The iconic home depicted in the 1970s family sitcom, “The Brady Bunch,” has a new owner and is likely headed back to television. Home design channel HGTV triumphed in a bidding war, revealing itself this week as the new owner of the Studio City, Calif., home.
The network is quiet on its plans for the 2,500-square-foot home, but David Zaslav, CEO of HGTV’s parent company Discovery, said HGTV intends to restore the home to its “1970s glory.” The house was listed for nearly $1.9 million. The final sales price has not yet been disclosed, but reportedly the home was fetching bids of up to $3 million.
“More details to come over the next few months, but we’ll bring all the resources to bear to tell safe, fun stories with this beloved piece of American TV history,” Zaslav told CNN.
HGTV beat out several other parties in a bidding war for the home, including former NSYNC member Lance Bass. Bass had publicly announced on Twitter last week that he had the winning bid for the home, but later voiced frustration that he had been outbid when he learned “another corporate buyer” wanted the home “at any cost.” When Bass learned that “corporate buyer” was HGTV, he was quick to soften his tone about losing out on the home. “I know you will do the right thing with the house,” he tweeted to HGTV. “That was always my biggest worry.”
This is the first time the “Brady Bunch” home has been on the market in 50 years. It previously sold for $61,000 in 1973, a year before the show had ended.
“The iconic residence is reportedly the second most photographed home in the United States after the White House,” Ernie Carswell, the selling agent of the home, noted on a description for the listing. The home features one of the largest lots in the neighborhood and has been preserved in 1970s decor, the listing reads.
Source: “HGTV Is the Winning Bidder on ‘The Brady Bunch’ House,” CNN (Aug. 8, 2018) and “‘Brady Bunch’ House Winner Revealed: HGTV Outbid Lance Bass,” NPR (Aug. 8, 2018), NAR
Solterra Resortis located in heart of Four Corners, Florida which is in proximity to Disney World and every popular attractions close to it. Planned and built by prestigious builders who are known well for their Popular Vacation Home communities giving its residents the feel of an ultimate Florida Vacation. Solterra is nestled around plenty of conservation, never shying too far away from the natural habitat around. This beautiful 6 bedroom, 5 1/2 bathroom home is located just around the corner from the clubhouse making for easy access to all of its amenities! Pick and choose your finishings as you prefer, this home is entirely about you! This Belize Floor Planwill be ready to go in September 2018 but there are many other inventory homes available in Solterra Resort.
*Picture of Belize Model Home. Inventory Home available September 2018**
5285 Oakbourne Ave – Belize B – Solterra Resort
$419,240
6 Bedrooms |5.5 Bathrooms | 3,173 sq ft
Ready September 2018!
Spacious 2 Story Floor Plan with Covered Lanai
Solterra Resortincludes many amenities for a resort style community feel. Allow yourself to relax in the Cyber Cafe and catch up on the latest in the news, or work off your energy in the Fitness Center. This community was aimed for Disney visitors providing amenities that allow you to stay on property through out vacation.
Orlando Retirement Home JUST REDUCED in Polo Park West
174 Jackson Park Ave
Orlando Retirement Home For Sale – THREE bedroom/two bath home with 78′ ON THE GOLF COURSE (#5 tee) in a gated 55+ community with LOW HOA fees ($580/year). This home offers a kitchen with a breakfast room overlooking the golf course, a separate dining room, split bedrooms, a 12×15 glassed-in Florida Room also overlooking the golf course, a tandem driveway, and an 8×10 storage shed. The lawn is partially grass and stone with path lights, and the roof was replaced approximately five (5) years ago. The a/c was upgraded with a new coil and switches two (2) years ago. This home comes mostly furnished less several personal items on the inventory sheet.
So Your Offer Was Rejected? This Might Be the Real Reason Why
You loved the house so much, you made an offer—a good one. Yet for some unfathomable reason, it was rejected. What gives?
While home sellers don’t have to explain why they pass up what seems like a perfectly fine offer, trust us, they do have their reasons—and it’s not always just because a higher bidder came along. Sometimes, sorry to say, it really is you.
Worried you might be doing or saying something that’s making home sellers steer clear? Check out these stories from real-life home sellers and their real estate agents on what prompted them to pass up an offer. Consider this a list of what not to do when you really want a house.
Your offer letter revealed a little too much
“When the bids are very close, things like a personal offer letter can either help or hurt, depending on what it says,” says Andrea Gordon, a real estate agent with Red Oak Realty in Oakland, CA. “In one case, the buyer went on and on about the huge remodel he would do when he owned the house. But this was a slap in the face to my sellers, who had spent a considerable amount of money in the past five years remodeling the property. In another case, the buyers wrote a poem to the sellers, but there were spelling mistakes throughout. My seller thought it was over the top, and was appalled by their lack of proper grammar.”
Take-home lesson: There are many agents who swear by the power of a heartfelt offer letter, but make sure that you don’t in any way insult the sellers or their taste. And, apparently the grammar police are out there—you’ve been warned!
Your offer was too high—really
“I had a listing in a very sought-after neighborhood, and we immediately received two offers over list price,” says Gail Romansky at Pearson Smith Realty in Ashburn, VA. “The first offer was $15,000 over list price. The second offer was $40,000 over list price. While the latter higher offer was tempting to take, I explained that the house was not likely to appraise for this higher amount, which meant the loan might not close. So we went with the lower offer of the two.”
Take-home lesson: A higher offer isn’t always better, since lenders will only loan you as much as the house is appraised for—not a cent more. A solid, realistic offer is a much better move—or, if you do bid high, make sure you’re willing to cover the difference out of your own pocket.
Your lender was unfamiliar to the seller
“When we saw an offer from a buyer who was using an online lender we’d never heard of, it made us wary,” says Misty Weaver, a real estate agent with Samson Properties in Chantilly, VA. “That’s because we couldn’t be sure that they understood the local customs and laws, specifically if they might worry the septic system was a risk and deny the loan. A local lender would already understand.”
Take-home lesson: Often a real estate agent and seller feel more comfortable with a local lender they know. Do your research and choose the loan that’s right for you, but consider giving preference to a well-regarded local mortgage lender when possible.
You demanded a family heirloom
“My sellers had specifically excluded all the chandeliers in the house, and so they were surprised when a great offer came in—but the buyers insisted on the chandelier,” says Red Oak Realty’s Gordon. “My sellers countered that the chandeliers were family heirlooms, and they would be happy to provide a credit for the replacement of the lighting fixtures, but the buyers pushily countered that they must have those fixtures. Needless to say, the sellers sold the house to someone else.”
Take-home lesson: If you swooned over not just the house, but also something in it, go ahead and request to include it in the deal. However, if it’s something the sellers want to take, let it go. It’s not worth losing the whole house in your bid for a pretty light fixture.
You made a full-price offer, but nickel-and-dimed elsewhere
“I had a buyer submit a full-price offer and then request $10,000 toward closing costs,” says Tracey Hampson, a real estate agent at Realty One Group in Valencia, CA. “So obviously that means the sellers are not in fact getting a full-price offer, but one that’s $10,000 under.”
Take-home lesson: While sellers love to see full-price offers, don’t try to Scrooge them out of that money elsewhere—they will see right through it.
You acted like you had something to hide
“A buyer made an offer on our house, but insisted on being anonymous,” recalls Amber Watson-Tardiff, a home seller in Bordentown, NJ. “Now, this wasn’t some extravagant property where a celebrity was protecting his or her privacy. It was a twin house that was being sold for under $150,000. The real estate agent wouldn’t give us any information about the person, and the whole experience just felt so shady that we decided to pass for another offer where we didn’t feel like the buyer was either a total wacko or was playing games with us.”
Take-home lesson: Playing games or withholding routine information can make the seller doubt you and your intentions.
Your financial picture didn’t look solid enough
“I had a buyer who made an offer on a house, but they came in with a low down payment, a very high debt-to-income ratio, and a subpar credit rating,” says Kevin Deselms at Re/Max Alliance in Golden, CO. “This spooked the seller because it called into question the buyer’s ability to get their loan funded and close the transaction.”
Take-home lesson: The last thing a seller wants is to get ready to close, only to discover that the buyer cannot complete the transaction and thus send them back to the drawing board. Make sure you’ve cleaned up your credit and have your finances in order before making an offer.
Are you interested in talking through how to make the best offer? Contact one of our experienced agents today to gain the best advice to help better your investments. Buying a property takes time and strategy, we want to help you into your new home, TODAY!
Orlando Retirement Villa For Sale in Polo Park West
Orlando Retirement Villa For Sale – Great THREE BED/TWO BATH home ON THE GOLF COURSE in a 55+ community with LOW HOA fees. As you step into this home, you will see the large open living room and the separate dining room that leads in to a large fully applianced kitchen. The kitchen offers a breakfast booth, floor to ceiling desk area, large pantry, and tons of cupboards and leads through cafe doors to the laundry…again with storage. From the laundry, you go to the screened-in porch overlooking the golf course. The master bedroom is HUGE with a great bath (double sinks, garden tub, separate shower). On the other side of the home are the other two bedrooms (one large enough to accommodate two double beds). The roof was replaced in 2008, and the a/c was replaced in 2014. 1995 Mercury Marquis and golf cart included.
Looking for the ideal location? Minutes from Disney and the 192 with its abundance of restaurants and stores as well as minutes from the I4? Then this home is for you. Situated on a good sized lot, this property has an extended south facing pool deck with spa and pool with beautiful views of the wooded area behind the home. The pool area has a covered lanai area as well as half bathroom and outside shower. This prettily furnished property has lots to offer its new owner. The focal point of this desirable home is the kitchen with an abundance of cabinets and granite counter tops. Adjoining the kitchen is a breakfast nook and spacious living room which overlooks the beautiful pool area. The first of the master suites overlooks and accesses the pool area via sliding doors. Upstairs is a second master suite as well as 4 well designed guest bedrooms plus additional bathrooms. The loft area functions has a family/media room with TV and comfy sectional sofa. Being an investment property, the garage has been converted into a games room for the convenience of the guests but can easily be converted back into a regular garage. This desirable neighborhood within 10 minutes of Disney and great school district make this home and development a popular choice by investors or people looking to make Florida their home. Enjoy the Florida lifestyle!
The iconic home depicted in the 1970s family sitcom, “The Brady Bunch,” has a new owner and is likely headed back to television. Home design channel HGTV triumphed in a bidding war, revealing itself this week as the new owner of the Studio City, Calif., home.
