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The famous Stahl house, a quintessential example of mid-century modern architecture, is up for sale for the very first time in its entire history.

This cantilevered home, perched in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood, appeared on the market this past week. The price tag stands at an impressive $25 million.

Family Decision to Sell

The Stahl family, who have been the proprietors of the residence for its full 65-year existence, released a statement regarding their decision to sell. They expressed that the property had grown increasingly challenging to upkeep.

"This residence has been the center of our lives for a long time, but as we’ve aged, it has become more difficult to maintain it with the care and vigor it so rightfully warrants," commented the offspring of the initial owners.

They continued that the time had come to find a new "guardian" for the house – "an individual who not only appreciates its architectural importance but also grasps its place in the cultural landscape of Los Angeles and beyond."

Unassuming Origins

The inception of the Stahl house date to May 1954, when the first owners bought a sloped patch of land in the at the time undeveloped Hollywood Hills neighborhood for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house becoming a well-known icon of the city, the residents often stressed that "no famous individuals ever lived here," referring to themselves as a "average family living in a architectural masterpiece."

Design Feat

The first design for the Stahl house was created during the warm season of 1956. However, many builders were originally hesitant to build it on the challenging hillside.

In November 1957, the Stahls interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to accept the challenge. With support from the notable Case Study program, led by a prominent magazine editor, the owners received support to engage Koenig.

The contemporary program "centered around trial and error" and "utilizing new resources and building in locations that maybe previously the technology didn’t really enable," commented an expert from a local conservancy. "All those things are wrapped up into a property like the Stahl house, which was innovative, contemporary and unthinkable in terms of how it was built on that plot that everyone else thought, at the time, was impossible to build."

Completion and Famous Legacy

The Stahl house was assigned Case Study house No. 22, and work commenced in May 1959. According to the family, construction cost "a mere $37,500" and the home was finished by May 1960. The result was "a perfect representation of what everyone thinks LA is and should be," the authority noted.

Soon after construction was finished, a celebrated architectural photographer shot what is possibly the most well-known photograph of the home. Taken through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the image depicts two women positioned in the home’s living room but appearing to hover over the LA skyline.

"In my opinion the lasting influence of this image is due to the way it conveys an idea about residing in Los Angeles, an duality about being both in the city and separate from it," said a principal of an architectural company and adjunct professor at a prominent university.

Historic Status

The home has made historic cameos in movies, broadcast and promos, including several well-known titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city designated the Stahl house a historic-cultural landmark, and in 2013, the house was listed as a conserved building on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Ownership

The home remains open for public viewings, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all appointments are currently reserved through February. In their announcement regarding the sale, the family stated they would give "ample notice" before ending the tours.

The property description for the home emphasizes finding a new owner who will maintain the character of the space.

"For connoisseurs of design, patrons of design, or institutions seeking to preserve an iconic work, there is simply no parallel," the description say. "This goes beyond a transaction; it is a passing of responsibility – a search for the next steward who will honor the house’s past, respect its architectural purity, and guarantee its preservation for generations to come."

The expert concurred that the selection of purchaser would be a critical one, given the home’s legacy.

"I think any time a long-term steward, and a custodianship like this, is transferring hands of a property like this, it always creates a little bit of a concern – because you never know what the next owner, what their plans will be. And will they grasp and value the house, as in this particular case the Stahl family has?"