Looking to drum up some ghastly thrills this Halloween? Perhaps this iconic and horrific home in Perryopolis, Pennsylvania, is just the vantage point from which to do so.
The house featured as Buffalo Bill’s home in the 1991 film “Silence of the Lambs,” starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins, is now for sale for $298,500 and represented by sister listing agents Eileen Allan and Shannon Assad of The Allan Assad Team at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.
The seller actually has a connection to the film as well — he’s an FBI agent who received his credentials by the FBI director who made a cameo in the movie in order to present lead female character Clarice Starling (played by Foster) with her FBI credentials.
“The sisters envision the home being something of a tourist attraction for fans of the movie — or for someone who aspires to make a ‘Silence of the Lambs’-themed Airbnb,” a press announcement states. “Movie aside, this residence would make the perfect spot for someone who wants to be near Pittsburgh in a peaceful, rural setting.”
Allan told Inman that the seller often has passersby approach him about looking at the house or taking photos for their scrapbook.
“What’s crazy is, he said probably at least once per week, he has someone in his front yard taking a selfie or knocking on the front door,” Allan said.
So, any potential buyers should be prepared to deal with fans of the film in some capacity.
The 110-year-old home crafted in the Princess Anne Victorian style is about 30 miles outside of Pittsburgh on 1.76 acres of land along the Youghiogheny River. The four-bedroom one-bathroom home boasts original hardwood floors, woodwork, light fixtures, pocket doors, fireplaces and wallpaper.
In the 1880s, the property was home to the Layton Station General Store and Train Station, and still possesses some buildings from that time, including an oversized detached three-car garage and a vintage caboose. Other notable features include a wrap around porch and gazebo, in-ground pool and a recently refinished attic. History buffs may also be excited to know that the home is adjacent to land once owned by George Washington.
No word on if the well, in which Buffalo Bill holds a victim captive while uttering the immortal line, “It rubs the lotion on the skin, or it gets the hose again,” comes with the home.
Update: This article was updated on October 2, 2020 with a quote from listing agent Eileen Allan.