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The celebrated Stahl house, a paragon of mid-century modern design, is up for sale for the very first time in its complete history.

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

Stewards Choice to Part With

The Stahl family, who have owned the property for its entire 65-year history, shared a statement regarding their choice to sell. They stated that the dwelling had grown excessively demanding to maintain.

"This home has been the center of our lives for many years, but as we’ve aged, it has become increasingly challenging to maintain it with the dedication and vigor it so truly merits," stated the offspring of the initial owners.

They added that the time had come to find a new "steward" for the house – "someone who not only appreciates its design legacy but also understands its role in the cultural fabric of Los Angeles and elsewhere."

Humble Inception

The inception of the Stahl house date to May 1954, when the initial owners bought a hilly plot of land in the then undeveloped Hollywood Hills neighborhood for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house becoming a renowned representation of the city, the residents often pointed out that "no famous individuals ever lived here," referring to themselves as a "working-class family living in a luxury house."

Architectural Undertaking

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

In November 1957, the owners interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who agreed to accept the challenge. With assistance from the prominent Case Study program, led by a key magazine editor, the family received financial aid to commission Koenig.

The modernist program "focused on experimentation" and "employing new materials and constructing in sites that maybe earlier the engineering didn’t really enable," commented an authority from a regional preservation society. "All those things are integrated into a property like the Stahl house, which was cutting-edge, modern and inconceivable in terms of how it was constructed on that plot that everyone else thought, at the time, was impossible to build."

Realization and Famous Legacy

The Stahl house was assigned Case Study house No. 22, and building began in May 1959. According to the residents, construction amounted to "a mere $37,500" and the home was move-in ready by May 1960. The outcome was "a perfect representation of what everyone imagines LA is and should be," the expert added.

Soon after completion, a celebrated architectural photographer took what is perhaps the most well-known photograph of the home. Shot through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the photograph shows two women positioned in the home’s living room but seeming to hover over the LA skyline.

"In my opinion the lasting influence of this image is due to the way it communicates an idea about living in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both metropolitan and removed from it," said a founder of an architectural company and adjunct professor at a major university.

Historic Designation

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

In 1999, the city recognized the Stahl house a heritage site, and in 2013, the house was listed as a conserved building on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Custodianship

The home remains open for tours, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all slots are currently fully booked through February. In their release announcing the sale, the family said they would give "sufficient warning" before ending the tours.

The listing for the home highlights finding a new owner who will conserve the character of the space.

"For enthusiasts of design, supporters of architecture, or entities seeking to preserve an American masterpiece, there is simply nothing comparable," the listing say. "This is more than a sale; it is a handover of custody – a hunt for the next guardian who will honor the house’s legacy, appreciate its original vision, and ensure its conservation for future generations."

The specialist affirmed that the decision of new owner would be a crucial one, given the home’s past.

"I think any time a long-term steward, and a custodianship like this, is changing ownership of a property like this, it always creates a little bit of a concern – because you cannot predict what the next owner, what their aims will be. And will they understand and value the house, as in this unique case the Stahl family has?"