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The celebrated Stahl house, a paragon of modernist architecture, is currently listed for the very first time in its whole history.

This overhanging home, nestled in the Hollywood Hills area, appeared on the real estate market this past week. The listing price stands at a notable $25 million.

Stewards Choice to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have owned the home for its complete 65-year timeline, released a statement regarding their choice to sell. They stated that the house had become excessively demanding to care for.

"This residence has been the core of our lives for decades, but as we’ve gotten older, it has become increasingly challenging to maintain it with the dedication and effort it so richly deserves," wrote the descendants of the first owners.

They added that the time had come to find a new "custodian" for the house – "a person who not only appreciates its design legacy but also comprehends its role in the cultural fabric of the city and beyond."

Humble Beginnings

The beginnings of the Stahl house go back to May 1954, when the first owners bought a hilly parcel of land in the then undeveloped Hollywood Hills area for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house growing into a famous symbol of the city, the owners often emphasized that "nobody famous ever lived here," describing themselves as a "blue-collar family living in a white-collar house."

Construction Feat

The first design for the Stahl house was created during the warm season of 1956. However, many architects were initially reluctant to construct it on the difficult hillside.

In November 1957, the family met with architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to accept the challenge. With backing from the notable Case Study program, led by a prominent magazine editor, the Stahls received subsidies to commission Koenig.

The modernist program "was about trial and error" and "utilizing new building materials and erecting in places that maybe previously the engineering didn’t really allow," commented an authority from a city preservation society. "Each of these factors are integrated into a place like the Stahl house, which was cutting-edge, contemporary and inconceivable in terms of how it was built on that plot that everyone else considered, at the time, was impossible to build."

Completion and Iconic Legacy

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and building started in May 1959. According to the family, construction totaled "only $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The final product was "the ultimate vision of what everyone imagines LA is and should be," the authority noted.

Soon after construction was finished, a renowned architectural photographer captured what is arguably the most iconic image of the home. Captured through the enormous glass windows, the photograph shows two women sitting in the home’s living room but appearing to hover over the Los Angeles skyline.

"In my opinion the long-standing influence of the image is due to the way it expresses an idea about living in Los Angeles, an duality about being both metropolitan and separate from it," stated a founder of an architectural firm and adjunct professor at a leading university.

Protected Recognition

The home has had memorable cameos in movies, TV and videos, including several well-known titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city recognized the Stahl house a protected monument, and in 2013, the house was listed as a preserved site on the National Register of Historic Places.

Coming Ownership

The home continues to be open for tours, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all appointments are currently reserved through February. In their statement announcing the sale, the family indicated they would give "ample notice" before ending the tours.

The sales details for the home emphasizes finding a new owner who will conserve the character of the space.

"For collectors of architecture, patrons of building, or institutions seeking to preserve an American masterpiece, there is simply no parallel," the description read. "This goes beyond a purchase; it is a transfer of stewardship – a search for the next steward who will celebrate the house’s past, respect its architectural purity, and secure its conservation for future generations."

The expert affirmed that the choice of buyer would be a crucial one, given the home’s history.

"I believe any time a long-term steward, and a custodianship like this, is changing ownership of a residence like this, it always causes a little bit of a hesitation – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their aims will be. And do they understand and appreciate the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"