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The famous Stahl house, a paragon of midcentury modern architectural design, is up for sale for the initial occasion in its entire history.

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

Family Decision to Let Go

The Stahl family, who have held title to the home for its full 65-year existence, issued a statement regarding their resolution to sell. They expressed that the house had grown increasingly challenging to care for.

"This home has been the heart of our lives for a long time, but as we’ve aged, it has become increasingly challenging to care for it with the attention and effort it so richly deserves," wrote the children of the original owners.

They continued that the moment had arrived to find a new "guardian" for the house – "someone who not only appreciates its design legacy but also comprehends its position in the cultural history of LA and beyond."

Unassuming Inception

The inception of the Stahl house date to May 1954, when the original owners purchased 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 family often stressed that "no famous individuals ever lived here," characterizing themselves as a "average family living in a white-collar house."

Construction Undertaking

The initial design for the Stahl house was created during the summer months of 1956. However, many architects were initially wary to erect it on the precarious hillside.

In November 1957, the family met with architect Pierre Koenig, who decided to take on the task. With support from the notable Case Study program, pioneered by a prominent magazine editor, the Stahls received support to hire Koenig.

The modernist program "was about trial and error" and "using new building materials and erecting in sites that maybe previously the technology didn’t really permit," stated an authority from a local conservancy. "Each of these factors are integrated into a site like the Stahl house, which was cutting-edge, progressive and unimaginable in terms of how it was constructed on that location that everyone else believed, at the time, was not feasible."

Finalization and Cultural Impact

The Stahl house became Case Study house No. 22, and building began in May 1959. According to the owners, construction cost "just $37,500" and the home was move-in ready by May 1960. The outcome was "an idealized version of what everyone imagines LA is and should be," the expert commented.

Soon after completion, a renowned architectural photographer shot what is arguably the most well-known image of the home. Captured through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the image depicts two women seated in the home’s living room but looking to levitate over the city skyline.

"I think the long-standing impact of this photo is due to the way it communicates an idea about residing in Los Angeles, an duality about being both metropolitan and separate from it," said a head of an architectural firm and adjunct professor at a leading university.

Protected Designation

The home has had historic cameos in cinema, broadcast and videos, including several popular 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 included as a preserved site on the National Register of Historic Places.

Future Custodianship

The home continues to be open for visits, as it has been for the last 17 years, although all appointments are currently reserved through February. In their statement announcing the sale, the family said they would give "plenty of advance notice" before discontinuing the tours.

The listing for the home stresses finding a new owner who will preserve the character of the space.

"For enthusiasts of architecture, supporters of architecture, or organizations seeking to safeguard an iconic work, there is simply no equal," the details state. "This is more than a purchase; it is a handover of custody – a quest for the next steward who will celebrate the house’s legacy, respect its architectural purity, and ensure its conservation for future generations."

The specialist affirmed that the selection of purchaser would be a crucial one, given the home’s legacy.

"I believe any time a longtime owner, and a stewardship like this, is being sold of a property like this, it always causes a little bit of a pause – because you are unsure what the next owner, what their plans will be. And can they understand and value the house, as in this particular case the Stahl family has?"