Bidding wars have broken out all over the United States for the last year on properties going for way more than the original listing price. That trend has continued, after a rather inhospitable lighthouse in the middle of Chesapeake Bay has gone for a six-figure sum.
The Hooper Island Lighthouse, located west of Middle Hooper Island in Maryland’s Dorchester County, gathered little interest when it was first listed. Not many people were looking at the $15,000 lighthouse as a valuable asset. That was until five potential buyers drove up the price from $15,000 to the winning bid of $192,000.
On top of the lighthouse being old and run down, it comes with some specific strings attached. According to Will Powell, a spokesman for the U.S. General Services Administration, the new owners must maintain the lighthouse as a Coast Guard navigational aid, observe historic preservation standards and sign a memorandum of agreement with the Navy about when it can be accessed.
The “sparkplug,” which many refer to the rusting lighthouse as, also has a list of other problems. An outer ladder is included but there is no nearby dock for a boat to moor. A 2019 inspection also found lead-based paint, asbestos, benzene and other dangerous substances inside, where there is no water, electricity or other utilities.
The previous owner of the structure was the U.S. Lighthouse Society and the government auctioned it on the organization’s behalf. The new owner’s identity won’t be known until the remaining documentation is signed.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/09/29/chesapeake-bay-lighthouse-auction-sold/