7 homes with secret hideaways you can buy right now

published 24 September 2015

New Hope, Pennsylvania. This recently renovated six-bedroom stone manor, set on 12.2 acres, was built in 1762. An interior secret stairwell behind a revolving bookcase leads to the first floor.

Additional features include French doors, wide-plank wood floors, two fireplaces, and an in-ground pool with a pool house. $2,795,000. Kevin Steiger, Kurfiss/Sotheby's International Realty, (215) 519-1746.

Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. Built in 1930, this four-bedroom home lies just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati. The house has a stained-glass window, French doors, high ceilings, and crown molding.

A secret room with a bar and bathroom inside is reached via a bookcase in the study. $849,000. Barb Massman and Cindy Hahn, Coldwell Banker West Shell, (859) 341-9000.

South Kingstown, Rhode Island. The Potter Homestead is a four-bedroom Federal-style colonial built in 1809. Features include four fireplaces, a garden room, and a living room with an exposed-beam ceiling.

A secret staircase to the second floor is accessible from the keeping room, a room historically used to heat a house throughout the night. $1,200,000. Jose Aguon, Gustave White/Sotheby's International Realty, (401) 848-6723.

Reedville, Virginia. The Gables, a four-bedroom mortise-and-tenon-constructed house, was built by Capt. James Fisher in 1909. The mast of Fisher's schooner, the John B. Adams, runs through the top two floors; there are also ship's cabin doors, an oak staircase, and a secret fourth floor with small bell-shaped rooms.

The 1.2-acre property on Chesapeake Bay includes a six-bedroom bed-and-breakfast and a two-bedroom cottage. $1,750,000. Travis Powell, Select Properties of Virginia, (804) 512-2086.

Delaware, Ohio. This five-bedroom home sits on 1.5 landscaped acres that include a pool, an outdoor kitchen, and a fireplace. The house has hardwood floors, a French farmhouse–style kitchen with marble counters, and a secret bedroom with a hidden hallway entry.

Additional amenities include a three-car garage with heated floors and a small house used as a fitness room. $1,899,000. Jane Kessler-Lennox, New Albany Realty, (614) 939-8900.

Naperville, Illinois. Built in 2004, this four-bedroom Tuscan-style home is set within walking distance of downtown and area museums. Details include a chef's kitchen, walnut and travertine floors, and a master suite with a fireplace.

The house is equipped with a secret panic room as well as a wine cellar. $2,575,000. Peter Angelo and Kate Waddell, Jameson/Sotheby's International Realty, (312) 751-0300.

Syracuse, New York. This five-bedroom Arts and Crafts–style house was built in 1916. Pulling a string in a small door under the staircase reveals a Prohibition-era secret room in the basement.

Other details include cherry cabinets, a 750-bottle wine cellar, two fireplaces, stained-glass windows, and wall-panel art. $455,969. Janice Egan, Keller Williams Realty, (315) 391-5082.**Want more? Check out "7 mountain homes you can buy right now"**