Pope Leos childhood home is for sale and its owner is jacking up the price: A winning lottery ticket

This house of God is a total real-estate blessing!The owner of Pope Leo XIII’s childhood home in the suburbs of Chicago yanked the humble abode off the market overnight with potential plans to jack up the price — after learning the Catholic church’s new world leader once lived there, his real-estate agent told The Post on Friday.“It’s like a winning lottery ticket.What are the chances?” Realtor Steve Budzik said of the owner’s decision to pull the property.The small brick house in Dalton, Ill.

— where drug dealers once resided after the pope’s family sold it, according to neighbors — had been bought by a house-flipper last year, fixed up and listed for $200,000, Budzik said.But after learning of the pad’s now-famous roots late Thursday, the owner took it off the market as he considers increasing the price or even potentially turning it into a museum or another historic landmark.On Thursday — after the world learned Chicago native Robert Prevost was named the first American pope — the home owner received four offers on the five-bedroom, two-bathroom house, Budzik said.The modest-looking house had previously been on the market for more than 100 days.“It was listed for 200 [thousand dollars], but there is no way he’s going to sell it for 200 with all the value it has now,” Budzik said of the 1,200-square-foot abode.“I’m sure people have a similar idea to make it for tours.”“[The owner] is excited and just kinda in shock right now,” he said.“It’s been quite interesting the last 24 hours,’’ Budzik added.

“Just with all the activity and people are making offers and calling and wanting to see it.”The house at 212 E.141st Place sits just a few blocks from Andy’s Hot Dogs and Chuck’s Gun Shop & Pistol Range, and was renovated after the owner bought it for $66,000 last year, records show....