One common element is a spooky setting. The house is often old, dilapidated, and isolated. Another is strange noises like creaking floorboards, moans, or whispers. For example, in many horror house stories, characters hear unexplained sounds that add to the fear. Also, there are often strange apparitions or figures. These could be ghosts, demons, or just shadowy forms that the characters can't quite identify.
Common elements include an atmosphere of dread. The very air in the horror house seems to be thick with fear. There are often things that are not as they seem. For instance, a seemingly normal object like a mirror might show something terrifying. Unnatural lights also play a part, like a flickering candle that creates eerie shadows. And of course, there's always the threat of the unknown. The characters don't know what's lurking in the next room or around the next corner, which keeps the readers on the edge of their seats.