A shockingly narrow Seattle home built by a scorned ex-wife purely to spite her former husband has hit the market for a whopping $799,000.
The ‘Montlake Spite House,’ wedged into Seattle’s historic Montlake neighborhood, measures a shocking 55 inches at its narrowest point – barely wider than a standard doorway.
The tiny home expands to just 15 feet at its widest end.
Built in 1925, the Spanish Revival-style property has been compared to a wedge of cheese due to its specific tapered shape.
The unique shape was deliberately designed by a scorned ex-wife to block her former husband’s view from their old property after she won the land that she then built it on in their settlement.
The unusual property gives new meaning to the phrase ‘living in close quarters’.
Yet it still manages to pack plenty of charm and modern amenities into its 850 square feet of living space.
The listing by broker Rob McGarty, highlights recent upgrades including a new roof, fresh paint and new water heater.
A shockingly narrow Seattle home built by a scorned ex-wife purely to spite her former husband has hit the market for a whopping $799,000
The ‘Montlake Spite House’, wedged into Seattle’s historic Montlake neighborhood, measures a shocking 55 inches at its narrowest point – barely wider than a standard doorway
Including both floors, the home measures 850sq ft and it serves up two bedrooms, two bathrooms and two living rooms
There’s also a new washer/dryer, updated kitchen, hardwood floors, and stylish bathrooms.
Other practical amenities include alley access and two off-street parking spaces – a rarity in dense urban Seattle neighborhoods.
‘The perfect condo alternative with a fenced yard and an income-producing unit,’ he writes in the listing.
According to the current owner Emily Cangie, who gave a tour of the property in a YouTube video by Kirsten Dirksen in 2023, the house was built by a woman who lived in the neighboring property with her husband before their divorce.
She has been living in the property with her husband for more than two-and-a-half years and according to property site Zillow.
As it was ‘during the time when women couldn’t get their own loans in the U.S.,’ the divorcee decided to build on the land that she had won in the settlement: her ex-husband’s front yard.
‘The story goes that she decided to build a house to block his view in the front yard,’ Emily says.
Starting at the narrowest part of the home, Emily leads viewers inside.
Firstly, there is a porch area, which is used as a ‘mud room’ to store footwear and coats.
Built in 1925, the Spanish Revival-style property has been compared to a wedge of cheese due to its specific tapered shape
Emily, who works in product management and marketing for Amazon, said she came across the Montlake Spite House by chance and she was drawn to it because it was ‘historically odd’
The home is located at 2022 E 24 Avenue, Seattle, Washington
The unique shape was deliberately designed by a scorned ex-wife to block her former husband’s view, according to local legend
The unusual property gives new meaning to the phrase ‘living in close quarters’
The bathroom, however, is a bit more of a squeeze
This then flows through to the galley-style kitchen.
While the cooking space is narrow, Emily says it has been a ‘pretty effective’ space.
Her only niggle is the fridge, which sticks out into the middle of the kitchen.
Moving onwards, there is a sizable living room, with a large couch and dining table that can seat six, and, at the widest part of the house, the main bedroom.
Emily highlights that the sleeping area is a sizable, with room for a queen sized bed and two dressers.
The bathroom, however, is a bit more of a squeeze.
In 2023, she said: ‘The bathroom is where the angles get weird again… makes me think of the bathrooms in New York.
‘I mean, compared to New York, you’re just grateful that there’s not a toilet in your bedroom.’
While the tour appears to have finished, Emily then reveals a whole other level of the house which is only accessible via an external staircase.
The bottom floor used to serve as the carriage house, but now it is a self contained flat with a bedroom, living room and bathroom.
The listing by broker Rob McGarty, highlights recent upgrades including a new roof, fresh paint and new water heater
Emily highlights that the sleeping area is a sizable, with room for a queen sized bed and two dressers
It still manages to pack plenty of charm and modern amenities into its 850 square feet of living space
Emily says the lighting in this space is ‘key’ as the ‘windows aren’t huge down here’.
Including both floors, the home features two bedrooms, two bathrooms and two living rooms.
Emily, who works in product management and marketing for Amazon, said she came across the Montlake Spite House by chance and she was drawn to it because it was ‘historically odd’.
She explained: ‘Ironically went to school for architecture and thought that’s what I wanted to be… so maybe I’m a junkie for it.
‘But the design side of me thought this was fun so I just came to tour it solely out of interest for the peculiar nature of it… I had gone to high school just up the street so I had driven by it a hundred times and never noticed it growing up.’
For others thinking of shunning a standard home for something a little more unusual, Emily says the most important skill to have is ‘creativity’.
‘It’s definitely one of the things you sign up for with a weird house is having to get very creative.’
‘I thought I would feel a little more like I was in a fishbowl but so far it’s been pretty private. It’s cozy and it has so many brilliant features.’
