities for up to 20 passengers, as well as vehicles and equipment needed to run the business. That includes nine vans that are used to meet the balloons once they land, the outlet reported.

The three properties – one at 603 California Boulevard in Napa and parcels at 5350 and 5360 Washington Street, between Napa and Yountville – total more than 3 acres, the outlet reported.

The starting cost for a ride, according to its website, is $269 for a 1-hour ride and the business, which flies about 60 people a day, is also permitted to have balloon rides 225 days a year in Napa Valley, with additional days in Solano County.

Meanwhile, an unidentified balloon tour company in Teton County, Idaho, is on the market for $95,000.

The listing says the company was founded in 2002 and that the owner is retiring.

A winery in Connecticut

Wine might not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Connecticut.

But the 25-acre Miranda Vineyard in Litchfield County is the only New England winery on the market and it can be had for $2.4 million, which is down from its original $2.75 million listing, according to CTInsider.

Located in Goshen, it was once a stop on the Connecticut Wine Trail. While it’s no longer in business, ambitious vintners would have a leg up by having all the equipment in place, as well as a 5-acre vineyard with wine-producing grapes.