According to Realtor.com, the most widely searched house at its site this week is a home created from a lighthouse.

The home is near Horn Harbor, on Chesapeake Bay, north of Newport News. It is on the market for $249,000.

The lighthouse is small, measuring only 1,500 feet, and has three bedrooms. It was built in 1894. Called the Wolf Trap Lighthouse, it is in Mathews County, Virginia.

Mathews County is tiny, with only 9,000 residents, which has barely changed since 1900, according to the Census Bureau. The population is 88.0% white and 9.2% African American. Household income is $43,000, about 10% below the national average. The poverty rate is low at 6%.

The listing:

WOLF TRAP LIGHTHOUSE and WATERFRONT LOT on 56 Shore Drive! Prime Opportunity to Own and Restore a Historic Caisson Lighthouse. Location is about 3 1/2 miles east/south east from Mathews County. Waterfront Lot, 56 Shore Drive Offers a Launching Pad from Horn Harbor. WOLF TRAP Offers 5 floors, 3 bed with about 1500′. AMAZING STRUCTURE! From top Cupola with Light, Mathews Shoreline and Eastern Shore are Visible. WOLF TRAP is Tax Exempt on the Mathews County Records. Tax Assessment Amount for Shore Drive Waterfront Lot. Tax Credits Available for Restoration. B&B or Other Potential. No Fog Horn. Light Maintained by the Coast Guard.

And from Realtor.com, a caution:

Listing agent Laura Pierce clued us in to the logistics involved. A buyer will likely need to anchor a barge nearby with materials and supplies for the restoration. The construction will also need to abide by historic standards—the exterior of the lighthouse has to retain its red-brick charm. However, buyers can configure the 1,500 square feet of interior space any way they desire. The light is still functioning and maintained by the Coast Guard, but there’s no foghorn to be found.

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