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What makes your humble abode special, pandas? Is it the garden you’ve spent hours tending to ensure that each flower is perfectly cared for or the kitchen you renovated to create your dream cooking space? Perhaps it’s the creepy basement that looks like it was once a medieval torture chamber!

We’ve taken a trip to the Oddly Terrifying subreddit to find photos of some of the creepiest and surprisingly disturbing things people have ever come across in their homes, and apparently, there's no shortage of this spooky content. So enjoy viewing these pics, and be sure to upvote the ones that would have you immediately running to a realtor if they had been taken in your home!

#1

Built In The 18th Century, This Is One Of The Oldest Buildings In Hattfjelldal Municipality In Norland, Norway

Built In The 18th Century, This Is One Of The Oldest Buildings In Hattfjelldal Municipality In Norland, Norway

Photon_Pharmer Report

#3

When You (Hear A Bang And) Discover An Aircraft Engine Lodged In The Wall Of Your House

When You (Hear A Bang And) Discover An Aircraft Engine Lodged In The Wall Of Your House

CroakyPyrex Report

We all find different things scary. Some of us couldn’t stand being in the same room as a clown, while others might consider having to touch a snake their worst nightmare. But aside from the obvious things that are widely considered scary, such as ghosts and the dark, there are also many things that sneak up on us and are unexpectedly pretty frightening. The Oddly Terrifying subreddit is a catalog of all of those things that are “not the ordinary type of terrifying,” but still freak us out.

The community has amassed an impressive 2.6 million members since its creation a decade ago, and among all of the unsettling posts people share there are plenty of strange pics from real life homes. Creepy basements, disturbing ice formations, snake skin found inside homes and fungus that looks like toes all come together to create the perfect list of strange items that might make homeowners assume their houses are haunted. And according to evolutionary psychologist Frank T. McAndrew, there’s a simple reason why we find haunted houses to be so frightening.   

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#4

Xylaria Polymorpha, Commonly Known As Dead Man's Fingers, Is A Saprobic Fungus Growing From The Bases Of Rotting Tree Stumps And Decaying Wood. It Has Elongated Upright Stromata Poking Up Through The Ground, Much Like Fingers

Xylaria Polymorpha, Commonly Known As Dead Man's Fingers, Is A Saprobic Fungus Growing From The Bases Of Rotting Tree Stumps And Decaying Wood. It Has Elongated Upright Stromata Poking Up Through The Ground, Much Like Fingers

EldestGriever0219 Report

“From a psychological point of view, the standard features of haunted houses trigger feelings of dread because they push buttons in our brains that evolved long before houses even existed,” McAndrew writes for The Conversation. “These alarm buttons warn us of potential danger and motivate us to proceed with caution.” Haunted houses aren’t scary because they are actually posing a threat to us, but we find them frightening because we can’t actually determine whether they’re threatening or not. “This ambivalence leaves you frozen in place, wallowing in unease,” McAndrew explains.

We don’t want to overreact by running out of the house screaming, but we do sense danger, so it can be difficult to ignore our intuition and continue towards it if we’re going to later regret it. But we can often feel the same way in our own homes too, when we stumble upon something that doesn’t seem quite right. We don’t want to freak out because we know, logically, that our home should be the safest place in the world. However, when you find something oddly terrifying, it can be hard to shake the feeling that someone or something is out to get you.

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#7

Was Playing Video Games When I Heard A Sounds To My Left. Looked Over And Saw This

Was Playing Video Games When I Heard A Sounds To My Left. Looked Over And Saw This

JulesGirth Report

#8

Last Night I Hear A Tapping And Snaps. Looked At The Window And..this Is On The Outside. Not The Inside.(I Am In A Two Story House, Second Floor. Under The Window Is A Roof Above The Front Door)

Last Night I Hear A Tapping And Snaps. Looked At The Window And..this Is On The Outside. Not The Inside.(I Am In A Two Story House, Second Floor. Under The Window Is A Roof Above The Front Door)

talonsandtoast Report

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#9

There Is This Line In Our Basement Our Dog Doesn’t Want To Cross And Will Anxiously Wait At The Entrance

There Is This Line In Our Basement Our Dog Doesn’t Want To Cross And Will Anxiously Wait At The Entrance

crunchybumble Report

There are also certain types of homes that we find particularly terrifying, and for some reason, Victorian homes always fit the bill. What is it about these houses that are gorgeous during the daytime that seem absolutely menacing and fear-inducing once the sun goes down? Well, according to Rachel Kurzius at The Washington Post, there are a variety of factors contributing to the reputation Victorian homes have, including pop culture and architecture. When it comes to the construction of these homes, Kurzius notes that they’re “as far from an open floor plan as a house can get.” There are typically many rooms, many doors and long, narrow hallways. Ample opportunities for jump scares and creaking doors!

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#11

Found This In My Apartment While Living In Japan. They Are Fast!

Found This In My Apartment While Living In Japan. They Are Fast!

Saucy_Lemur Report

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ThéviNinja
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Are those similar to house centipedes (please google them before downvoting, that is their name) in North America?

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#12

Bathroom Over An Abandoned 15 Story Lift Shaft

Bathroom Over An Abandoned 15 Story Lift Shaft

Monsur_Ausuhnom Report

Lauren Kelsey, production designer for the Netflix thriller The Midnight Club, shared with The Washington Post how her set utilized “long hallways and creepy hallways” with big round arches with enough space for characters to hide behind them. Building materials used during the Victorian era also can’t help but give off a macabre feel, Kurzius noted, pointing out the use of dark wood. “The era’s characteristic stained glass and thick draperies added to the ominous vibe, but they actually had a utilitarian purpose, too: They protected elaborate furniture and decor from the sun. In urban dwellings, the curtains helped insulate interiors from street odors,” she explained.

#13

When You Go Into Your Attic For The First Time And Find A Recently Discarded Snake Skin

When You Go Into Your Attic For The First Time And Find A Recently Discarded Snake Skin

ok_board_4331 Report

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#14

A Mother Centipede Protecting Her Babies

A Mother Centipede Protecting Her Babies

JerkilyRaise734 Report

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MadOrca99
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No thank you have a great day be sure to stock up on kerosene and grab a bic lighter from your nearest gas station! Edit: it was a joke I wouldn’t kill them…

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#15

Body-Sized Shallow Hole/Grave Behind My New House. Authorities Came And Looked At It And Said It’s 'Odd, But Probably Nothing' But They Don’t Know What It Is. Said Not To Touch It Just Yet And They Will Check Their Records (Which They Said They Already Did). So Now I’m Just Waiting Until They Come Back

Body-Sized Shallow Hole/Grave Behind My New House. Authorities Came And Looked At It And Said It’s 'Odd, But Probably Nothing' But They Don’t Know What It Is. Said Not To Touch It Just Yet And They Will Check Their Records (Which They Said They Already Did). So Now I’m Just Waiting Until They Come Back

camelvendor Report

And if you ask Adam Lowenstein, author of Horror Film and Otherness, he’ll tell you that Victorian houses don’t age well. "The image of the haunted Victorian house probably has real reference in all kinds of American neighborhoods where these ornate houses lost their wealthy tenants and became sort of neglected, derelict houses that looked haunted because they weren’t being taken care of," he told The Washington Post.

#18

I'm Not Going Near This Chandelier, I'm Already Imagining It Falling

I'm Not Going Near This Chandelier, I'm Already Imagining It Falling

CroakyPyrex Report

Krystal D’Costa at Scientific American has even explored the topic of creepy Victorian houses, and she points out that Victorian houses were perceived as gross symbols of wealth during the latter part of the 19th century in the United States. Following the Civil War, the Southern states were devastated economically, and the memories of those they lost in the war weighed heavily on them. So when wealthy Northerners lived in massive Victorian homes, these houses were seen as tone deaf and offensive.  

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#20

Saw This During A Virtual Tour Of A House. What Are The Chances We Buy This House And A Week Later The Doll Is Back In That House?

Saw This During A Virtual Tour Of A House. What Are The Chances We Buy This House And A Week Later The Doll Is Back In That House?

stardust_kid Report

#21

Pulled Up The Carpets In Newly Purchased House To Find This

Pulled Up The Carpets In Newly Purchased House To Find This

adampowers22 Report

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glowworm2
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is terrifying. Look what the previous owners did to those nice wooden floor panels.

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“Critics such as Hamlin Talbot decried the [Victorian] style as a blight upon the American landscape, labeling them ‘wooden monstrosities,’” D’Costa explained. “This sentiment grew into the 1920s, following the aftermath of WWI where numerous disillusioned veterans and their families saw things in a new light: The cost of technological and economical advancement was dirty factories and poorly made mass produced goods. The world had become a corrupt, dirty place, and Victorian-style houses were a physical manifestation of this stain; they represented the persistence of corruption and thoughtlessness that was thought to have originated in the Gilded Age. Where they were once a symbol of material wealth, these homes were now a weight on the progression of the American soul.”

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#22

I Feel Like I’m Living In The Overlook Hotel

I Feel Like I’m Living In The Overlook Hotel

arkol3404 Report

#23

Found This In The Basement Of My New House

Found This In The Basement Of My New House

franco-noce Report

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Agnes Jekyll
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's a bigger problem, for sure. Call the police, they should be able to track down former owners.

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There was then a movement attempting to portray Victorian homes as creepy, unsettling and unwelcoming, and it seemed to work. Artist Charles Burchfield released House of Mystery, which depicted a “dark and unsettling” home through pictures, and many critics agreed that it looks “ghostly and murderous.” In 1925, Edward Hopper continued the trend by releasing House by the Railroad, which looked uninviting, despite the elaborate architectural style it had. “Critics found it desolate, ominous, inhuman, and haunted--responses that echoed the perception of the Victorian legacy overall,” D’Costa continued. So it seems like Victorian homes may be more likely than many others to wind up on lists like this!

#25

Found This In My Girlfriends Loft. She Only Moved In 3 Months Ago And Says She Has Never Been Up There. Guess What My Name Is

Found This In My Girlfriends Loft. She Only Moved In 3 Months Ago And Says She Has Never Been Up There. Guess What My Name Is

n515o Report

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#26

Mowed My Yard And Came Back The Next Day To Find A Yellow Garden Spider Had Made A Human-Shaped Pattern In Their Web

Mowed My Yard And Came Back The Next Day To Find A Yellow Garden Spider Had Made A Human-Shaped Pattern In Their Web

deleted Report

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Kitten Dog Mom
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Had one my brother use to say hi to every day, one day the spider had 'hi' woven in its web.

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#27

Opened The Breaker Box In My Shed To Find This

Opened The Breaker Box In My Shed To Find This

jadbronson Report

Are you the type of panda who would jump at the opportunity to live in a haunted house, or would you be running for the door if you encountered any of these things? Regardless, we hope you’re enjoying these pics. Don’t worry, they can’t hurt you! Keep upvoting the ones you find most bizarre or shocking, and then if you’re interested in checking out another list from Bored Panda featuring unsettling things people have come across in their homes, prepare to be spooked right here

#28

This Mushroom That Broke Through My Wall The Same Night I Restarted The Last Of Us

This Mushroom That Broke Through My Wall The Same Night I Restarted The Last Of Us

lachary1234 Report

#29

Someone Random Person Put A Dining Set In My Front Yard???

Someone Random Person Put A Dining Set In My Front Yard???

The_Shrine Report

#30

This Tree Being Entirely Covered In Caterpillar Webs

This Tree Being Entirely Covered In Caterpillar Webs

morningperzon Report

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#31

These Scratches On The Inside Of The Door To My Basement. It’s An Old House Too

These Scratches On The Inside Of The Door To My Basement. It’s An Old House Too

delikkah Report

#33

Woke Up This Morning And Noticed A Very Poorly Patched Hole Drilled From The Outside Of My Apartment Building Into My Bedroom

Woke Up This Morning And Noticed A Very Poorly Patched Hole Drilled From The Outside Of My Apartment Building Into My Bedroom

hellspawnarborist Report

#35

That Thin Line Just Below The First Floor Window. That's How High The Water Rose During The 2023 Flooding In Italy

That Thin Line Just Below The First Floor Window. That's How High The Water Rose During The 2023 Flooding In Italy

s0nCff Report

#36

Small Circuit Board Mailed To Me With No Return Address, Taped To A Piece Of Paper With The Coordinates To My House Printed On It. That Was The Only Thing In The Envelope. No Clue What This Is Or What It Might Be For, I Definitely Didn’t Order It And I’m Not Sure Why It Has No Return Address

Small Circuit Board Mailed To Me With No Return Address, Taped To A Piece Of Paper With The Coordinates To My House Printed On It. That Was The Only Thing In The Envelope. No Clue What This Is Or What It Might Be For, I Definitely Didn’t Order It And I’m Not Sure Why It Has No Return Address

navyac Report

#37

Roots Of A Plant Growing On The Rooftop Descending Through The Walls

Roots Of A Plant Growing On The Rooftop Descending Through The Walls

always_cold90 Report

#38

Neighbour Lost His Shed In The Tantallon Wildfire. This Halloween Mask Was All That Was Left

Neighbour Lost His Shed In The Tantallon Wildfire. This Halloween Mask Was All That Was Left

i_never_ever_learn Report

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#39

This Bedroom On Airbnb In A Place Called “Stabbin Cabin”. Sounds About Right

This Bedroom On Airbnb In A Place Called “Stabbin Cabin”. Sounds About Right

beenzthemagicalfroot Report

#40

Middle Of The Day In My Apartment. I Can’t See What’s Hiding At The End Of The Hallway

Middle Of The Day In My Apartment. I Can’t See What’s Hiding At The End Of The Hallway

grilld-cheez Report

#41

The Views From My Dad's House All Look Like B Horror Movies At Night

The Views From My Dad's House All Look Like B Horror Movies At Night

Castlevoidz Report

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Ryan Edwards
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can 1000% guarantee you that there is somebody out there who can see you and you have no idea. It's midnight and you realize you left your very expensive mountain bike outside? Yup, that's EXACTLY where it is staying till morning. If it gets stolen, then God wanted the moody woods murderer to have the bike.

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#42

First Month In My New Apartment, And I Noticed Someone Wrote 'I’m Watchin'' In My Doorway. I Never Noticed It Before, Prob A Prank. Definitely Freaked Me Out

First Month In My New Apartment, And I Noticed Someone Wrote 'I’m Watchin'' In My Doorway. I Never Noticed It Before, Prob A Prank. Definitely Freaked Me Out

socalfordays Report

#45

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

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

swampwitch_69 Report

#46

Found This Behind A Piece Of Furniture In Our Bathroom

Found This Behind A Piece Of Furniture In Our Bathroom

deltawarza Report

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PandaGoPanda
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Anyone who can read it properly welcome to correct me, but I think it's instructions for how to lay a traditional patterned mosaic tile floor.

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#47

My Apartment In Venice Has This Clown In Their Lobby That They Dress/Undress/Reposition According To The Time Of Day. I Never Saw It Happen But It's Right In Front Of Our Room And It Gave Me The Creeps When I First Saw It

My Apartment In Venice Has This Clown In Their Lobby That They Dress/Undress/Reposition According To The Time Of Day. I Never Saw It Happen But It's Right In Front Of Our Room And It Gave Me The Creeps When I First Saw It

quelair Report

#49

A Note On My Apartment Buildings Door This Morning

A Note On My Apartment Buildings Door This Morning

FuntCungus Report

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Bonesko
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Uh, OK. Guess if the place is on fire you should call the fire department. What prompted this note I wonder.

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#50

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

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

rogu2 Report

Note: this post originally had 83 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.