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Famous Real Estate All Around Us

Written by Jaymi Naciri Posted On Wednesday, 29 January 2014 12:20

The arrival of Punxsutawney Phil on Groundhog's Day in Punxsutawney, PA - a town made famous for its annual visitor and his shadow (or lack thereof) - got us thinking about other famous places. And famous houses. And before we knew it we were looking at pics of homes that were made famous in the movies and iconic TV homes or homes that were notable - because of who lived there or because a murder occurred there, or a murder was filmed there and... well, you can read about it all below.

We're exploring it all - the good, the bad, the famous, the ghoulish, and the groundhogish.

1. Punxsutawney, PA's "most famous resident" is Punxsutawney Phil, a groundhog said to predict the weather annually on Groundhog Day (February 2)," said Wikipedia. But there are approximately 6,000 other full-time residents who make their home in this 3.4-square-mile city.

Punxsutawney is filled with "pre-World War II architecture," said Neighborhood Scout, "making it one of the older and more historic boroughs in the country." Properties for sale range from a one-bedroom, 733-square foot home for $24,000 to a five-bedroom home on a 53-acre ranch priced at $425,000.

2. Almost all of the movie Groundhog Day was actually filmed in Woodstock, Illinois).

3. The city of Gotham, as portrayed in the Batman movies, is fictional. And despite the fact that Gotham was described by Batman: The Dark Knight Returns writer Frank Miller as "New York City at night," according to Wikipedia, it wasn't based on New York at all. "It was originally strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles, and has since incorporated elements from New York City, Detroit, Pittsburgh, London and Chicago," said Wikipedia.

4. Wayne Manor would cost more than $32 million. That is the assessment of The Independent. "Using floor plans from a 1990s role-playing game (and using other famous people's home, such as Michael Jordan's as a guide), they put the value of 1007 Mountain Drive, Gotham, at around $32,100,000, excluding the Batcave and it's cave-front water access which they suggest would probably not be included in the sale."

5. A little too steep? The Independent priced another, more affordable, gem: "Barbie's dream house in Malibu would cost a little under $18,000."

6. Perhaps homes featured in animated films are more your speed. You can own a house that looks just like the real-life Up! House... if you can kick out the current owners.

The Movie Up! House
Gizmodo

Or, get in contact with developer Bangerter Homes, who (with permission), built it in Herriman, Utah. "The house, which is a full-scale replica of the home in the Disney/Pixar movie "Up", was originally built... to be part of the 2011 Salt Lake City Parade of Homes but became a tourist attraction that has brought more than 1000 people a week through suburban Herriman," said Jaunted.

You can see more pics of the house here.

7. Sometimes you can get a house for a song, if you're willing to live at the scene of a murder. The "stunning, 2,000-square foot split-level home atop a rocky hill on a two-acre lot deep in the woods near the town of Bath (Ohio)" seemed like a steal at $269,000," said MSN. And it was, for a house that "had been the childhood home of serial murderer Jeffrey Dahmer" and also the place that the serial killer committed his first murder.

Ultimately, a great price for a great home trumped the oogie factor. The buyer made a lowball offer at $245,000, which was accepted.

8. The Beverly Hills house that William Randolph Hearst lived in was also the honeymoon spot of Jackie and John F. Kennedy,  was the set of the Godfather, and was also featured in The Bodyguard, said MSN.

Bring your giant family to fill the home's 29 bedrooms (and two guest houses, an apartment, an Art Deco nightclub, a cinema, plus an outdoor terrace with room for 400 guests, in 50,000 square feet, per MSN), and your giant bank account. The L.A. home that was once listed for $165 million today rents for $600,000 a month.

9. You can make an argument about the Brady Bunch house being the most recognizable house in the world. The 2,500-square-foot home in North Hollywood, CA still stands today, looking every bit as brown and suburban and middle classy as it ever did, only now with the addition of a (very necessary) fence around the perimeter. The home, which sold in 1973 for $61,000, was listed for sale in 2008 at $2 million. It was taken off the market shortly after.

The Brady Bunch House

You can check out video of the home below.

10. Still obsessed with the Brady House? You can build your own! Check out the floorplans here. And don't forget the orange countertops.

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