Moving into a new home is always the start of a new chapter. You might be relocating to a completely different city or part of the country, beginning a new job and suddenly trying to make new friends and connections. But when you start this new chapter, you might want to hope that whoever wrote it wasn’t someone like Stephen King. There’s a reason why moving into a new house is the premise of so many horror films…

Below, we’ve gathered photos of some of the creepiest and most disturbing things people have discovered in their new homes, houses they have rented and homes they have considered buying. Many of these pics are inexplicable, but they might still send a chill down your spine. Keep reading to also find an interview we were lucky enough to receive from author and host of the American Hauntings podcast, Troy Taylor, to hear his thoughts on what moving into a creepy house might mean. 

Be sure to upvote the photos that would send you running out of the house or rushing to re-list the property, and feel free to share any of your own personal stories in the comments, if you’ve ever stumbled upon frightening things in your home. Then if you’re interested in checking out even more of these spooky photos that could inspire a thrilling horror movie, you can find Bored Panda’s last article on the same topic right here.

#1 John Wayne Gacy Did Construction For My Grandparents And We Found His Business Card While Going Through Some Stuff Today

Image credits: watchperson1

I’m currently reading Pet Sematary, and although I’m only about one tenth into the story, I know that the family moving into this new house can’t mean anything good. Thankfully, I’ve never experienced anything spooky or paranormal in any of the homes I’ve ever lived in or rented, but clearly, many other people have discovered disturbing things. They might mean nothing, but the simple fact that there was a pentagram carved into my attic or a lineup of naked mannequins in the basement would be enough to give me the heebie-jeebies. 

I was curious how likely it is that any of these homes are actually haunted. We see portrayals of ghosts and hauntings in films all the time, but are they really as common as Hollywood has led me to believe? To answer this question, I reached out to Troy Taylor, author and host of the American Hauntings podcast. We asked Troy if it is common for people to move into haunted houses or if it’s more likely just paranoia when new homeowners suspect something is up. “It can certainly be both,” Troy told Bored Panda. “We are always thrown off a bit by anything new, especially a place where you have never stayed, and yet you’re now expected to sleep, eat, and live there. It’s new, and it can be unnerving.”

#2 Our New To Us House Has A Secret Panic Room That Wasn’t Included In The Listing. Built In 1978 And I Love This Place

Image credits: gundam2017

#3 Went Into The Attic Of A House We Were Looking At And

Image credits: Elaflynts

But Troy notes that we can’t always rule out the fact that our house might be telling us something. “From the other side of it, every house has a past, even relatively new ones,” he says. “It doesn’t have to have been a place where deaths occurred, or murders were covered up – nothing that dramatic. The residents of that home leave a little bit of themselves behind, both physically and psychologically.”

“Have you ever visited someone’s home just after an argument has taken place? There’s just something in the atmosphere that feels ‘off’. Now, imagine a century or so of that kind of thing taking place in a home, and you have what some would consider a ‘haunted house’, even if there aren’t any spirits present,” Troy explained.

#4 Found This In The Basement Of My New House

Image credits: franco-noce

#5 Pulled Up The Carpets In Newly Purchased House To Find This

Image credits: AdamPowers22

#6 I Was Helping My Dad Move Into His New Office, When We Found A Trapdoor

We hadn’t seen this when originally checking the place out. Lots of 50’s – 60’s era blueprints/technical drawings, a newspaper from 1937, and gears with 1950’s lightbulb for scale.

Image credits: Lumaro

We then asked Troy if a homeowner should be concerned if they suspect that their home may be haunted. “First, let me say that genuine haunted houses are somewhat rare,” he noted. “No matter how odd things might seem, there’s a good chance they have a natural explanation. Determining this is the first thing you should do. Relax and be a good observer, even if you are frightened by what you think is happening.”

“Are those ‘ghostly footsteps’ simply the house settling or the floorboards creaking? Is that ‘cold chill’ merely a draft? Maybe these events have explanations, or maybe they don’t,” Troy told Bored Panda. “Just don’t let your imagination run away with you or soon, every bump in the night will be a vengeful spirit and every curtain that moves in the wind will be an apparition.”

#7 Found This In My Girlfriend’s Loft. She Only Moved In 3 Months Ago And Says She Has Never Been Up There. Guess What My Name Is

Image credits: n515o

#8 My Brother Is A Home Inspector, This One Is Definitely Going In His Report

Image credits: NikolaiBullcry

#9 Moved Into A House And Found These Symbols Under Panelling

Image credits: frank-darko

And when it comes to what homeowners should do if they are really concerned that something may be up in their home, Troy says, “The best way to rule out any kind of natural explanation is to keep a journal of anything that occurs in the house that you think might be spook-related.”

“Write down whatever you see, hear, or even smell that seems odd and you just might see a pattern emerge – a ghostly or non-ghostly one. Write down the time and date, make a note of who was present, and describe what you experienced,” Troy told Bored Panda. “It might turn out that the strangeness happens at the same time every day or in the same location. This will be valuable information if you decide to involve a ghost hunter in your situation.”

#10 Doing Electrical Work In This House That Was Built In The 1800s And There’s A Prison Cell Under The Basement Stairs

Image credits: Grapple_Snapple

#11 I Moved Into A New House, Only To Be Told The Previous Tenants Were Hardcore Drug Dealers. This Is The Basement

Image credits: BoyMuzz

#12 Why Are There Bones In My Basement?

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We then asked Troy at what point he would recommend that homeowners involve a ghost hunter or outside help to feel more peace at home. “Before inviting ghost hunters, ministers, or priests to your home because you believe you have a ghost, consider that in almost every case, ghosts don’t hurt people,” Troy said. “Spirits usually linger at places where they left some unfinished business in life. They can be unsettling but are very rarely dangerous. In most cases, simply asking a ghost to leave your home or making a deal with it not to bother you will generally work. You’ll feel silly doing it, but it’s worth the effort.” Good manners can go a long way in life, even with ghosts.

#13 The Family Photo In My Airbnb

Image credits: NYC_Underground

#14 This Old Coin Purse Full Of Teeth I Just Found In My Basement

Image credits: ebycon

#15 Looking For Somewhere To Stay On Airbnb. Found The House Of Nope

Image credits: tunnocksteacakes

Troy also says to be wary who you invite into your home in search of ghosts. “If you do contact ghost hunters, make sure they are legitimate,” Troy says. “Ask for references and ask for qualifications. Make sure their knowledge doesn’t come from watching television shows and wearing matching black t-shirts. You are allowing them into your home so be sure you know what you’re getting into with an investigation. They are not coming in to be ‘ghostbusters’. They are merely trying to verify – or debunk – what you believe about your haunted house. They should never ask for money to do an investigation. If they do, run away quickly!”

#16 Found Inside The Wall Of My New House

Image credits: synschecter115

#17 More Fun Things Found In My New House. This Is On The Wallpaper In The Closet In The Bathroom

Image credits: EZE16lg

#18 We Recently Started Renting A New House, Not Sure What To Make Of This

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“Some people want to get rid of their ghosts, and that can be tricky,” Troy says. “There are a lot of people out there who say they can do this, but before you choose one, you’ll also want to ask them for references, especially if they ask for money. You are better off contacting someone from your religion of choice and asking them for help. They may not want to get involved – or you may be embarrassed – but for a lot of people, a minister’s involvement brings a lot of comfort.”

#19 A Friend Who Is A Realtor Turned On The Light Switch For Clients When Viewing A House And Almost Ran Out Of The House

Image credits: shutterslaps

#20 Stayed Over At My Great-Grandma’s Thursday. This Thing Kept Me Awake All Night

Image credits: drzedwordhunter

#21 Found This Old Ouija Board In The Attic Of My More Than 100-Year-Old House

Image credits: geewhizliz

At the end of the day, Troy says having a haunted house is not the end of the world. “If your house does turn out to be haunted – relax and enjoy it. A resident ghost is almost guaranteed never to hurt you. It just wants attention. There’s nothing to be afraid of, and a peaceful co-existence is simple to maintain. And just think of the stories you’ll have to tell your grandchildren!”

If you’d like to learn more about American Hauntings from Troy, be sure to check out their website right here, and if you’d like to listen to the spooky stories shared on the American Hauntings podcast, you can find that right here.

#22 Bought My House 6 Months Ago And Found This Hidden Safe When Removing An Old Stove That Was Left Here

Image credits: WamBamBigelow

#23 I Checked Into My Airbnb Apartment In Seattle Today And Saw This When I Opened The Fridge

Image credits: seanpower

#24 My Mom Found This While Raking Leaves In The Yard Of Our New House. Does Anyone Know What This Is? We Named Him Geneva. Help

Image credits: swampwitch_69

If you found any of these things in your home, would you go running out the front door or start trying to make a deal with any potential ghosts in the home that they don’t harm you? Keep upvoting the photos that you find particularly unsettling, and feel free to share about any creepy discoveries you’ve made in your home in the comments below. Then, if you’re looking for another Bored Panda article that might scare you into never moving out of your current home, you can find our previous publication on the same topic right here. 

#25 Went On Vacation And Found This In The Yard Of The Place We Rented

Image credits: Enhance1

#26 The Previous Owner Of My New Home Left A Few Things In The Attic. This Card Slipped Out When I Moved The Bag

It’s a plastic Christmas tree.

Image credits: ClompChomp

#27 Newly Purchased Home. Clearly A Grave In My Backyard, Right?

Image credits: klokwerkz

#28 My Friend Was Traveling And Slept At A Stranger’s House, Who Had This Standing In A Room

Image credits: Spanget

#29 The Former Homeowners Forgot Someone

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#30 Staying In An Airbnb. Woke Up This Morning To Find The Cover To Access The Attic Completely Moved

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#31 The House My Grandparents Bought Has A Hidden Basement That They Weren’t Told About. It’s Full Of Boxes

Image credits: Divlocket

#32 Found A Hidden Room In My New House Today

So today my family hosted a home welcoming party. While we were sitting on the back porch my mother noticed and commented on how there is a large amount of missing space of what the layout on the 2nd floor should be. Upon hearing this two of our guests immediately started asking if they can go upstairs and pokes some holes in the wall. I follow the two guests upstairs and they see where the missing space should be. They then kick a hole in the wall inside the bathroom closet to reveal this room. The room is about 10×5′ and none of us have any idea why it was boarded up.

Image credits: Eddumz

#33 Not An Electrician, But I Just Bought My First House And Discovered This In The Attic. Seems Legit

Image credits: daqzappa

#34 Just Bought A New House Cleaning Out A Dresser In The Basement And Came Across These

Image credits: thedudeabides83

#35 Makeshift “Shrine” We Found In Our New Houses Attic

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#36 I Found A Gravestone Under My Recently Purchased Home

Image credits: Schadenfreude2

#37 This Little Old Lady That Came With Our Home

Image credits: Backpackguy90

#38 Saw This While Working At Someone’s House

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#39 Found This On Our Front Porch After The Second Night In Our New House. Yes, That Is A Human Tooth

Image credits: Toddses

#40 These Are Photos We Found When Moving Into Our New Student Housing Today

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#41 Moving Into A New House, I Left The Door Open When I Went Across Town To Get More Stuff. I Find This On My Camera Days Later

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#42 Moved Into Our New House A Few Months Back, A Mysterious Card Appears, I Will Not Be Opening Any Mail Named For This Person Ever Again

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#43 Really Should Have Checked Out The Place Before Renting

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#44 So I Arrived At The Cabin I’m Staying At

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#45 The Only Picture On The Wall Of The Bedroom In The Airbnb We Just Stayed At

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#46 My New House Has A Little Moving Staircase That Leads To The Washer/Dryer

Image credits: FiguringItOut–

#47 We Rented A Cabin Out In The Woods, This Was The Centerpiece On The Coffee Table

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#48 Staying At My Grandma’s For The Week… This Doll Is Staring Directly At My Bed

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#49 Basement Wall Of A Home For Sale In My Neighborhood. Only 2 Families Have Occupied This Residence Since 1817

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#50 Just Moved Into My First House, Found This On The Front Porch… Is This A Message?

Image credits: ReadAlex

#51 Moved Into A New House And Found This At The End Of The Attic Wall

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#52 Painting In The Basement Of My Friend’s New House

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#53 Found A Sword On A High Shelf In My New House

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#54 Recently Stayed At A Cabin With This Chair

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#55 Creepy Drawing In The Attic And Scratch Marks In The Basement Of A House My Wife And I Looked At

Image credits: Ravenholm8

#56 Family Bought A House To Flip A Few Years Ago. There Was A 7-Foot-Tall Headless Santa In The Basement Along With Cat Skeletons

It was built in the basement of a Victorian Era home that was demolished.

Image credits: Freyja565

#57 My Parents Moved Into A New House, This Was Left On The Lid Of This Toilet By The Previous Owners

Image credits: MyFriendMatt

#58 Body-Sized Shallow Hole/Grave Behind My New House

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#59 Found Like 250 Rounds Of Rifle Bullets, Pistol Ammunition And Shotgun Shells In The House I Recently Bought

Image credits: querschlaeger_

#60 I Don’t Understand This New Place We Moved Into. We Keep The Sink Empty, Take Out The Trash When It Gets Full, And Vacuum Daily. However, We Still Have So Many Fruit Flies

This is the amount we’ve caught on sticky paper in a week.

Image credits: Im_The_One

#61 So, I Got The Keys To My New House

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#62 I Also Had Military Ordnance Hidden In My House

I bought the house in April, 2005. Three months later, I was considering running a new cable TV drop. So I grabbed a flashlight and went to a closet in the basement where I was considering drilling the hole for the cable when I noticed something shiny behind a random and oddly placed small section of peg board. I pulled the peg board back and noticed 3 silver cylinders a little bigger than a cigar. I took one and read the label. To my amusement, they were military issue parachute flares that I assumed were used in Vietnam. It wasn’t until then that I noticed the much bigger black cylinder. I am not a military man, but I know what Comp B is! So naturally, I freaked out. I rounded up the family, told my wife to take them to Grandma’s. I called the police and explained the situation and the officer that answered seemed a bit amused by my story, he told me to hold on while he spoke to his colleague and I heard him say: “I want to go, I gotta see this”. So the police show up, I took them to the basement, they took one look at the ordnance and decided it was best to stay outside. They contacted Selfridge Air Force base (I live in SE Michigan) and while they waited, they were discussing possibly evacuating some of my neighbors (who I hadn’t even met yet) and closing the entire block. At this point, there are about 3 police cars in front of my house and the neighbors are getting curious. It is 11 PM on a Thursday and every neighbor within 10 houses is on their porch. It was then, that 3 black unmarked Suburbans with US Government plates pull up to my house. Needless to say, at this point almost every neighbor on the block was outside, trying to figure out what was happening. After all, we were the new unknown neighbors who kept to ourselves. So the military took the mortar and the parachute flares. They checked the rest of the basement and found nothing, then left. The house was built in 1970, I assume the mortar and flares had been there since the 1st owner.

Image credits: lastinmind

#63 Found This In The Garage Of Our New House

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#64 Crashing At A Friend’s After A Night Out. They Told Me I Could Stay In The Guest Room. This Caught Me Off Guard

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#65 Pig Screwing Trophy? Found In The House I Am Buying

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#66 Whatever This Is, My Aunt Found It In The House My Cousin Just Bought

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#67 In The Basement Of My Airbnb

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#68 Just Moved, This Is My New Basement

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#69 Moved Into A New House, Found This On Back Porch

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#70 Recently Bought A House. This Is The Door Leading Up The Stairs From The Basement

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#71 My Partner And I Found This Santa Tomb In The Backyard Of The House We Are Buying

Image credits: QueefThief69

#72 Just Bought My First House, Found This In A Drawer Of The Old Man’s Workshop

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#73 Found A Weird Room In The Attic Of My New House. It Was Not Listed On Any Of The Realtor Postings, Fully Carpeted, Has Power, And Is Connected To The House’s A/C Unit

Image credits: SaltyTapeworm

#74 I Saw This While Staying At An Airbnb In San Francisco

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#75 In The Basement Of My Airbnb

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#76 Just Discovered This In The Backyard Of A Vacation Home We’re Renting This Weekend

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#77 We Moved To A New House, Just Found A Dog Grave During The Snowmelt

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#78 This Assortment Of Spent Ammunition I Found Digging Up The Flower Beds At My New House. Or: Tell Me You Live In America Without Saying You Live In America

Image credits: LolaBijou

#79 I Found This Picture In The Attic Of The House I Bought, Can Anyone Tell Me What’s Going On In It?

Image credits: Puzzleheaded_Rip_859

#80 My Friend Moved Into A New House… This Was Left By The Previous Owners

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#81 Moved To A New House And Found This Under The Sink

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#82 These Ceramic Monkeys Were Left In The House I Recently Moved Into. What Do I Do With These

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#83 This Figurine In The Bathroom Of The Rental House I’m Staying At. Why Is He Sniffing His Finger?

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#84 A Horrifyingly Big Wasps Nest I Found In Our New House’s Attic

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#85 This 30-Year-Old Fumigation Notice I Found In My Attic

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#86 New House Basement Entrance

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#87 Living In Our New House For A Month, Just Found This Sleeping Bag Next To A Bucket In The Basement. Husband Says, Oh Yeah, There’s Some Old Camos And A Urinal Too

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#88 This Is In The Backyard Of The House My Parents Are Buying

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#89 Realtor Friend Recently Showed A House Built In 1837, This Was In The Attic

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#90 I Moved Into A New House Over The Weekend. Found This In The Garage

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#91 So I Moved Into This New House And There’s A Hole In The Wall With What Looks Like A Camera Inside? Not Sure What To Think Of It

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#92 Recently Bought A House And Found A Drawer Full Of Locks That Had Been Cut. So Someone Has Broken In Multiple Times While The House Was Vacant

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#93 Moved Into A New House, Unpacking, And Took A Picture. Who The Hell Is Sitting On My Couch?

Image credits: ApeWarz

#94 I’m Renting A Cabin For A Weekend Away. This Is Hanging In The Bedroom

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#95 I Have An Interesting Airbnb Tonight

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#96 This Was One Of The Decorations At The Vacation House We’re Staying At

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#97 This Picture Hangs Over A Urinal In A Vacation Home I Just Stayed At

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#98 Stayed At My Uncle’s House On A Recent Road Trip. This Was Staring At Me From The Closet All Night

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#99 This Airbnb I Stayed At

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#100 Newly Married Couple With Newborn Buy House Out In The Countryside. Find This In A Tree Day Before Halloween

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#101 Recently Moved Into A New Apartment, Found This By My Door

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#102 Footprints In The Middle Of My New House’s Deck, No Tracks

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#103 This Carving I Found On The Staircase When Ripping The Carpets In Our New House A Couple Weeks Ago

Image credits: ToutaKo

#104 The Painting In The Guest Room I’m Staying At. I’m Pretty Sure They’ll Blink If I Wake Up Tonight

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#105 Just Moved Into A New Home. My Pups Found This In The Backyard

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#106 Recently Moved Into A House. Found This Last Night In The Small Cabinet Above The Refrigerator. Not Sure What To Think About This Find

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#107 We Just Moved In And Found This On My Desk. Apparently, My Girlfriend Thought This Would Look Good There

Image credits: RunsInNaruto

#108 Father Was Building A Porch At His New House And Found An Old Headstone Under The House

Image credits: SatanLovesRedPandas

#109 New House, New Attic, New Nightmare. Seriously, You Couldn’t Pay Me To Touch That

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#110 Just Bought A New Home 3 Months Ago And I Found This In My Backyard After Cutting Down A Large Tree In The Corner. RIP Thump

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#111 So We Found This Safe At Our New Home. Any Ideas On How To Open It?

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#112 This Statue Is In Our Friend’s New Home’s Backyard

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#113 Bought My Husband’s Grandparent’s House And Found This In The Basement

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#114 We Bought A House And Moved In 3 Months Ago. Endless Issues With The Kitchen, Including Leaks, Mold, And Cabinet Issues. I Kept Calling It The Kitchen From Hell

Finally started demo to repair, and found this on a beam in the walls. Thanks, Danny.

Image credits: NyghtRavyn

#115 Massacred Candle With Scratch Marks I Found In My Cellar, From The Previous Owner

Image credits: AlfredvonDrachstedt

Source: boredpanda.com