Real estate agent Donna Kerr used to be so serious about decorating for Halloween that she went to court over it. Back in 2013, the elaborate “Haunted Garden” that she created in her Silver Spring yard became such a big attraction that it ignited a neighborhood feud, and a legal squabble with Montgomery County. Kerr wound up on Good Morning America, defending the over-the-top display. Alas, the county ultimately shut it down.
As a result, for the last several Halloweens, Kerr says, “I’ve just kind of been dark.” But then a friend told her about the 12-foot skeletons for sale this year at Home Depot—and her holiday spirt was reignited. “With Covid, everything is just so awful,” says Kerr. “I just thought, this will be a breath of fresh air. This will be so much fun.” She ordered ten of the skeletons. A huge tractor-trailer dropped them off in September, and they’ve been in her front yard ever since.
“Everybody that walks by, they just love them,” says Kerr. “People stop and take pictures. It just brings a smile to everybody’s face.” Which sparked a business idea: Why not bring the skeletons along to some of her real estate listings? For the month of October, says Kerr, “We’re taking the skellies on tour!”
She recently staged a number of units at the Power Plant Condos at National Park Seminary, using a few of the giant skeletons, and about 15 smaller ones from her vast collection of spooky decor. Some of the condos, which are in converted industrial buildings, have unusually tall ceilings—a feature perfectly highlighted by the 12-footers.
Kerr says the skeletons will be sticking around for the public open house happening at the Power Plant condos this weekend, in case you want to check them out in-person. Meanwhile, she also used them to stage a listing in Silver Spring’s Rosewood neighborhood. Next weekend, Kerr is planning to take them to a house in Bethesda: “It’s like, where are they gonna be next?”
Take a look at the skellies in action around the Power Plant condos:
Marisa M. Kashino joined Washingtonian in 2009 and was a senior editor until 2022.
