The legendary Stahl House, widely regarded as a masterpiece of Los Angeles mid-century modern architecture, has been put up for sale for the first time in its 65-year history. The striking cantilevered home, dramatically positioned in the Hollywood Hills, entered the real estate market this week with an asking price of $25 million.
The Stahl family, who has owned and maintained the property since its completion, released a heartfelt statement explaining their difficult decision to sell. Bruce and Shari Stahl, children of the original owners, wrote that the iconic residence had become increasingly challenging to properly maintain. "This home has been the center of our lives for decades, but as we've gotten older, it has become increasingly challenging to care for it with the attention and energy it so richly deserves," they explained in their statement.
The family emphasized their commitment to finding the right buyer, stating that the time had come to locate "a new steward of the house – someone who not only appreciates its architectural significance but also understands its place in the cultural landscape of Los Angeles and beyond."
The remarkable story of the Stahl House begins in May 1954, when C.H. "Buck" Stahl and his wife Carlotta purchased a steep, undeveloped hillside lot in the Hollywood Hills for $13,500. Despite the home's eventual fame as a symbol of Los Angeles luxury living, Buck often reminded visitors that "nobody famous ever lived here," describing his family as "a blue-collar family living in a white-collar house." Buck worked as a graphic designer and sign painter, and he and Carlotta personally transported concrete from city construction projects to their property on weekends to help build their dream home.
Buck created the original architectural design for the house during the summer of 1956, though his ambitious vision initially met with skepticism from professional architects who considered the precarious hillside location unbuildable. After multiple rejections, the Stahls interviewed architect Pierre Koenig in November 1957, and he courageously agreed to take on the challenging project.
The project received crucial support through the Case Study House program, an innovative architectural initiative led by John Entenza, editor of Arts & Architecture magazine. This program provided the Stahls with financial subsidies to hire Koenig and pursue their modernist vision. According to Adrian Scott Fine, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Conservancy, "The modernist program was about experimentation and using new materials and building in places that maybe previously the technology didn't really allow. All those things are wrapped up into a place like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, modern and unthinkable in terms of how it was built on that site that everyone else thought, at the time, was unbuildable."
Designated as Case Study House No. 22, construction began in May 1959 with a remarkably modest budget of just $37,500. The family was able to move into their completed home by May 1960. Fine describes the finished product as "an idealized version of what everyone thinks LA is and should be."
Shortly after construction was completed, architectural photographer Julius Shulman captured what would become perhaps the most famous photograph of mid-century modern architecture. Shot through the home's floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the iconic image features two women seated in the living room, appearing to float above the sprawling Los Angeles skyline below. Kevin Daly, founder of Kevin Daly Architects and adjunct professor at UCLA's School of Architecture and Urban Design, believes "the enduring impact of Shulman's photo is due to the way it conveys an idea about living in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both in the city and removed from it."
The Stahl House's cultural significance extends far beyond architecture, having made memorable appearances in numerous films, television shows, and music videos. Notable film appearances include "Playing by Heart" (1998), "Galaxy Quest" (1999), and "Nurse Betty" (2000), cementing its status as a Hollywood icon.
Recognizing its architectural and cultural importance, the City of Los Angeles declared the Stahl House a historic-cultural landmark in 1999. The property received additional recognition in 2013 when it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a designation that identifies properties worthy of preservation, though it should be noted that this listing does not provide actual legal protection for the structure.
For the past 17 years, the Stahl family has generously opened their home for public tours, allowing architecture enthusiasts and tourists to experience this masterpiece firsthand. Currently, all tours are sold out through February, demonstrating the continued public fascination with the property. In their sales announcement, the family promised to provide ample advance notice before discontinuing these popular tours.
The current listing emphasizes the importance of finding a buyer who will preserve the home's unique character and historical significance. The listing description reads: "For collectors of design, patrons of architecture, or institutions seeking to safeguard an American masterpiece, there is simply nothing comparable. This is not merely a sale; it is a passing of responsibility – a search for the next custodian who will honor the house's history, respect its architectural purity, and ensure its preservation for generations to come."
Fine acknowledges the anxiety that preservation advocates feel whenever such an important property changes hands. "I think any time a longtime owner, and a stewardship like this, is transferring hands of a property like this, it always gives us a little bit of a pause – because you never know what the next owner, what their intentions will be. And will they understand and appreciate the house, as in this particular case the Stahl family has?" The sale represents not just a real estate transaction, but a critical moment in preserving one of America's most significant architectural landmarks for future generations.
