Builders built “spite houses” quickly to take advantage of loopholes in local laws, as well as address flaws in urban planning until the early 20th century. Alexandria, Virginia, is unusual because it has four spite houses. Those who built them found that revenge is expensive. Today, building a fence or wall is more cost-effective.

Spite Houses are real-life examples of how far people will go to make a point by building homes to annoy, obstruct, or protest.