Downtown Los Angeles is the epitome of a city: bright lights, tall buildings, lots of people. But drive just about 5 miles outside the city, and you’ll find a serene treehouse-like compound nestled into the Silver Lake neighborhood.
“This house reminds me of a waterfall,” real estate agent Victoria Massengale said of the tiered property. “It has a real flow, and it feels like you’re in this beautiful waterfall.”
Indeed, the neutral-colored house seemingly blends into its surroundings. Even inside, it’s floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors give guests the sense that they’re one with the outdoors.
The Silver Lake house is listed for nearly $2.8 million, according to a Homes.com listing. Massengale — who holds the listing alongside Michael Maguire — says it’s a rare architectural find, especially for nature lovers.
“So many times now we have houses that are built by builders,” she told Homes.com. “This was built by an architect ... It was built from the ground up, and it was built by someone who understands that architecture is actually a fine art and it’s not just about tearing down a couple of walls and opening something up.”
It's a house that is a living, breathing piece of art
The home was designed by Glen Bell, a California architect known for founding DEX Studio and for his work on residential projects and restaurants in the Western United States. It was built in 2011.
The two-bedroom, two-bathroom house spans about 2,400 square feet. The property also has a studio guest house with one bedroom and one bathroom.
Bell's influence ultimately created a space that is "a livable piece of art," Massengale said.
"Sometimes you’re like, 'Oh, this house is really beautiful, but it’s so precious that you don’t want to touch anything," she added. "You feel like you can put your feet on the furniture in this house, but you’re still living in a work of art."
More than that, the house was purposefully oriented to take advantage of the light and breeze.
"We were there the other day. It was 93 degrees," Massengale said. "When you’re standing in the house, because it was sited on the lot so perfectly, the breeze just flowed through, and it felt like an 85-degree day. You had no idea it was in the 90s."
Leveraging the property for extra income
The home has gained attention from more than just real estate aficionados, too: It's been featured in commercials for Nike and Volkswagen.
Massengale said that's important, not just because it showcases the home's desirable design, but also because the property could be a source of extra income for the next owners.
If buyers were to take out a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage to buy the house — assuming they first made a $558,000 down payment — they'd have a monthly payment of nearly $15,000.
But in California, law permits homeowners to use their properties as a filming location for up to 14 days without paying taxes on the income. That's a draw for buyers, Massengale said.
"It’s really more about, ‘Hey, look, here’s an additional source of income where you don’t have to get a tenant in," she said. "It’s not really going to disrupt your life that much.’”
“It’s a good chunk of change," she added. "It’s significant."