Modern castle in Esmeralda County has a buyer
The Hard Luck Mine Castle in Esmeralda County has entered into escrow, Brian Krueger, a senior vice president with Coldwell Banker Premier Realty and the agent selling the property, said.
The Hard Luck Mine Castle is located on 40 acres of land in Esmeralda County and went on the market over two years ago.
“We have marketed it as ‘getaway’ property with the extensive acreage (40 acres) and ideal for outdoor enthusiasts with ATVs. Also as a potential tourist investment opportunity,” Krueger said in an email.
The name of the buyer has not been released.
The property has an 8,000-square-foot home with 16-inch-thick cinderblock, concrete, and steel walls.
Hard Luck Mine Castle runs off several off-grid resources including solar and wind. It has a water hauling trailer, diesel generator, and 3,000-gallon propane tank. It also has a glass solarium, planetarium, and fountain room. The home has 22 rooms with two kitchens, four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a wine cellar, theater and game room, and a great room featuring a 1920’s pipe organ. There are numerous outbuildings including a work/automotive shop, miner’s cabin, shower house, power home, and gold mine tunnel.
The owner of the property, Randy Johnston, completed construction of the castle over a decade ago on a project that got its start at the turn of the century.
The Hard Luck Mine Castle has only been listed once. It went on the market for $1.2 million on Oct. 15, 2018, and went into escrow on Sept. 9, 2020, however it was back on the market on Dec. 16, 2020.
Krueger said the unique nature of the property limited the pool of qualified buyers.
“We knew it could take at least a year or two to sell it and we had it in escrow about 20 months after we listed it,” he said.
Krueger said the number of inquiries has increased after the property was initially profiled on several major outlets.
“The home is very eclectic and will be suitable for the right buyer depending on their intended use,” he said.
The sale price was not disclosed in the recent deal and has yet to close.
