'Sultry, sexy' Victorian 'Goth Castle' in Hudson, Wis., lists for $1.1 million

Brooke Fleetwood had already taken on the Pink Castle, a much talked about house in downtown Hudson. So when she looked for her next house to transform, she knew it would have to have a strong theme.

"The pink house had sparkles, glitter and glam," said Fleetwood, who works in the beauty business and does real estate on the side. "I wanted something completely different – something sultry, sexy – for the next house. So my next goal was to make a goth house."

When Fleetwood came across a 1900 Queen Anne Victorian turret house a block from downtown Hudson's main street, it seemed the perfect fit.

"It has the hardwood floors. It has the stained glass windows," she said. "It has seven bedrooms. There are [several] staircases. It's a super fun, old gigantic house."

Fleetwood put an offer on the house at 1031 2nd St. on Oct. 31, 2019. After signing on the dotted line a month later, she started transforming it into what has become known as Goth Castle.

Dark and stormy

The house already had been converted into an Airbnb when Fleetwood bought it, and she's continued to run it that way. After all, she had the experience. Since 2018 when the Super Bowl came to the Twin Cities, she has been running the Pink Castle as an Airbnb.

When it came to transforming her new purchase, Fleetwood had ornate, custom pieces made, including dining furniture with king and queen chairs.

"We designed all the furniture, the mirrors, the beds, the end tables just for the house," she said. "Each room is themed. So we have a black room, a red room, a more girly glam yet sexy dark room. Every room is a different experience."

While she developed the unique rooms, Fleetwood kept the original layout of the house while adding amenities. The house came with two main living areas that included updated kitchens with granite countertops. The more than 5,600-square-foot house with several hangout spaces allowed Airbnb renters with large parties to spread out.

Fleetwood also made upgrades, such as installing new exterior siding, updating a movie room with new theater seating and adding an outdoor pool and hot tub.

"It definitely helps the rental for sure," Fleetwood said.

New horizons

Now that Fleetwood has completed the transformation, she's looking ahead to what's next.

"I'm moving on to work on other projects," said Fleetwood, who recently set out to transform a mansion on a 22-acre hobby farm in Afton into a "Glam Farm" Airbnb, "breathing life back into these old houses and making them a destination."

She's listed the seven-bedroom, four-bathroom Goth Castle at $1.1 million.

Listing agent Jenni Martin said the next buyer will have several options for how to use the space.

"It could easily be transformed back into a single-family home if someone wanted to do that. But if someone wanted to buy it as an investment opportunity, they could do that," Martin said, adding "the furniture is not included in the list price, but it's available for a buyer to purchase outside of the sale for $100,000 if they want it turn-key for an Airbnb."

Fleetwood said that the house could easily be converted into rental units, too.

"You can definitely split the house right down the middle. It could be a duplex because there's one kitchen on one side and a kitchen on the other," she said. "The possibilities are endless."

If someone wanted to continue running it as an Airbnb, Fleetwood said, the house pays for itself.

"When people look for unique stays for their bachelor parties, bachelorette parties, family get-togethers – it's a unique experience," she said.

And it's especially popular in October. "Right now the biggest hit is renting it out for Halloween photo shoots" and parties, she said.

This Oct. 31, the Goth Castle will be a destination for trick-or-treaters because Halloween is the perfect holiday to welcome the community to a property that has garnered a reputation for its ghoulish vibe.

"I don't have that feeling, but some people say it's spooky," Fleetwood said.

Jenni Martin (JenniMartin@edinarealty.com; 651-600-0379) and Missy Germain (MissyGermain@edinarealty.com; 715-808-1799) have the $1.1 million listing.