AOL Real Estate - Blog

Playboy Bunny House in Los Angeles Hits Market for $11 Million

AOL Real Estate Editors — 2013-04-10T12:15:00+00:00

Filed under: News, Celebrity Homes, Inside Look

The Playboy Bunnies must be hopping off to live somewhere else because the famed Playboy Bunny house (just across the street from Hugh Hefner's Playboy Mansion) has just hit the market for $11 million. TMZ was the first to report that the scintillating home of Hefner's lovely ladies is up for sale, then Omg! and The Real Estalker quickly followed up with their own confirmations. Known as the "Bunny Hutch," the 6,690-square-foot home pales in comparison to Hefner's massive estate. But it's pretty cool in its own right.

Every man in the universe is probably pulling out their checkbooks right now to slap an offer on this five-bedroom, seven-bathroom home -- picturing that backyard pool and spa, where some of the hottest Playmates, including Jayde Nicole and Jaime Edmondson, are sure to have taken a dip. (OK, slap yourself and focus!) There's much more to be had at the Playboy Bunny house: a wine cellar, an aviary, a grotto, sauna and bathhouse, noted Realty Today. Yeah, that probably didn't help you focus any better, did it? The home was featured in the hit show "The Girls Next Door."

See the listing for more details.

Find more homes for sale in Los Angeles, or search listings in your area.

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See more on Playboy Bunnies: Playboy Bunny Holly Madison: Hounding by HOA Over Doghouse Forcing Me to Sell Home

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A Year of 'Inside Look': Our Favorite Episodes

AOL Real Estate Editors — 2012-12-20T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Design, News, Inside Look

If you take a look back at our year in video, you'll see that life here at AOL Real Estate is anything but ordinary. Thanks to our "Inside Look" series, our crew (pictured above) has had the opportunity to visit some of America's most unique and downright crazy homes. And judging from all your positive feedback, you guys have enjoyed the ride, too! Here's a look back at some of our favorite "Inside Look" episodes this year.

1. NYC's Steampunk Loft

When we got a look inside this apartment for sale in New York's trendy Chelsea neighborhood, our jaws literally dropped. There was a Technicolored, floating, 30-foot-long zeppelin hanging from the ceiling! And enough vintage nautical artifacts and retro-futuristic decor to make your head spin. We were sad to hear, five months later, that the zeppelin and steampunk decor had been removed to boost its marketability -- but we're happy we have this video to remind us of the craziness that once was.

2. The Hamptons' Shipping Container Home

There are those (extremely) rare days when you just can't wait to wake up and go to work. For us at AOL Real Estate, those are the days where work takes us to the Hamptons. Now, this particular Hamptons home was not your typical beachfront mega-mansion -- quite outside the box, actually. Well, inside the box, technically. ... You'll see what we mean in the video below.

3. The Home 'Built for Jesus'

For decades, this New York home was at the center of a juicy rumor that it was built for the second coming of Jesus. So of course we had to check it out for ourselves! Not only did we get to the bottom of that wacky rumor, we also got to spend some time in one of the most extravagant and opulent houses we've ever set foot in! Vatican-inspired floors, anyone?

4. President Obama's Former Apartment

Before President Obama called 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue home, we heard his digs were a lot more down-to-earth, to say the least. Naturally, we jumped at the chance to check out his (very average, but still cool nonetheless) college apartment for ourselves, and even got the chance to chat to his college roommate, Phil Boerner!

5. Connecticut's Crazy Christmas House

In case you missed our last holiday-themed episode of "Inside Look," here it is: a home that boasts a Christmas lights display like nothing you've ever seen. We're talking 80,000 twinkling lights, 400 Christmas wreaths, 600 holiday dolls. ... It's Christmas on steroids!

On behalf of AOL Real Estate, we'd like to thank everyone for tuning in this year and for all your wonderful feedback! And we can't wait to bring you all another fun year of "Inside Look."

See also:
Hobbit Houses: Dwellings Right at Home in Tolkien's Middle Earth
Dentist's Gingerbread Houses Will Give You a Toothache

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'Christmas House' in Torrington, Connecticut, Makes More Than Spirits Bright (Inside Look)

AOL Real Estate Editors — 2012-12-06T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: News, Inside Look

There are Christmas light displays and then there's this Christmas light display. This home, in Torrington, Conn., is undoubtedly one of a kind. The kind that leaves you speechless with awe. The kind that forces you to squint from the overwhelming luminosity of 80,000 twinkling, multicolored lights. It's Christmas -- on steroids.

"I do it to bring people into Torrington," explained owner Ron Merriman, the mastermind behind the town's famous light display, which has been lit every holiday season for almost three decades. And bring people it certainly does -- 20,000 visitors each year, on average. And it's no surprise: Requiring 800 kilowatts of energy every night, the glowing "Christmas House" is a cross between an attraction and, well, (some would say) an eyesore.

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Not us, though. With steaming hot chocolate in hand, a group of bundled-up friends in tow and "Let It Snow" humming sweetly in the background, we can't lie: It's impossible not to feel ridiculously, excessively, wonderfully festive at this home.

You might think that almost nothing can beat this outrageous Christmas display, but we can think of one that might come close. Check this out:

Want to make your own DIY holiday light display? Here's how to do it safely:

If you want to get in on the Christmas spirit without necessarily going all out like Merriman's "Christmas House" -- we wouldn't encourage it, anyway -- we have some advice. It's important to note that hanging holiday lights and decorations can be dangerous if not done correctly. The National Fire Protection Association estimates that 150 fires each year are caused by holiday lighting, resulting in $8.5 million in property damage and, in some cases, injury and death.

Julie Chavanne of the Electrical Safety Foundation International suggests the following:

o. Outdoor electric lights and decorations should be plugged into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interruptors, or GFCIs. If circuits are not protected, portable outdoor GFCIs can be purchased where electrical supplies are sold and require no special knowledge or equipment to install.

o. Inspect all lights, decorations, and extension cords for damage before using.

o. Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, the house or other firm supports to protect them from wind damage, but take care not to attach the lights in a way that could damage the cord's insulation.

o. Make sure that spotlights used to illuminate decorations are well-ventilated, protected from weather, and a safe distance from flammable items.

o. Use wooden or fiberglass ladders when decorating outdoors. Metal ladders conduct electricity. And use the right ladder height, ensuring that ladders extend at least 3 feet past the edge of the roof.

o. Exercise caution when decorating near power lines. Keep yourself and your equipment at least 10 feet from power lines.

o. Indoor Christmas light display? Carefully inspect each electrical decoration. Cracked or frayed sockets, loose or bare wires, and loose connections may cause a serious shock or start a fire.

See also:
Christmas Storage Tips to Keep Your Holiday Stuff Organized
Holiday Decorations Gone Wrong
Best Places to Hide Christmas Presents

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The Second Coming: A Home Built for the Return of Jesus Christ? (Inside Look)

AOL Real Estate Editors — 2012-10-16T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: News, Inside Look

Back in May, a stunning home hit the market for $14.9 million. Built on the "highest point in all of New York City," with chandeliers from The Plaza Hotel, stained glass windows and ceilings adorned in 24-carat gold leaves, it was divine, to say the least.

Quite literally divine, as it turned out. The mansion in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx was built in 1925 by a wealthy and very devout New Yorker named Genevieve Griscom -- who never actually lived in the home. Neighbors and the press speculated that the home was built for Jesus Christ himself (who probably would object to that luxurious outdoor hot tub) on his Second Coming. Naturally, we had to check this place out for ourselves!

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Like what you see? Sean McPeak of Prudential Douglas Elliman has the listing.

Got a tip for our Inside Look series? If you know of any exceptional or unusual property currently listed for sale that's video-worthy, please email krisanne.alcantara@huffingtonpost.com with your suggestions. (Due to the volume of response, we unfortunately are unable to reply to each submission.)

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
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Frank Sinatra's NYC Penthouse (Inside Look)

AOL Real Estate Editors — 2012-09-18T15:47:00+00:00

Filed under: News, Inside Look

"I want to wake up in the city that doesn't sleep and find I'm king of the hill, top of the heap," crooned Frank Sinatra in his classic 1979 recording of "New York, New York."

Turns out that he was top of the heap, alright! The infamous, glass-walled "Birdcage" where Sinatra entertained, slept and recorded his songs was literally built on the roof of the luxury co-op building at 530 East 72nd Street in Manhattan. When we popped in for a visit, our jaws dropped looking at the 360-degree view. See for yourself in the video above!

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Want to learn more about Frank Sinatra? See our extended interview with his biographer, James Kaplan, below.

Like what you see? Jason Haber of Rubicon Property has the listing.

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Inside Look: MacKenzie-Childs Estate Is Famous Designers' Work of Art (VIDEO)

AOL Real Estate Editors — 2012-08-29T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: News, Inside Look

One of the best things about our jobs, aside from occasional trips to the Hamptons and going down penthouse slides, is getting the rare opportunity to meet and befriend some truly colorful, creative and fascinating humans. (You'll know exactly what we mean when you watch this video.) Case in point: artists and designers Victoria and Richard MacKenzie-Childs, founders of the eponymous home decor and jewelry line -- and owners of the famous "MacKenzie-Childs Estate" in New York's Finger Lakes region.

Trust us when we say that we've been invited into countless homes in the past, and never have we seen a house that so perfectly matches its owners than this gigantic "piece of art." Everything about this home and the people who live in it is filled to the brim with life and character. (Spoiler: There are dolls hanging from the bathroom ceiling!) Whether you love it or hate it, we can guarantee that you are in for a treat.

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Like what you see? Michael DeRosa and Mike Franklin of Select Sotheby's International Realty have the listing.

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Inside President Barack Obama's Former NYC Apartment (VIDEO)

Krisanne Alcantara — 2012-08-13T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: News, Celebrity Homes, Inside Look, Election 2012

Long before President Barack Obama lived at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, he lived in a beat-up two-bedroom apartment on the third floor of an Upper West Side walk-up. Like many struggling, cash-strapped college students (he was a junior at Columbia University in 1981), Obama grappled with scarce heat and hot water in the apartment, causing him and his roommate, Phil Boerner, to frequently seek warmth in diners and libraries.

Naturally, we had to take an "Inside Look" at our current president's former pad ourselves. (We even spoke to his old roomie!) Thankfully, the apartment, which is currently up for rent, has improved plenty since Obama's time -- though it's still a far cry from Obama's current digs! Speaking of, get a tour of the White House below.

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Zak Kneider and Dalila Bella of Citi Habitats have the listing for Obama's old apartment.

Phil Boerner was interviewed at The Artisan at Uptown in Sacramento, Calif.

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Hamptons Eco-Home Was Made Using 6 Shipping Containers (VIDEO)

Krisanne Alcantara — 2012-07-25T16:30:00+00:00

Filed under: News, Inside Look

We're big fans of thinking outside the box: pre-fab homes, homes with built-in slides, church conversions -- the more unconventional the living situation is, the better! But ironically, our latest attempt at thinking outside the box when it comes to luxury homes led us -- quite literally -- into a box. An 8-by-20-foot shipping container, to be precise. Well, six of them, actually, stacked on top of one another -- though you'd never be able to tell at first glance.

When we first laid eyes on this stylish Southampton home (built right on the sand ... ahhh), we thought it could have easily passed as just another edgy million-dollar beachfront contemporary. Inside the $1.395 million home, however, are some more obvious, telltale signs of its more humble past. See for yourself.

Like what you see? Christopher Stewart of Prudential Douglas Elliman has the listing.

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Got a tip for our Inside Look series? If you know of any exceptional or unusual property currently listed for sale that's video-worthy, please email krisanne.alcantara@huffingtonpost.com with your suggestions. (Due to the volume of response, we unfortunately are unable to reply to each submission.)

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
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Follow AOL Real Estate reporters Krisanne Alcantara (@krisannetraz) and Teke Wiggin (@tkwiggin) on Twitter (@aolrealestate).

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Inside Look: Paris in New York (VIDEO)

AOL Real Estate Editors — 2012-07-09T06:00:00+00:00

Filed under: News, Inside Look

What's not to love about the French? They've bestowed upon the world Versailles, the Eiffel Tower, Louis Vuitton, croissants -- oh, and this: an almost overwhelmingly Gallic apartment that'll make you feel like you're on a Paris idyll (when you're really surrounded by the noisy, bustling streets of Manhattan).

Owned and designed by the charming -- and also overwhelmingly French -- interior designer Jean-Paul Beaujard, this NYC apartment is replete with so many pieces of flawless 19th century French art and antiques that it'll make your head spin. After spending our days shooting psychedelic steampunk lofts and sleek, glass-walled penthouses, this sumptuously elegant Parisian home was like a breath of fresh air. That said, we invite you to pour yourself a glass of Bordeaux and enjoy! We certainly did.

Like what you see? "Paris in New York" can be all yours for $3.2 million. John Tarjavaara of Citi Habitats has the listing.

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Got a tip for our Inside Look series? If you know of any exceptional or unusual property currently listed for sale that's video-worthy, please email krisanne.alcantara@huffingtonpost.com with your suggestions. (Due to the volume of response, we unfortunately are unable to reply to each submission.)

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find homes for rent in your area.
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Follow AOL Real Estate reporters Krisanne Alcantara (@krisannetraz) and Teke Wiggin (@tkwiggin) on Twitter (@aolrealestate).

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Inside Look: NYC's 'Steampunk' Loft (VIDEO)

Krisanne Alcantara — 2012-06-19T16:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Design, News, Inside Look

If you've ever read Jules Verne's seminal science fiction novels -- "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" (1870) or "A Journey to the Center of the Earth" (1864) -- then you'll especially appreciate the inspired retro-futuristic feel of this New York City loft.

Packed to the gills with repurposed vintage nautical artifacts and antique welding tools, the space is a monument to the "steampunk" genre, which captures the aesthetic expression of a time-traveling fantasy world filled with proto-submarines, locomotives and zeppelins. From the whirligigs and steam pipes flanking the walls to the submarine portholes and deactivated bomb-pulleys, this otherworldly apartment was like nothing we'd ever seen before. And at this point, we thought we'd seen everything.

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Like what you see? You'd better be prepared to fork over $1.65 million (the newly reduced price). Nicole Beauchamp of Warburg Realty has the listing.

Got a tip for our Inside Look series? If you know of any exceptional or unusual property currently listed for sale that's video-worthy, please email krisanne.alcantara@huffingtonpost.com with your suggestions. (Due to the volume of response, we unfortunately are unable to reply to each submission.)

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find homes for rent in your area.
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Follow AOL Real Estate reporters Krisanne Alcantara (@krisannetraz) and Teke Wiggin (@tkwiggin) on Twitter (@aolrealestate).

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Inside Look: Live in a Former Nuclear Missile Silo (VIDEO)

AOL Real Estate Editors — 2012-05-09T06:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Design, News, Inside Look

After weeks of filming swanky penthouses (some with er, slides) and extravagant Manhattan lofts made famous by the likes of Beyonce, we were excited to take an "Inside Look" at a much more unconventional home nestled in the Adirondack Mountains.

And talk about unconventional! Beneath this home in Saranac, N.Y., lies a former Cold War-era nuclear missile silo and launch pad, built in the 1950s to house an Atlas-F intercontinental ballistic missile. Not your average, indeed!

In fact, we learned that the surface home is simply the "secret entrance" to almost 15,000 square feet of underground space that's built to withstand tornadoes, hailstorms, hurricanes and the odd Soviet pre-emptive nuclear strike. No wonder some say it's one of the world's safest homes!

Definitely one of the stranger houses we've been in, but still cool beyond belief. See for yourself.

Brian Dominic, Michael DeRosa and Mike Franklin of Select Sotheby's International Realty have the listing.

All parcels of land available for sale on the property appear as below (total $1.76 million).

Silohome complex on 19 ac: $750,000
Log Home on 4 ac: $259,000
10 acre runway lot w/ 42' x 46' hangar: $125,000
All 7 lots (approx 8 acres each): $476,000
Phase II 125 undivided acres to west of silohome: $150,00

See more pictures of the converted nuclear missile silo home below.

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Get the Inside Look at other amazing homes on AOL Real Estate.

Got a tip for our Inside Look series? If you know of any exceptional or unusual property currently listed for sale that's video-worthy, please email krisanne.alcantara@huffingtonpost.com with your suggestions. (Due to the volume of response, we unfortunately are unable to reply to each submission.)

Follow AOL Real Estate reporters Krisanne Alcantara (@krisannetraz) and Teke Wiggin (@tkwiggin) on Twitter (@aolrealestate)!

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Inside Look: NYC Penthouse Playground (VIDEO)

Krisanne Alcantara — 2012-05-02T06:00:00+00:00

Filed under: News, Celebrity Homes, Inside Look

New York City's famous for being a rich man's playground and we couldn't have found a home that takes this idea more seriously than this East Village penthouse -- with a built-in slide.

Unsurprisingly, the silver, 18-foot-tall sculptural slide pretty much smacks you in the face as soon as you walk in. Unlike other luxury features, its presence tends to dominate the penthouse (the rest of which is actually incredibly sleek, sophisticated and somewhat minimalist). But the faster you get over the initial shock of seeing a slide built inside someone's apartment, the faster you can hop right on it -- and naturally, we did. Our entire crew. Multiple times.

In case you were wondering, the owner of the now-infamous "slide penthouse" is Phil Galfond, a professional poker player who's only 26 years old! Slide aside, Galfond has also decked out his pad with some truly amazing, one-of-a-kind pieces ($35,000 glass pool table, anyone?).

See for yourself below:

Like what you see? Elizabeth Kee and Lindsee Silverstein of CORE Group NYC have the listing.

Got a tip for our Inside Look series? If you know of any exceptional or unusual property currently listed for sale that's video-worthy, please email krisanne.alcantara@huffingtonpost.com with your suggestions. (Due to the volume of response, we unfortunately are unable to reply to each submission.)

Follow AOL Real Estate reporters Krisanne Alcantara (@krisannetraz) and Teke Wiggin (@tkwiggin) on Twitter (@aolrealestate)!

More on AOL Real Estate:
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