House hunting has been an entertaining adventure for us, and like any good story it included some unexpected, sometimes downright strange, detours. We’ve already shared a few of our near-miss properties elsewhere, so this time we wanted to highlight some of the more laughable “no way” houses we came across. They were memorable for all the wrong reasons.

One place we visited was a gargantuan split-level that looked ordinary from the curb — until we stepped inside and discovered it had six distinct levels. Six. That’s several more floors than we’re accustomed to living on, and while the attic and basement weren’t fully finished, the layered layout felt overwhelming. It was a house that demanded an elevator or very committed stair-climbing, not exactly practical for everyday life. I sketched a rough artist’s diagram to help explain how the spaces stacked up and felt almost like a vertical maze.

Then there was the truly dark house. Not “a little gloomy due to small windows” dark, but actual pitch-black darkness because the electricity was out. We arrived to find the listing agent discovering the power problem and, determined to show us the property anyway, she led the tour using the light from our phones. It was early evening on a cloudy day, so natural light did little to help, and walking through the rooms required careful, slow steps. In fairness, the blackout probably hid a lot — the place didn’t look especially clean, and the lack of light only added to the awkwardness of the visit.

We also encountered a home where the owner’s idea of staging involved leaving an enormous shoe collection scattered across the master bedroom floor. Imagine towers and piles of high heels covering the room — not neatly arranged displays but chaotic, impassable heaps. It was impossible to step into the space without moving footwear, which made evaluating the room and envisioning it as our own very difficult. If the goal was to highlight a pair or two, the execution missed the mark; if the goal was to impress visitors with how many shoes they owned, it certainly got our attention for the wrong reasons.

House hunting brings all kinds of surprises, from odd layouts to unusual staging choices and everything in between. We’re certain we’re not the only ones with stories like this, and we’d love to hear about yours. What strange, hilarious, or baffling things have you found while looking at homes? It’s fascinating what some people think helps a house “sell.”

Photo credits: dark room image and shoe photo as originally noted in the listing.

By the way, we announced this week’s Target gift card giveaway winner. Check the original post to see whether your name is on the list.