What was once the most expensive home for sale in Battle Creek still sits on the market five years later.

Located on the shores of Saint Mary's Lake, "White Gates" is an impressive estate that looks like something pulled straight from shows like Downton Abbey or The Crown. But you don't have to travel overseas to find a property as refined as this one!

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White Gates History

The White Gates manor was originally built in 1938 by the well-to-do Burt family. The Burts were descendants of wealthy landowner and lumber baron Wellington Richardson Burt of Saginaw, which explains why the estate is located on Wellington Place.

Jim Criteser RE/MAX Perrett Associates
Jim Criteser RE/MAX Perrett Associates
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In 1961 a group of nuns from the Sisters of Mercy of the Providence of Detroit purchased the property from the Burt family and began using it as a recreational retreat. Over time the property "outlived its usefulness to the sisters", who eventually put it up for sale for $300,000.

White Gates - Present Day

Technically considered a mansion, the 9-bedroom, 13-bathroom home is priced to sell. When it originally hit the market in 2017 it was listed for $2.5 million. After five years it eventually sold for $880,000 in June 2022 but is now back on the market for a measly $799,000.

Do you think it's haunted?

If it wasn't ghosts that sent the most recent owners running perhaps it was the home's interior!

Jim Criteser RE/MAX Perrett Associates
Jim Criteser RE/MAX Perrett Associates
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With its loud wallpaper, brightly colored floors, and decorative murals, this has got to be one of the more "unique" home interiors I've ever seen. There's a lot of work to be done inside but that just means there's plenty of potential for you to make it your own.

Says the properties Zillow listing,

Endless possibilities of what you can do here, bed & breakfast, executive retreats, event venue, destination weddings a columned gazebo sits overlooking the lake. Bring back the beauty of this place with its multiple patios and gardens.

Downton Abbey? Check Out This Impressive Lakeside Manor For Sale in Battle Creek

Once the most expensive home in Battle Creek, the asking price has been greatly reduced and is a steal at only $799,000!