Real estate: Looking for a place to wait out the zombie holocaust?

In 2003, the Department of Homeland Security took over the Plum Island, America's infamous animal disease and one-time bio-weapon research lab. Shortly after, they recommended thtat the lab be closed and moved to Kansas. This means, as Christine Quigley points out, Plum Island will be up for sale.

The perfect location for a mad science lab or as a redoubt against the zombie hordes, here's what Plum Island offers:

A Biolevel-3 research facility

A 3-story 4-bedroom fieldstone residence with all the amenities, including an alarm system and a fireplace

A charming little shingled guest cottage

An 1827 55' octagonal stone and timber lighthouse with residence and storage shed

A 1-hour drive by car from New York City, then park in a private 2-car garage on the mainland and take a 5-minute boat ride to the 840-acre island

Swimming, fishing and boating on a private lake

It takes some deep pockets, but aren't you dreams of world domination worth it? With the zombie holocaust potentially around corner, how can you afford not to buy Plum Island?

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Real estate: Greetings from Shutter Island.

Though set on an isolated, God forsaken island off the coast of Massachusetts, much of Shutter Island was filmed in the decidedly in-land town of Medfield, population 12,836. This nice little burg attracted director Martin Scorsese's attention because it's home to the Medfield State Hospital - a massive (58 buildings on 900 acres) and picturesque mental institution built in the late 19th century and closed in 1994. At its peak, the asylum held more than 2,000 patients - about a sixth of the population of modern Medfield.

It's a popular stop for urban explorers. To see Shutter Island landlocked and Leo free, check out the following galleries:

Abandoned But Not Forgotten

Abandoned Places

There's a nice tour of the hospital's graveyard at Grave Addiction.

You can also get a bird's eye view of the hospital from Google maps.

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Real Estate: It's got lake views, is perfect for fishing and shooting, and has a rich legacy of evil.

If you've got $255,000 on hand, perhaps you should consider this unique investment. From the Guardian:

A plot of land once owned by the self-proclaimed "most wicked man in the world" has been put up for sale, attracting interest from rock stars, developers and disciples of the dark arts.

Boleskine Bay, on Loch Ness at Foyers, was part of an estate renowned at the start of the 20th century as "a centre of black magic, evil and sorcery" under the ownership and influence of satanist Aleister Crowley. [Crowley's house, pictured above, is not part of the sale – CRwM]

The "Beast of Boleskine", who died in 1947, owned Boleskine Estate between 1899 and 1913, during which time he tried to smother the Highlands in black magic by coaxing out the forces of evil.

The estate, once the home of millionaire rock star Jimmy Page, has been linked to a number of incidents over the years, including at least two violent deaths.

As well as black magic rituals to invoke the four princes of evil, Crowley and his devil-worshipping followers used the estate to make talismans and offered animal sacrifices to Satan.

"The demons and evil forces had congregated round me so thickly that they were shutting off the light. It was a comforting situation. There could be no more doubt of the efficiency of the operation," Crowley wrote of his experiments at the estate.

Now, a 1.9-acre plot on the former estate has been put on the market for £176,000 with planning permission for a three-bedroom log house, and 140ft of the Loch Ness foreshore.

That's right: For a single price you get Crowley, Loch Ness, and the Led! That's a steal, my friend.

As a slightly meta-aside, as this blog approaches its third year, this will mark only the second time ever that I've been able to use the "real estate" subject tag. In tribute, here's a darn catchy tune from alt-rapper Cadence Weapon: "Real Estate."

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