Ever since my wife and I started dating about eight years ago, we've talked openly about our personal finances.
From the very beginning, we discussed our 401(k) withholdings and emergency funds. These conversations became even more important when we started living together and sharing expenses about a year into our relationship.
As a queer couple, my wife and I have always believed that we can write our own rules when it comes to how we approach our finances.
Our incomes have varied over the years for many reasons, and we've tried several different payment breakdowns before finding what works for us.
Over the years, we've divided our mortgage payments a few different ways to find what feels 'fair'
Over time, we moved toward a 50/50 split of the mortgage.
Noelle Thies Co.
About a year into our relationship, my now-wife moved into the condo that I had bought on my own. At the time, I was working in tech and earning a higher base salary, as well as annual performance-based bonuses and stock that added to our salary discrepancy.
I knew that my mortgage was higher than the rent on a place we would have chosen together based on our combined income. So, we decided I would pay the bulk of it, but we'd split the costs of groceries, utilities, and internet, as well as shared vacations.
Five years into our relationship, I sold my old condo, my wife increased her hours at her job, and we bought a townhome together.
This time, we decided to split our mortgage payments in proportion to our base salaries, which felt like the fairest thing to compare since annual bonuses and stock awards from my company could vary. This came out to a 60/40 split.
Over the next two years, my wife's base salary got closer to mine as a result of union negotiations at her hospital. Eventually, once our salaries were essentially at parity, we shifted to a 50/50 split.
When I got laid off from my tech job, we had to reevaluate what was 'fair'
Almost eight months into our new system, I was laid off from my tech job.
I had savings in my emergency fund from my years working there and received severance, but I was suddenly in a different financial situation than I'd been before.
For the first time in our relationship, my wife was the higher earner.
We talked about moving back to a proportionate split. My wife reminded me that we were a team, and said she'd be open to covering more of our mortgage and expenses. But between my savings, severance, and bonuses I'd made over the years, I was able to continue splitting the mortgage evenly, and I wanted to.
At the end of the day, reverting to a different split might have been "fair," but it didn't feel fair of me to put the responsibility on my wife to pay more of the mortgage.
I knew that paying a much larger share of the mortgage would bring undue stress on her, and I also knew that I could afford my half, even without my steady paycheck.
Defining fairness on our own terms has felt empowering
Our priority is that we both feel comfortable revisiting the topic of money whenever we need to.
Noelle Thies Co.
It's now been over a year since my layoff, and splitting our mortgage and expenses 50/50 has continued to feel right for both of us.
This isn't to say she's not supporting me during this time. Right now, my wife continues to work full-time while I'm doing freelance and contract work for various clients. She's covering more of our grocery expenses, and I'm also on her health insurance.
We're a team, and I'm learning to accept her help in ways that feel fair to both of us.
We both know that our jobs, housing situation, and approach to personal finance will evolve, especially as we build our careers. What matters to us is having ongoing check-ins about whether our mortgage breakdown feels right and supporting each other equally in other ways, too.
After all, what's just as important is celebrating each other's accomplishments, encouraging each other to learn new skills, and contributing to our household and the labor it takes to run it. Money is only one piece of the puzzle.
Looking back, I think our move to the United Kingdom may have been overly optimistic.
Cara Howlett
When we left Canada and moved closer to my husband's family in the UK, I pictured a fun adventure.
Our move caused a lot of financial strain, and living near family didn't go the way I expected.
After seven months, we returned to Canada. Looking back, I should've been more realistic.
I pulled down the extendable ladder covered in cobwebs and dust and watched dead woodlice roll down the steps onto the new carpet in our bedroom.
With a deep breath, I willed myself to go up into the attic — a place I hated to go — to retrieve our family's suitcases and duffel bags. We were heading back to Canada, and it was time to start packing.
When we had moved to England seven months earlier, I never imagined returning so soon.
At first, moving to the UK felt like it could be a grand adventure
The idea of leaving Canada behind to try living in the United Kingdom seemed exciting.
Cara Howlett
Packing up a life in Canada and starting a new one in England had been a herculean endeavor, but I had been excited to do it.
For two years leading up to our move to the UK, my husband, two kids (ages 7 and 10), and I had been settled in Alberta, Canada.
As much as we enjoyed it, I ached for a new adventure; something different. I didn't feel particularly connected to our community, and our day-to-day lives had felt monotonous for a while.
Some of our only reprieves as busy young parents were monthlong summer holidays spent with my husband's family in the bucolic British countryside.
We enjoyed these trips so much and looked forward to them for weeks, from planning excursions to castles and museums to researching the best local restaurants and pubs.
When we arrived, we loved taking day trips to nearby locales and eating fish and chips by the seaside. I started wondering if living in England would be just as enjoyable and exciting as these monthlong stints. Maybe it'd also satisfy our longing for adventure.
Although moving meant leaving my extended family in Canada behind, the idea of our kids spending the rest of their childhoods with my husband's family nearby felt like the right next step.
My in-laws also seemed excited about the arrangement, as they offered to help pay for my visa application to live in England permanently.
My (more skeptical) husband decided he'd continue running his business in Canada after we moved, occasionally commuting back every few weeks while working remotely from the UK in between.
After six months of figuring out some logistics and filling out paperwork, we boarded our flights.
Not long after the move, reality began to sink in
It was quickly becoming clear that settling in England would be more difficult than we had originally thought.
Chris McLoughlin/Getty Images
We arrived in the UK in September 2025, lugging heavy duffel bags, suitcases, and backpacks, feeling exhausted, sweaty, and weary from a much-delayed flight.
We were ready to be in our new home. Home, however, did not yet exist.
For the first week, we stayed at my husband's grandparents' place, which was vacant while they were on holiday. We spent it navigating sleepless nights, trying to get over jet lag, and dealing with horrible colds.
From there, we bumped around to three different Airbnbs and holiday accommodations. My husband returned to Canada for a three-week work stint while I earnestly tried to find us a place to live.
Securing a rental was more challenging than anticipated, and it felt unlikely that a landlord would approve our application. My husband was still earning Canadian income, we had no local credit history, and we had two kids — yet we were trying to rent a smaller (read: more affordable) home.
After six weeks and more than 20 different applications, we finally had a landlord agree to rent us a beautiful, newly renovated historic cottage that couldn't be more picturesque.
It was, however, at the very top of our budget. We knew we were heading into a precarious situation, but we could no longer afford to keep staying in vacation rentals.
We signed a six-month lease with the help of my in-laws, who loaned us the deposit and acted as guarantors, and moved.
We faced more and more challenges as we settled into our new home
We figured securing a rental property would be challenging, but we had no idea our search would take six weeks.
Cara Howlett
Our new rent ate up so much of my husband's pay that we couldn't live the way we had hoped.
There wasn't room in our budget for the fun things we'd dreamed about doing when we moved here, like overnight stays in nearby towns and small trips to other parts of Europe.
And as a Canadian living in the British countryside, I increasingly felt like an outsider who would never fully be accepted.
My accent betrayed me every time I spoke, prompting locals to assume I was on holiday despite my residential status. Giving the full explanation of why I left Canada to live in the UK felt so exhausting that I started to just let them believe I was on vacation.
When I'd imagined my life here, I pictured being surrounded by a close-knit community of friends and family. Instead, I mostly felt alone in a new place while my husband, who understood the local culture, spent weeks at a time working in the country we'd left behind.
On top of that, we realized how challenging it can be to go from seeing loved ones a few times a year to living close by and having more frequent interactions.
Being near my husband's family didn't go as well as I'd hoped; instead, it seemed to lead to a series of disagreements and misunderstandings.
In less than a year, living permanently in the UK no longer felt worth it
Although I hated the idea of "giving up" after all of the time and effort we had put into the move, building our dream life here no longer felt possible, and we returned to Canada after less than a year.
Looking back, I realize excitement clouded my judgment about how viable this arrangement really was, but I pushed forward, believing that moving was the solution to my loneliness, restlessness, and lack of community. It was not.
We hadn't properly prepared for what life in a new country might bring, and we didn't achieve our goal of blending international families.
I realize now that our move was a misguided attempt to feel free and unburdened. Now, we're trying to repair the financial damage from it while figuring out what's next.
Living on a boat full-time is expensive, but so far, it's been worth the costs.
Rachel Murphy
When my husband and I moved to California, we decided to live on a sailboat.
Repairs, maintenance, and docking fees have made the lifestyle more expensive than we expected.
The tight quarters can be challenging, but the experience has been great for our marriage.
Last year, my husband, Michael, and I bought a sailboat to live on full-time.
At the time, we were preparing to move from our home near Louisville, Kentucky, to Santa Barbara, California, where I'd lived for a few years after college.
As excited as we were to move to a new state, we weren't prepared for the higher cost of rent, and paying $2,500 a month for a place we wouldn't even own was a hard pill to swallow for two Midwesterners.
We knew we couldn't afford to buy a house yet, but still wanted a something we could own outright. I figured there had to be an alternative option.
After some thought, I remembered I had previously met a number of people in Santa Barbara who lived aboard boats, and wondered if that would be feasible for us.
My husband and I had each been on a handful of sailing trips, and as lifelong outdoorspeople, exploring by ocean was appealing, even though we knew almost nothing about the logistics.
Once the idea was planted, we couldn't imagine doing anything else.
So far, the experience has been full of ups and downs
Our 1975 43-foot sailboat is a beauty, but it needed a lot of repairs.
Rachel Murphy
After deciding to take this leap, we saved up and consumed every book and YouTube channel about sailing. We even fastened a sailing cleat to the arm of an old chair, and we used that to practice our knots.
In September 2025, we bought a 1975 sailboat outright for $40,000 in San Francisco and sailed it down the coast the morning the papers were signed.
Our 43-foot boat is a beautiful work of craftsmanship, featuring a well-preserved wooden interior with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a desk. But unfortunately, the boat came with an overwhelming amount of work from the start.
Along with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, the boat has a desk and a small kitchen.
Rachel Murphy
The previous owner had left us quite a mess to clean up, leaving every drawer stuffed with old kitchenware and junk. Plus, it needed work, like replacing the rotting main sheet, updating the navigation systems, and cleaning out a mildewed freshwater tank — things we've slowly fixed one at a time.
The first night aboard the boat, we lay in bed and thought to ourselves, "What have we done?" We hung up a horseshoe — a lucky family heirloom that had watched over my dad's doorway for 20 years — hoping it still had some luck left to lend us.
Although we've loved living on a boat so far, we were surprised it wasn't more affordable than living on land. Our slip fee, about $1,500 a month, at the marina where we're usually docked, is cheaper than any studio apartment in the area, but we make up the difference in the maintenance that comes with owning a boat from 1975.
There's a saying among boat owners that BOAT stands for "Bust Out Another Thousand" — something we didn't learn until we lived aboard. Boat parts aren't cheap, and anything labeled "marine" comes with a hefty price tag.
Luckily, we've been able to save a lot of money by doing the labor ourselves — whether that's resealing the windows, installing solar, or replacing engine parts. Michael is a great engineer, mechanic, and all-around handy guy, and I'm fair with a wrench.
The extra costs haven't been easy, but the boat certainly feels like home.
Rachel Murphy
Despite the financial challenges of living on board, we've developed a routine that has made this place feel like home.
Most weekday mornings start with espresso from the machine we squeezed onto our limited counter space. We drink it in the cockpit while the rest of the marina is woken up by the loud roars of sea lions.
After work, we like to bike around town and sometimes host dinner parties that end with watching the sunset behind the hundreds of sailboat masts.
On the weekends, we've been able to use the boat to explore the California coast. We pack up on a Friday, sail out to a quiet anchor, and spend a few days hiking, swimming, and watching dolphins from the deck.
A year living aboard has tested us, but it's also brought us closer
Sharing a tight space with my husband can be challenging, but we've blossomed as a team.
Rachel Murphy
After a year on the boat, we trust ourselves more and more as sailors, and the sweetest part has been watching us blossom as a team.
Even though it can be challenging sharing a space with someone who is never more than 10 feet from you, the greatest adventure has been navigating this new lifestyle and learning curve together.
Sure, we miss having a large floor space to stretch, a kitchen big enough for two, and a toilet that doesn't smell like rotten seawater.
Some days, our 43 feet feels larger than life, filled with possibilities and adventure, but other times it feels like we're living in a very expensive closet.
We love inviting friends and family aboard for dinner parties.
Rachel Murphy
Even on those claustrophobic, leak-dodging, seaweed-scented days, neither one of us would trade it. Not yet, anyway. We've been able to explore the Channel Islands, witness incredible coastal wildlife, and learn the skills that come with living on the water: reading the weather, trimming sails, and surfing.
Eventually, we want children, and we can't picture raising them aboard. But for now, we're exactly where we want to be.
There's a narrow window in life when you can uproot everything for something this impractical, and we're standing right in the middle of it.
When John Santora became CEO of WeWork, the company was emerging from bankruptcy, saddled with one of the most notorious failures in business history. The longtime commercial real estate player is leading the company's next act: proving that flexible work can be a disciplined, profitable business.
As part of Business Insider's The Long Play, Santora shared what it takes to turn a damaged company into one built to last and offered insight into a real estate market being reshaped by how we work now.
He also talked about how AI is affecting real estate with Cadie Thompson, Business Insider's deputy news chief and executive editor.
Haunted houses can make paranormal tourism a profitable economic strategy for cities. American Haunts, an industry trade group, estimated that the haunted-homes industry generates between $300 million and $500 million in annual ticket sales.
However, some homes have such dark histories that they're better left alone.
To find the most haunted home in every US state, Business Insider considered properties known locally for spooky occurrences, ghost sightings, or with horrifying backstories.
Some of these properties are open to the public, while others have been transformed and are now private residences.
Lucy Yang contributed to a previous version of this article.
ALABAMA: Sweetwater Mansion
Sweetwater Mansion in Florence.
Library of Congress
Located on Sweetwater Avenue in Florence, Alabama, this plantation home was built in 1835 by Gen. John Brahan and first occupied by Robert Patton, Brahan's son-in-law and, eventually, the governor of Alabama.
Many spooky stories are associated with this mansion, including one about the home's caretaker, who one day witnessed a casket appear out of thin air. Inside, she found a man dressed in a Confederate uniform, believed to be one of General Brahan's sons who died in the Civil War, AL.com reported.
Other examples of reported supernatural activities include distant voices of children's giggles and a woman in old clothes wandering the halls, as reported by Forbes.
Property records indicate that the private home, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, was sold to a hospitality group in 2023. The Willingham, a graduate student magazine at the University of North Alabama, reported that although the sale was part of a hotel investment, the owners have since worked with the Sweetwater Foundation to restore the mansion and find a new purpose for it.
The foundation is led by a descendant of the original owners and also works with descendants of the estimated 300 enslaved people once connected to the property.
ALASKA: Jesse Lee Home for Children
US National Archives and Records Administration
Opened in 1926 as a sanctuary for orphaned children, this property was damaged in a 1964 earthquake and has remained abandoned since.
According to a widely reported urban legend, the spirits of several children are said to roam the hallways of the home after it closed as an orphanage. Visitors reported experiencing "dread and despair" when they walked inside and hearing giggling children and the sounds of jump ropes and bouncing balls, per Haunted Rooms, a ghost tour company.
By 2021, the home was mostly demolished by Seward City, with future plans still under discussion, KDLL reported.
ARIZONA: Winnie Ruth Judd's House
Hedwig Samuelson and Agnes LeRoi, a couple who rented this home, were murdered here in 1931.
Everett Collection/Shutterstock
In 1931, a 26-year-old medical secretary named Winnie Ruth Judd fatally shot two of her friends in this bungalow.
Dubbed the "Trunk Murderess," Judd was caught trying to dispose of her victims' corpses in Los Angeles after she stuffed their bodies into two trunks and other luggage.
After a jury found her legally insane, she was held at a mental health facility, but she escaped in 1962, vanishing for almost seven years before she was found in California, The New York Times reported. Her sentence was commuted in 1971, and she was paroled.
The house remains infamous in the area. Today, it serves as a working office for attorney Robert Warnicke, according to the local outlet KJZZ.
ARKANSAS: Allen House
Google Maps
Built in 1906 by local businessman Joe Lee Allen, this eye-catching home is said to be haunted by several spirits.
Local legend says Allen's daughter killed herself by consuming mercury cyanide on Christmas Day in 1948, according to the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism. Since then, her ghost is said to have haunted the two floors of this mansion.
While the house used to host ghost tours and haunted mazes, in 2024 the company running the tours announced it would no longer offer them because it was a private residence.
In 2023, the house was listed for $488,000. The listing was removed in March 2024, per Zillow.
CALIFORNIA: Winchester Mystery House
Library of Congress
This eerie mansion has an even creepier backstory. The home was built by Sarah Winchester after her husband, the creator of the Winchester rifle, died in 1881.
Since then, many have claimed, including Sarah herself, that the building is haunted by the spirits of those killed with her husband's invention, per Smithsonian Magazine.
She built the home to escape the angry spirits, and it has many quirks, including "a staircase that leads to nowhere, cabinets that open into walls, and a door that opens up to a 12-foot drop," Business Insider previously reported.
Today, it is open to visitors.
COLORADO: Henry Webber House
National Park Service
The history behind this quaint 1885 building, which is also known as Pioneer Park, is much darker than you'd think.
Henry Webber, a shoe and boot merchant who moved to Aspen in 1880, decided to build this home after making huge profits from his mining investments, per History Colorado.
The spooky story, though, involves Webber's wife, Harriet Webber, who died under "mysterious circumstances" and is said to haunt the house, The Aspen Times reported.
Today, the property is part of Pioneer Park and has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1987, although the house itself — which was sold in 2021 for $11.5 million — remains a private residence.
CONNECTICUT: The Seaside Regional Center
The Seaside Regional Center is in Waterford.
Rachel Rose Boucher/Shutterstock
Formerly known as the Seaside Sanatorium, this building opened in the 1930s to treat children with tuberculosis.
In the 1950s, the property was renamed the Seaside Geriatric Hospital and served as a home for older patients for three years. After that, it reopened as the Seaside Regional Center, a home for people with mental illness, until it was closed in 1996.
Today, the abandoned spot is a popular destination for paranormal researchers, who claim to have seen ghostly orbs and other spooky phenomena, as reported by The New York Times.
In recent years, a developer has been fighting plans to demolish the property, which has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1996, according to the Connecticut Mirror.
DELAWARE: John Dickinson House
This home is in Dover.
Library of Congress
Also known as Poplar Hall, this plantation home was the childhood home of John Dickinson, one of the Founding Fathers of the US.
Local lore says the home is haunted by Dickinson himself, and visitors have reported hearing the "sound of a quill pen scratching across parchment paper," Delaware Today reported.
The house is owned by the State of Delaware and serves as a park where visitors can learn about Dickinson's life and the stories of the 59 enslaved people who once lived and worked on the plantation, per the National Park Service.
FLORIDA: Riddle House
Google Maps
Located in West Palm Beach, this private residence was first used as a funeral parlor in the early 1900s.
Legend has it that one of the homeowner's employees fell into financial hardship and hanged himself in the attic, the Palm Beach Post reported. His spirit is reportedly just one among many that haunt the home, said to be one of the most active haunted locations in South Florida.
Today, the house is part of the Yesteryear Village park and offers occasional ghost tours.
GEORGIA: Hay House
This mansion is in Macon and is part of The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation.
Doug Nurnberger/Shutterstock
Also known as the Johnston-Felton-Hay House or the "Palace of the South," this historic residence was built in the late 1850s. Since then, various sightings of spooky figures and swinging chandeliers have been reported.
Today, the mansion is owned by the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation and serves as a museum. The property has been in the National Register of Historic Places since 1974.
In 2010, a photographer claimed he captured a ghost on camera — wearing a top hat, no less — while snapping pictures of a wedding at the Hay House, as reported by Macon's The Telegraph.
HAWAII: 'Iolani Palace
A view of 'Iolani Palace from Kapiolani Boulevard in downtown Honolulu.
Faina Gurevich/Getty Images
Located in Honolulu, this residence was home to the island's last royal family until the monarchy was overthrown in 1893.
Since then, visitors and staff members have reported hearing footsteps and seeing the figure of a woman believed to be Queen Lili'uokalani, Honolulu Magazine reported.
Most recently, the National Historic Landmark, which is owned by the state, has become a tourist attraction.
IDAHO: Standrod Mansion
Standrod Mansion, built in 1901, at N. Garfield Avenue in Pocatello.
Carol M.Highsmith/Library of Congress
Built by a judge named D.W. Standrod in 1902, this mansion has a tragic backstory. Both of the Standrods' children died at a young age, and the home is said to be haunted by their spirits.
In 2020, the Idaho State Journal reported that a new owner, Barbara Magin, originally from New Jersey, revamped the property and brought it back to life.
Magin shared with the publication that when she visited the home, she felt it was trying to communicate with her, saying, "Help me."
"There are ghosts. I've had experiences with them. And I just told them that I was here to take care of the mansion," she said in the interview. "[They're] welcome to stay."
ILLINOIS: McPike Mansion
A guided tour at the McPike Mansion in Alton.
US Department of Transportation
Built in 1869 for local businessman Henry McPike, this three-story, 16-room brick house is said to be haunted by several spirits.
People have reported hearing children laughing when no one was present, seeing faces appear randomly in the home's windows, feeling touched, and more, according to the mansion's website.
Today, the private mansion is owned by Sharyn and George Luedke and regularly offers ghost tours.
A 2014 feature by Business Insider reported that many locals believe the ghosts of the home's former owners and their servants still surround it.
INDIANA: Culbertson Mansion
Thomas Kelley/Getty Images
The former home of William Culbertson, once the richest man in Indiana, this mansion and its carriage house are said to be haunted.
The carriage house burned down in 1888 after a lightning strike, killing everyone inside. Some believe their spirits roam the property, the Courier Journal reported.
Today, the historic site is owned by the state and offers haunted mansion tours in October.
IOWA: Villisca Axe Murder House
A newspaper clipping from June 14, 1912 reporting on the Moore murders.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library/Library of Congress
In 1903, Josiah Moore moved into this residence with his family.
On the night of June 9, 1912, Moore, his five family members, and two guests were brutally murdered in the home. All eight victims were bludgeoned to death with an ax.
The horrific crime was never solved, and the home — per multiple reports — remains haunted by the spirits of the victims.
As of 2024, the private home is owned by Lance Zaal and serves as a local attraction, the Villisca Axe Murder House, which offers tours and even overnight stays for $199 per night, according to its website.
KANSAS: Clutter Family Home
Four members of the Clutter family were murdered by two ex-convicts in The home picture here is from Nov. 2, 1979.
AP
On the morning of November 15, 1959, wheat farmer Herbert Clutter, his wife, and his two teenage children were found bound and shot to death in this home.
Ex-convicts Perry Smith and Richard Hickock were later arrested, convicted, and executed for the crime. American author Truman Capote eventually immortalized the Clutter tragedy in his non-fiction bestseller, "In Cold Blood."
The home, which has been owned by Leonard and Donna Mader, was previously open to tours but is now closed to the public.
KENTUCKY: Loudoun House
Library of Congress
A shining example of Gothic Revival architecture, this elegant home was built in 1851 for Francis Key Hunt.
Some visitors have reported seeing a ghostly woman and capturing orbs in pictures, per Paranormal Traveling.
Today, the mansion is owned by the City of Lexington and is the home of the Lexington Art League and its galleries.
LOUISIANA: Myrtles Plantation
Spanish moss hanging from Crepe Myrtle trees at night outisde the Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville.
wanderluster/Getty Images
The Myrtles Plantation has been haunted by a series of deaths on its property, including that of two of the owner's children in the 1820s, per Nola.com.
Since then, the plantation has been said to be one of the most haunted homes in the US.
Today, the plantation functions as a hotel with restaurants on-site. The plantation also offers a variety of tours, including an evening "mystery" tour, per the hotel's website.
MAINE: Wood Island Lighthouse
Wood Island Lighthouse in Biddeford.
Chausa Tra/Shutterstock
The 11th-oldest lighthouse in the US, Wood Island Light, was built in 1808 under the orders of then-President Thomas Jefferson.
According to one urban legend shared by the lighthouse's website, it is haunted by the ghost of a fisherman named Howard Hobbs. In 1896, Hobbs shot and killed his landlord, Frederick Milliken, before turning the gun on himself.
Today, the lighthouse is owned by the US Coast Guard and is maintained by the Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse, who run a variety of tours on the property.
MARYLAND: Hager House
This home is in Hagerstown.
Alejandro Guzmani/Shutterstock
This stone house, constructed in the mid-1700s, was built by German immigrant Jonathan Hager, the founder of Hagerstown.
The property is reportedly haunted by as many as 13 ghosts of former residents who died in the home. Visitors have reported hearing disembodied voices and footsteps, seeing objects move on their own, and other paranormal activity, per the Herald-Mail.
Today, the house is owned by the City of Hagerstown and serves as a museum that offers guided tours.
MASSACHUSETTS: Jonathan Corwin House
Judge Jonathan Corwin's home in Salem.
AlessandroV/Shutterstock
Known as the Witch House, this structure is the only remaining building with direct ties to the Salem witch trials.
It is the former residence of Jonathan Corwin, who served as a judge during the hearings that led to the executions of 20 innocent people, falsely accused of witchcraft.
Today, the building is owned by the City of Salem and opens seasonally as a museum, per its website.
MICHIGAN: Bruce Mansion
Google Maps
Built by lumber baron John G. Bruce in 1876, this building has been a popular destination for paranormal investigators.
The house, which at some point served as a location for church events and funerals, saw multiple of its owners die on the property, including John Walker, who is said to have hanged himself in the mansion's central tower after running over a pedestrian and burying him in the backyard, the County Press reported.
Since then, multiple tenants in the house have moved out due to paranormal activity, the County Press also reported.
These days, the home is privately owned and hosts mystery tours, per its website.
MINNESOTA: Glensheen Mansion
GummyBone/Getty Images
On June 27, 1977, an 83-year-old millionaire heiress named Elisabeth Congdon and her nurse, Velma Pietila, were murdered in this massive mansion, as reported by Minnesota Public Radio.
Roger Caldwell, the husband of one of Congdon's adopted daughters, Marjorie, was later arrested and convicted of the crimes. Marjorie herself was charged, but acquitted, of aiding and abetting and conspiracy to commit murder.
In 1982, Caldwell's conviction was overturned based on new evidence introduced during Marjorie's trial. Although Caldwell was offered a new trial, he confessed to the murders after prosecutors cut him a deal.
However, Caldwell only served a little over five years before he was released from prison. He died by suicide in 1988.
Today, the mansion serves as a museum, venue, and beer garden, and offers a variety of tours, per its website.
MISSISSIPPI: The Longfellow House
Library of Congress
Also known as Bellevue, this building was built in 1850 as a private home for slave trader and pirate Daniel Smith Graham.
According to local legend, the building is haunted by the ghosts of the men, women, and children who were abused by Graham, who is said to have been sadistic and cruel, per the house's historical marker.
Today, the private residence is one of the last antebellum houses on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
MISSOURI: Epperson House
Google Maps
Now part of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, this four-story building is known for its many secret passageways and reported hauntings.
Built by businessman Uriah Epperson in 1923, the 54-room house was donated to the university in 1942 after Epperson's passing over a decade earlier, and it briefly served as a Navy dormitory during World War II, per Fox 4 News in Kansas City.
Since then, the house has gathered local legends of paranormal activity, with reports saying people have heard footsteps and music.
Today, the house is planned to be renovated and turned into a boutique hotel, as reported by Fox 4 News.
MONTANA: Daly Mansion
Tara Krauss/Getty Images
This mansion was bought in 1886 by businessman Marcus Daly, one of the three "Copper Kings" of Montana during the Gilded Age.
Staff have reported paranormal activity in the mansion, such as the smell of roses when none are around and fire alarms going off inexplicably, the Missoulian reported.
Today, the property is owned by the State of Montana and run by the Daly Mansion Preservation Trust. The mansion can be rented for events like weddings and offers seasonal tours inside the property.
NEBRASKA: Fort Sidney
Fort Sidney Museum is located in the Officer's Quarters and is reputed to be haunted.
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In 1975, the Lincoln Journal Star published a story titled "A Ghost at Ft. Sidney? Well..." which tried to determine whether the ghost of a young officer's wife still roamed the home.
According to local legends, this historic building, which was once a supply station and trailhead for gold-seekers, is haunted by the ghost of a young officer's wife, who broke her neck in 1885 after falling down a staircase.
Upon her death, the husband boarded up the staircase. However, visitors have said they've heard noises of a person walking up or down the staircase and falling.
Built in 1863 by millionaires Lemuel "Sandy" Bowers and his wife, Eilley, this historic building is said to be haunted by Bowers himself.
According to locals, after Mrs. Bowers' death, many people saw a green light floating around the grounds, along with shadows and the voices of spirits.
Today, the mansion is owned by Washoe County Parks and operates as a seasonal museum.
NEW HAMPSHIRE: Ocean-Born Mary House
Library of Congress
According to local lore, this home is haunted by a woman named Mary Wallace, a folklore figure more commonly known as "Ocean-Born Mary." Her spirit is said to protect the property, where her husband was murdered over a pirated treasure, per New Hampshire Magazine.
Today, the house is a private residence.
NEW JERSEY: Seabrook-Wilson House
This home is in port Monmouth.
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Also known as the Spy House, this property dates back to 1650, when it was a popular drinking spot for both British and Colonial soldiers.
Now, some say the old tavern is home to as many as 22 different ghosts, from a "devil-worshiping sea captain" to a "blood-thirsty pirate" in the basement, according to the Best of NJ.
NEW MEXICO: Luna Mansion
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Formerly a steakhouse, the Luna Mansion is said to be haunted by as many as four ghosts. The most famous is Josefita, who was once the lady of the opulent home, per local news outlet KOAT.
Patrons of the restaurant claimed to have seen an empty rocking chair move back and forth as Josefita appeared and watched them eat.
Today, the building operates as a historic event venue that hosts haunted house tours, according to its website.
NEW YORK: Amityville Horror House
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In 1974, this expensive estate became the site of a horrific mass murder when 23-year-old Ronald J. DeFeo Jr. fatally shot his parents and four siblings.
One year later, George and Kathy Lutz moved into the home with their three children. After only 28 days, however, the Lutz family left, claiming that they had been terrorized by paranormal phenomena such as strange odors, slamming doors, and a voice that screamed: "Get out."
Their claims eventually became the subject of Jay Anson's best-selling book, "The Amityville Horror: A True Story."
NORTH CAROLINA: Biltmore Estate
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Among the largest private homes in the US, the massive 8,000-acre Biltmore Estate is said to be haunted by Edith, the wife of its original owner, George Washington Vanderbilt II, of the wealthy Vanderbilt family.
Visitors have reported hearing her laughing and calling for her husband inside the property, per Explore Asheville.
Today, the historic mansion serves as a museum, an attraction, and a winery.
NORTH DAKOTA: Chateau De Mores
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Originally built in 1883 as a summer home for Antoine de Vallombrosa, the Marquis de Mores, the 26-room, two-story home is now a museum. However, some people believe this historic building is haunted by a female spirit, the Minot Daily News reported.
Today, the house is a historic site open to the public.
OHIO: Ohio State Reformatory
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Built in 1896, the Ohio State Reformatory was designed as a middle-tier prison for criminals too old for a juvenile detention facility but who had committed lesser offenses than those sent to the state penitentiary, according to the building's website.
The state began withdrawing funding from the facility in the 1960s, and by the 1980s, the building had severely deteriorated, leading to its closure in 1990.
In 1994, the film "The Shawshank Redemption" was filmed on the property.
Once filming wrapped, the Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society, a nonprofit organization, purchased the property for $1 and opened its doors to the public for ghost tours. The home now attracts more than 120,000 visitors each year, and ticket sales help fund property restoration.
Visitors can tour the facilities during regular times or visit during the seasonal "Blood Prison" offerings, which include themed tours and escape rooms.
OKLAHOMA: Skirvin Hotel
Aerial view of the Skirvin Hilton, Oklahoma City.
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While Oklahoma has its fair share of haunted homes, the Skirvin Hotel is one of its most famous.
Over the years, many of the hotel's guests, including several NBA players, have claimed to see a ghost named Effie, who is said to have died at the hotel, The New York Times reported.
Legend has it that Bush's youngest daughter, Eugenia, still haunts the home. Visitors have claimed they've heard female voices and described random cold spots when visiting the mansion, per the Oregonian.
PENNSYLVANIA: The Farnsworth House
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This bed-and-breakfast is said to be haunted by the ghosts of Confederate soldiers, a nurse named Mary, several other women and children, and even some cats, as reported by Fox 43.
These days, the privately owned home is popular for its group dining experiences and ghost tours.
RHODE ISLAND: The Breakers
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The Breakers in Newport is the second Vanderbilt property on this list. The estate, which served as a summer home for Cornelius Vanderbilt II in the late 19th century, is said to be haunted by his wife, Alice, per Visit Rhode Island.
Today, the historic mansion is a museum open to the public.
SOUTH CAROLINA: Magnolia Plantation and Gardens
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Originally acquired by Stephen Fox in the early 17th century and passed down to his son-in-law Thomas Drayton, the Magnolia Plantation encompassed more than 1,700 acres of land cultivated by enslaved people prior to the Civil War.
The property still has four preserved slave cabins on its grounds.
Various reports of creepy voices, growls, and the sound of music have shrouded this Charleston plantation in mystery over the years, per CBS News.
Today, the plantation is a museum and is open to the public.
SOUTH DAKOTA: Bullock Hotel
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Some believe this building is haunted by its original owner, Seth Bullock, per Legends of America.
Guests have reported feeling a "ghostly presence" on the second and third floors of the hotel, while others have said they've smelled a cigar burning, heard boots and ragtime music, or seen floating glasses.
TENNESSEE: Carnton Mansion
Carnton is a historic home and museum in Franklin, Williamson County.
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This plantation served as a field hospital on November 30, 1864, during one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. The site is said to be haunted by the ghosts of fallen Confederate soldiers, per a town website.
TEXAS: Menger Hotel
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The Menger Hotel, which opened its doors in 1859, is among the oldest hotels in San Antonio.
Its founder, William Menger, a brewer from Germany, began by opening a tavern, only to realize that those who came to drink there often needed a place to sleep afterward. That's when he and his wife, Mary Menger, launched a small inn next to the tavern.
Soon after, the place became successful and was revamped into a bar similar to the House of Lords Pub in London, according to local news outlet KSAT. It was frequented by famous figures, most notably Theodore Roosevelt.
Legend has it that this historic hotel is haunted by several spirits, from a murdered maid named Sallie White to famed riverboat captain Richard King, per Texas Monthly.
UTAH: McCune Mansion
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The construction of this Victorian mansion began in 1898 and was completed in 1901.
In 1999, the McCarthey family purchased it and helped restore it to its original architectural style. Since then, many people have booked the place for private events such as weddings.
However, according to local reports, this popular wedding venue is said to be haunted by two spirits: a man believed to be Alfred McCune and a young girl, per Only In Utah.
VERMONT: Hartness House
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James Hartness, a politician, inventor, and astronomer, built the Hartness House in the early 1900s. During that time, several underground tunnels were built on the estate to support the former owner's work and create private office space for him.
In the 2000s, the small hotel underwent renovation and reopened as a boutique inn.
Since then, many locals have reported several paranormal activities, suggesting that the underground tunnels are home to several ghosts, per NewEngland.com.
VIRGINIA: Ferry Plantation House
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Built in the 1640s, this plantation is reportedly home to 11 spirits, including that of Henry, an enslaved man who was likely born on the plantation, per WHRO, Norfolk, Virginia's public radio.
Today, the historic house is owned by the City of Virginia Beach and run by The Friends of the Ferry Plantation House. The house offers a variety of paranormal tours.
WASHINGTON: Thornewood Castle
National Park Service
Local legends claim that this estate, located in the town of Lakewood, is haunted by the ghosts of several former residents.
Interestingly, in 2002, the castle was featured as a haunted mansion in Stephen King's miniseries, "Rose Red."
WEST VIRGINIA: West Virginia State Penitentiary
Library of Congress
This creepy site operated as a prison for the state of West Virginia from 1876 to 1995.
The Gothic-style building is said to be haunted by numerous spirits, and visitors have reported feeling their hair being pulled and hearing voices telling them to leave, local news station WTRF reported.
The building, owned by the state, operates today as a tourist facility, offering a variety of tours.
WISCONSIN: Brumder Mansion
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This charming bed-and-breakfast is also a popular destination for ghost hunters and paranormal investigators.
The property is said to be home to at least three known spirits, and visitors have reported seeing shadowy figures and moving chairs, per Paranormal Milwaukee.
Today, the 1910 privately owned building serves as a bed-and-breakfast and event venue.
WYOMING: Occidental Hotel
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Over the years, this historic 1880 hotel has been home to gold miners and criminals, and it even served as a brothel.
UK house prices grew by an annual rate of just 0.5% in October, the slowest pace in more than two years, as higher mortgage rates put off potential buyers.
The average price for a property in the UK stood at £273,566 in October, flat on the previous month and down from 0.8% in the year to September, according to the lender Nationwide.
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