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The famous Stahl house, a quintessential example of midcentury modern architectural design, is now available for the initial occasion in its whole history.

This cantilevered home, nestled in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood, hit the real estate market this week. The price tag stands at a notable $25 million.

Family Choice to Part With

The Stahl family, who have owned the home for its entire 65-year timeline, issued a declaration regarding their resolution to sell. They noted that the property had grown excessively demanding to upkeep.

"This home has been the heart of our lives for decades, but as we’ve gotten older, it has become increasingly challenging to maintain it with the care and energy it so richly deserves," commented the descendants of the original owners.

They continued that the period had emerged to find a new "guardian" for the house – "someone who not only appreciates its design legacy but also comprehends its position in the cultural fabric of Los Angeles and beyond."

Unassuming Beginnings

The inception of the Stahl house date to May 1954, when the initial owners acquired a mountainous parcel of land in the previously undeveloped Hollywood Hills district for $13,500.

Despite the Stahl house evolving into a well-known symbol of the city, the owners often emphasized that "nobody famous ever lived here," referring to themselves as a "average family living in a luxury house."

Architectural Feat

The initial design for the Stahl house was developed during the summer of 1956. However, many builders were initially reluctant to build it on the precarious hillside.

In November 1957, the owners interviewed architect Pierre Koenig, who consented to take on the project. With support from the notable Case Study program, pioneered by a key magazine editor, the Stahls received subsidies to engage Koenig.

The progressive program "was about trial and error" and "utilizing new materials and building in places that maybe before the technology didn’t really allow," stated an authority from a city preservation society. "All these elements are integrated into a property like the Stahl house, which was avant-garde, modern and unimaginable in terms of how it was built on that site that everyone else believed, at the time, was not feasible."

Finalization and Iconic Influence

The Stahl house was designated Case Study house No. 22, and work commenced in May 1959. According to the residents, construction amounted to "a mere $37,500" and the home was completed by May 1960. The result was "an idealized version of what everyone envisions LA is and should be," the specialist added.

Soon after the build ended, a renowned architectural photographer shot what is possibly the most iconic picture of the home. Taken through the full-length glass windows, the photo features two women seated in the home’s living room but looking to hover over the Los Angeles skyline.

"I think the long-standing effect of this photo is due to the way it communicates an concept about residing in Los Angeles, an ambivalence about being both metropolitan and separate from it," commented a founder of an architectural practice and lecturer at a leading university.

Cultural Recognition

The home has made notable appearances in film, TV and music videos, including several popular titles from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1999, the city declared the Stahl house a protected monument, and in 2013, the house was added as a protected property on the National Register of Historic Places.

Next Ownership

The home remains open for tours, as it has been for the past 17 years, although all tours are currently fully booked through February. In their statement regarding the sale, the family indicated they would give "plenty of advance notice" before ending the tours.

The listing for the home highlights finding a buyer who will preserve the character of the space.

"For connoisseurs of design, advocates of building, or entities seeking to preserve an iconic work, there is simply no parallel," the listing state. "This goes beyond a purchase; it is a handover of custody – a search for the next guardian who will respect the house’s legacy, appreciate its architectural purity, and secure its conservation for posterity."

The authority affirmed that the selection of new owner would be a vital one, given the home’s history.

"I think any time a longtime owner, and a stewardship like this, is transferring hands of a property like this, it always causes a little bit of a hesitation – because you are unsure what the next owner, what their aims will be. And do they understand and value the house, as in this specific case the Stahl family has?"