Rachel Powers, an art college graduate from California, has become the current owner of the suburban house featured as the Freeling family home in the 1982 horror film Poltergeist. The house, located in Simi Valley, California, was listed for sale recently, prompting Powers to schedule a viewing after a long-standing connection to the film and its setting.

Powers, who initially grew up in the Chicago area before relocating to California in the early 1990s, had passed by the property many times while visiting her sister nearby. When the house went on the market, she saw an opportunity. The sale was conducted by the same owners who held the property during the film’s production. After a competitive bidding process, Powers secured the purchase.

Upon moving in, Powers experienced an eerie nostalgia due to the house’s lingering retro furnishings and preserved 1980s atmosphere. Although she initially felt uneasy—her dog was unsettled the first night, and the film’s imagery lingered in her mind—she soon embraced the house’s unique place in cinematic history.

The property has drawn fans from around the world, many of whom have contacted Powers with memories and anecdotes related to Poltergeist. Visitors often stop to take photographs outside, and Powers has responded by incorporating subtle references to the film inside the home. These include a television set that plays only static and providing access to a video cassette of Poltergeist alongside other 1980s movies. Powers also added an Atari console, although her daughters have reportedly shown little enthusiasm for the retro additions.

Guests frequently engage in creative activities, such as reenacting scenes from the film, including the iconic moment when a steak appears to move on its own or sliding across the floor as though pushed by unseen forces. Some visitors bring replicas of the toy clown that plays a key role in the movie. Although some have reported experiencing flickering lights or hearing unexplained noises when using the house’s original copper landline, Powers notes these phenomena probably have mundane explanations, though their mysterious nature adds to the home’s allure.

While the film portrayed the house as the site of supernatural terror, Powers emphasizes the real home is welcoming. Notably, the tree outside one bedroom window, which appeared to come alive in the movie, was removed after filming. Additionally, a muddy pit featured in a climactic scene has since been replaced by a finished swimming pool.

Despite the home’s notoriety, Powers has only occasionally rented it to Poltergeist fans. Oliver Robins, the child actor who portrayed Robbie Freeling, has visited several times, including a recent Halloween where he joined Powers in handing out candy, wearing the same red pajamas he donned in the film.

What began as a practical decision to buy a family home has evolved into an embrace of its unique cinematic legacy. Powers acknowledges that while she did not initially envision the house as her permanent residence, it has grown into a cherished and distinctive part of her family’s life. Her children have expressed their desire to keep the home, underscoring its continuing significance beyond its role in one of horror cinema’s most iconic films.