EXCLUSIVE: Seattle’s Infamous ‘Spite House’ Sells for $745K—100 Years After Scorned Wife Built It To Get Revenge on Ex-Husband

Seattle’s infamous “Spite House” has found itself a new owner, 100 years after it was built by a scorned landowner in a reported attempt to seek revenge against her neighbor—who also happened to be her ex-husband.

The wedge-shaped Montlake property, which was listed for sale for $799,000 in May, boasts a fascinating history that has drawn much speculation (and amusement) over the years. However, even that impressive heritage couldn’t help it reach its full asking price, with records showing that it was snapped up for $745,000.

It may well be that the dwelling’s unique proportions made it somewhat unappealing to more than a few buyers. The home measures just 55 inches across at its slimmest point and 15 feet across at its widest—measurements that were used to “wedge” it onto an oddly shaped plot of land.

Still, it took just one month for the home to find a buyer, who will also take possession of the home’s intriguing backstory.

According to multiple reports, the two-bedroom, two-bathroom dwelling is something of a local legend in Seattle, having allegedly been built by its original owner in an act of vengeance against a neighbor amid a furious land dispute.

As legend has it, the woman who built the home had previously lived with her husband in a home adjacent to the land on which the Spite House now sits.

In their divorce settlement, she was awarded a tiny 3,090-square-foot parcel of their shared property—on which she decided to build a petite home to “block his view in the front yard,” according to Emily Cangie, who bought the home in 2019, according to records.

Cangie opened the home in 2023 for a video tour with YouTuber Kirsten Dirksen, while sharing details about the property’s fascinating history.

“The story goes that she decided to build a house to block his view in the front yard,” Cangie said, explaining that, at the time of her divorce, the woman was unable to “get her own loan in the U.S.”

So, having been left unable to buy her own property, she constructed the dwelling—which has since cemented its place in Seattle’s history.

However, another version of the story suggests that the dwelling was built by a landowner who wanted to get revenge on a neighbor who made an “insultingly low” offer on the land where the home sits.

Either way, the property has earned quite a reputation over the years, having first been sold in 1983 for $50,000.

Before being listed, the home was registered to an LLC under the name “Montlake Spite House.” Records indicate that it has not been sold since Cangie and her husband purchased it, until, that is, they put it on the market.

The dwelling has, however, undergone a serious makeover in recent years—one that saw its once-yellow exterior transformed to an elegant blue-gray hue.

Its listing description made no attempt to hide the unique layout, joking that the property is “wedged” into the local neighborhood.

“Wedged into Seattle’s historic Montlake neighborhood, the Spanish Revival style Montlake Spite House is 15 feet wide on one side and just 55 inches on the other,” it read.

The description called attention to the many upgrades of the two-story abode, including a “new roof, new paint, a new water heater, and an updated kitchen.”

It continued: “Bright main floor offers a living room, bedroom, bath, and kitchen. The lower level has a family room, bedroom, laundry, bath, and separate entrance, ideal for guests, Airbnb, or an ADU.”

In the YouTube tour of the home, Cangie insisted that the home’s peculiar shape did not cause too many difficulties, although she conceded that the narrow areas could be a bit harder to navigate.

“The bathroom is where the angles get weird … makes me think of bathrooms in New York,” she joked. “I mean, compared to New York, [we’re] just grateful that there is not a toilet in [the] bedroom.”

Referring to the dwelling as her “little wedge of cheese,” Cangie admitted that she was initially concerned living in the home would feel like she was residing in a fishbowl. However, the more intimate spaces are more cozy than claustrophobic.

She went on to compare the home to New York’s iconic Flatiron building, explaining that, despite having numerous owners over the years, the property’s structure has never been changed or expanded.

“Everybody’s kind of left it intact,” she noted. “As far as we know, this is the original footprint and it’s in great shape.”