Would You Spend 31 Days Renovating One of Ohio’s Most Haunted Houses?

I've toured a lot of houses over the years.

I've walked through vacant houses, fixer-uppers, homes that needed serious imagination and a few where I wasn't entirely convinced I wanted to go into the basement by myself.

But this one?

This might be where I draw the line.

An old Ohio home known as Bihl Manor is getting national attention as the setting for HGTV's new competition series “A Very Haunted Renovation.”

The premise is pretty wild.

Six designers will spend 31 days living, sleeping and renovating inside a deteriorating Ohio house that is said to be haunted, competing in renovation challenges for a $50,000 prize.

And apparently fixing the house may not be their biggest challenge.

Welcome to Bihl Manor in Fremont, Ohio

Bihl Manor is a five-bedroom, four-bathroom home in Fremont, Ohio.

According to Realtor.com, property records associated with the listing indicate the home was built in 1912. However, historical information published by Bihl Manor itself suggests its history goes back to the 1890s, when it was reportedly built by Jerome Bihl, whose name the property still carries.

The house most recently changed hands for $105,000 in July 2022, after being listed for $169,900 earlier that year.

Today, it's getting an entirely different kind of renovation.

HGTV has brought six designers into the property for a competition that combines interior design, restoration and a healthy dose of “Did anyone else just hear that?”

HGTV Is Turning the Renovation Into a Competition

Actress Anna Camp, known for roles including “Pitch Perfect,” hosts “A Very Haunted Renovation.”

Six designers are competing:

SK Stokes Kennedy, Patrick Peel, John Ryan, Logan Wright, Diana Vogel and Bershan Shaw.

Rather than simply renovating the property and heading back to a hotel at night, the designers will live inside Bihl Manor for 31 days.

Each episode will include elimination challenges designed to test both their renovation abilities and their nerves.

The ultimate winner receives $50,000.

And HGTV isn't exactly ignoring the home's spooky reputation.

The network is leaning right into it.

The Renovations Are Inspired by the House's Alleged Spirits

This is where HGTV has managed to combine renovation television with paranormal television.

Some of the design challenges are inspired by people who reportedly lived in the house and whose spirits are now said to remain there.

In the premiere, for example, designers are tasked with transforming bedrooms while taking inspiration from Lizzie and Alvie Bihl, who are rumored to haunt the sleeping quarters.

Contestants have just four days to complete the bedroom makeover.

Imagine trying to select paint colors, install trim and finish a room on deadline while simultaneously wondering whether the original occupants approve.

Suddenly, an HGTV renovation deadline doesn't sound like the stressful part.

So... Is Bihl Manor Really Haunted?

That depends entirely on what you believe.

Claims of paranormal activity aren't something that can be established like square footage or the number of bathrooms, so it's important to separate the home's documented real estate history from its legends.

But there are certainly plenty of stories.

According to the history published by Bihl Manor and reported by Realtor.com, alleged paranormal activity has been reported on all three floors of the house.

And apparently the basement is not where I'd volunteer to start the tour.

Meet “The Biter” and “The Scratcher”

Yes. Those are apparently their names.

Two spirits said to inhabit the basement have become known as “The Biter” and “The Scratcher.”

Reports associated with the property claim multiple male visitors have experienced unexplained bites while several women have reported scratches.

Upstairs, visitors have reported hearing voices, footsteps and doors or other objects making unexplained noises.

One room known as Daisy's Room has developed a particularly active reputation. Stories include voices believed to belong to a man and children and objects reportedly being knocked from a rocking chair.

Then there's the attic.

And Then There's the Red-Haired Boy

Another frequently repeated story involves the apparition of a young red-haired boy reportedly seen near the attic.

Other visitors claim they've seen shadowy figures moving through hallways.

A former neighbor interviewed for the HGTV project even described seeing what appeared to be a man standing upstairs looking through a window when the house was supposedly empty.

None of those stories establishes that the house is actually haunted.

But I can tell you one thing:

I'm not volunteering to spend the night in the attic to investigate.

The Current Owners Say They Didn't Know Its Reputation

Here's where the real estate side of this story gets particularly interesting.

The current owners, Karlo and Heather, said in a preview of the HGTV series that they weren't told about the home's troubled reputation when they purchased it.

They later began experiencing things they couldn't easily explain.

Heather described one trip into the basement during which she felt what she described as a cold finger moving from her neck down her back.

Karlo says he wants to save the property but has faced another unusual renovation problem:

Finding contractors willing to work there.

A local builder interviewed for the program said people in the area know the house's reputation and described feeling as though someone is watching while inside.

As someone who deals with contractors, inspections and repairs in real estate, I have to admit that's a problem I've never had listed on a repair estimate.

“Contractor declined due to ghosts.”

That's a new one.

But Beneath the Ghost Stories Is a Real Preservation Story

This is actually the part of the story I find most interesting.

Strip away the paranormal television angle and you still have an old Ohio house that has deteriorated significantly.

HGTV describes the property as unoccupied, deteriorating and facing possible demolition.

That means the designers aren't simply creating dramatic television.

They're potentially helping preserve a piece of Ohio's architectural history.

And that creates an interesting question.

When does an old house stop being worth saving?

Old homes can be expensive.

They're unpredictable.

They can hide outdated electrical systems, plumbing problems, foundation issues, water intrusion and decades of questionable DIY repairs.

And unlike ghosts, those things definitely exist.

But older homes can also contain craftsmanship and architectural details that would be extraordinarily expensive, or sometimes nearly impossible, to recreate today.

That's what makes preservation complicated.

Every Old House Has a Story

This is something I love about real estate.

A house isn't just square footage.

People lived there.

Families grew there.

Someone chose the wallpaper.

Someone planted the trees.

Someone celebrated Christmas morning in the living room.

Someone probably argued about what color to paint the kitchen.

Over decades, houses collect stories.

Most aren't paranormal.

But they're still part of what makes a home interesting.

And sometimes the next owner gets the opportunity to preserve that history while writing an entirely new chapter.

That's exactly what's happening at Bihl Manor.

Could a Haunted Reputation Affect a Home's Value?

Here's the Realtor question everybody eventually asks:

Would you buy a house if people said it was haunted?

For some buyers, absolutely not.

For others, the history might actually make the property more interesting.

A home's unusual history can influence marketability because buyers don't all react to information the same way.

Some see character.

Others see problems.

Some see a restoration project.

Others see an endless money pit.

And apparently some people see ghosts.

That's why unusual properties require thoughtful marketing.

You aren't necessarily looking for every buyer.

You're looking for the buyer who understands what makes that particular property special.

The Staging Challenge Would Be Incredible

Now let's talk about the part I'd love to see.

How do you stage a house like Bihl Manor?

I'd resist the temptation to make everything look brand new.

In a historic property, completely removing its personality can actually work against you.

I'd want to preserve the architectural details that tell you immediately:

This house has history.

Then I'd balance those elements with enough updated finishes, lighting and furnishings that a buyer could imagine actually living there today.

That's the sweet spot with historic homes.

Respect the past.

But don't make buyers feel like they're purchasing a museum.

Or, in this case, possibly moving in with the former occupants.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bihl Manor

Where is Bihl Manor?

Bihl Manor is located in Fremont, Ohio, in Sandusky County.

What is “A Very Haunted Renovation”?

“A Very Haunted Renovation” is an HGTV competition series hosted by actress Anna Camp. Six designers live and work inside Bihl Manor for 31 days while completing renovation and design challenges.

How many bedrooms does Bihl Manor have?

Realtor.com reports that Bihl Manor is a five-bedroom, four-bathroom home.

When was Bihl Manor built?

There's conflicting information. Listing information indicates 1912, while historical information associated with Bihl Manor suggests the property dates to the 1890s.

How much did Bihl Manor sell for?

According to records cited by Realtor.com, the property sold for $105,000 in July 2022 after having been listed for $169,900 in April of that year.

Is Bihl Manor really haunted?

There are numerous reports and legends of paranormal activity associated with the property, but paranormal claims aren't independently verifiable facts. The home's reputation and reported experiences are a major part of the HGTV series.

Who hosts “A Very Haunted Renovation”?

Actress Anna Camp, known for “Pitch Perfect,” hosts the series.

What does the winner receive?

The winning designer receives a $50,000 cash prize.

Why is HGTV renovating Bihl Manor?

The competition centers around restoring the deteriorating property while designers complete challenges inspired partly by the home's history and alleged paranormal activity.

Would You Spend the Night?

Here's where I land.

Would I tour it?

Absolutely.

Would I want to see the craftsmanship and renovation?

Without question.

Would I love to stage a historic Ohio house like this?

Yep.

Would I voluntarily sleep in the basement with something people have nicknamed “The Biter”?

That's going to be a hard no.

But I love that an old Ohio house that might otherwise have continued deteriorating is getting another chance.

Because haunted or not, there's something pretty special about taking a home with more than a century of stories and preparing it for whatever comes next.

That's a real estate adventure.

Although this particular one might require bringing more than my usual staging kit.

Would you spend 31 nights inside Bihl Manor for a chance at $50,000?

Source

This blog was inspired by reporting from Hannah Chambers for Realtor.com, published August 24, 2026: “The ‘Secrets’ of Bihl Manor: Inside Dark History of ‘Tormented’ Ohio Home at Center of Anna Camp’s HGTV Show ‘A Very Haunted Renovation.’”

The original report contains additional information about the home's history, alleged paranormal experiences, contestants and HGTV production.

Source: Realtor.com News & Insights, Hannah Chambers, August 24, 2026.

Claims of hauntings and paranormal activity included in this article are presented as reported experiences, legends and allegations associated with the property, not as independently verified facts.