Gulfport Home May Grow on You

Unusual House with a Mature Oak Tree in the Kitchen Goes Viral

By Abby Baker

A home in Gulfport generated online buzz with an unexplained photo of a mature oak tree growing through the kitchen.

GULFPORT REALTY

A home in Gulfport has been the source of puns, head-scratching and genuine curiosity aft er going viral on social media for a Zillow posting that unapologetically features an oak tree growing through the middle of the kitchen.

No explanation, just a modern four-bedroom, three-bathroom home with a living oak tree two feet from the refrigerator.

The home – and the tree – is under contract with a price tag of $899,000, but the roots of the oak’s origin are a bit of a mystery, according to Gulfport Realty owner Stacey Purcell.

“No one really knows why the tree is there actually,” Purcell said. “It sort of took off aft er it was posted on Facebook.”

From Facebook to multiple online publications including Newsweek, the posting grabbed online interest with some positive comments, as well as expected negativity.

“We did get some ugly comments, like ‘Why would anyone buy this house?’” Purcell said.

“I have a lot of questions. Most of them involving a tree in the kitchen,” one commenter wrote on “Zillow Gone Wild” on Instagram.

“Where’s the required alligator in the pool? I thought it was a Florida deal breaker,” wrote another.

Nonetheless, the sale is pending with some backup offers in the wings.

“It has lowered the value on the home. Normally a property in that area would be around $1.2 million,” Purcell said. “There is no structural damage visible, but people are hesitant about a giant tree growing through the house.”

It’s unclear if the potential new owners will be keen to preserve the oaky novelty, but Purcell says they are looking into doing a complete remodel.