Thread by @StevenTDennis

First up on #FridayNightZillow — a *stunning* Versailles-ish New York mansion built by William J. Levitt — the “Father of Suburbia” who struck it rich pioneering cookie-cutter homes, lived an insane life, then lost most of his wealth, this home & his yacht
zillow.com/homedetails/38…

Levitt's life is a classic American saga that I’m frankly surprised hasn’t been turned into a major motion picture starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Scarlett Johansson. #FridayNightZillow 2/

Levitt built Levittowns all over, and he and his family pioneered treated house-building sort of like how Ford treated car building, with an uber-emphasis on efficiency. Made cover of Time as a developer of cheap houses in 1950! content.time.com/time/covers/0,… #FridayNightZillow 3/

Levitt built the house in the 60s. When he got rich, he acquired very expensive tastes. He married Simone, and they lived in this house and had a ball.
Read Chicago Tribune profile of "The Man Who Created Suburbia" featuring the house: chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-19…
4/

Some of the decor changed after Levitt had to sell it in the 80s. Mansions and Millionaires Inc. and a team of 48 decorators overhauled the look in '88.
"Their story is very sad. They went from magic to tragic."
NYT profile of the house in 1988:
nytimes.com/1988/05/29/nyr… 5/

The New York Times profiled Simone and William Levitt in this crazy 1970 piece #FridayNightZillow nytimes.com/1970/12/06/arc…

But the story you *must read* is this #longread about Simone Levitt in 2013 in New York Magazine about how she survived Levitt's financial ruin and lived out her days renting a 1BR apartment with little bits that remained of their lives #FridayNightZillow nymag.com/news/features/…

Levitt's developments had strict whites-only racial covenants. Segregation for a buck. This really wasn't that long ago, folks. nymag.com/news/features/…

That legacy — pioneering affordable homes and the good life in the suburbs — and enforcing and profiting off racist building covenants — had huge impacts on post-war America.

"La Colline" now has 15 acres, down from 72, as chunks were broken off to build other mansions after Levitt sold the place.

It's huge at 21BRs, 18BAs, 25,400 square feet.

Recent price cut to $9.98M.
#FridayNightZillow

According to the Zillow listing, La Colline also had a renovation in 2012. I don't think I've ever seen a house with this many gold accents outside of an actual palace. #FridayNightZillow

This is a bar. #FridayNightZillow

You want gold accents, we've got gold accents. #FridayNightZillow

Best room in the house might be the library. #FridayNightZillow

I have no idea what the heck this is. Anyone? Maybe one of the 48 designers had a stroke. #FridayNightZillow

THIS IS A BATHROOM. My eyes will never be the same. #FridayNightZillow

Levitt's 239-foot yacht named after Simone is also bonkers, and was put up for sale last year for 25 million Euros. #FridayNightZillow superyachtnews.com/fleet/my-lady-…

When you even have gold accents on the *outdoor fireplace* and the gazebo. But I think if you wanted to recreate this you'd have to spend a lot more than $10M. #FridayNightZillow

Here's a Smithsonian video about William Levitt. Wish it had a lengthy explanation of his embrace whites-only to make a buck.

Levitt's official @nytimes obit also could have delved deeper into the racial segregation he fostered that had such tremendous impacts on American life. nytimes.com/1994/01/29/obi…

One reason why this house hit a chord with me: I grew up in a Levitt home in Prince George's County, Md. I had an idyllic childhood in that house.
As I became older I wondered why there were so few African American families in the neighborhood.

It was totally jarring for me see this house, and read up on the opulent lifestyle Levitt lived, and then to see the quotes of him justifying racism for the almighty dollar. Fascinated by the story, and also horrified at what he did.

It's also a very American story, and a substantial part of our history that more people should probably know. I think it *could* be a really interesting movie.

Oh, look, there's even a Trump connection. Apparently he mentioned Levitt's yacht to the Boy Scout Jamboree one year. washingtonpost.com/news/reliable-…

#FridayNightZillow will return at about 10 p.m. Have to put the kids to sleep.

One of the things I will take with me from this is that anecdote from Simone Levitt in that *amazing* NYM profile that at the end, he was hawking her jewels & even wanted to hawk her 27-carat ring. She refused & that's how she made a post-Bill Levitt life. Also, her jaguar coat.

I didn't even notice these before. I guess, sadly, this goes with the story. #FridayNightZillow

So that is "La Colline." #FridayNightZillow

Next up on #FridayNightZillow: A Frank LLoyd Wright masterpiece. Also New York.

Love this Frank Lloyd Wright mansion on a 10-acre *private island* an hour or so from NYC

$9.95M, about the same price as La Colline, but I could actually live here. The only thing I'm not sold on is the flooring.

Bonus: Helipad!
#FridayNightZillow
zillow.com/homedetails/1-…

Just love the wood, the views, the built-in rock, the skylights, the funky chairs. But again, that floor looks hard. #FridayNightZillow

Pretty sweet BR/BA combo #FridayNightZillow

The outdoor parties must be pretty sweet too. #FridayNightZillow

Really just great. #FridayNightZillow. My favorite room has the windows all around.

I think it'd be pretty cool to commute by helicopter the city from here, but rich people must not agree. It's been on the market for nearly a year with no takers. #FridayNightZillow

Next up on #FridayNightZillow: A crazy California cottage.
2BR, 1BA, $599K.
It's purple.
Name: Purple Haze.
Claims to be successful Air B&B property. zillow.com/homedetails/76…

Spectacular Geodesic dome house, Texas. $1.45M.

LOVE it. Big. Can't seem to sell.

This is JUST THE BEDROOM!
zillow.com/homes/475-Bran…

Kitchen/living room. Those ceilings are 27.5 feet. I'd change out the countertops. #FridayNightZillow

The bedroom is open to the adjoining master bathroom. #FridayNightZillow

I think this is the waterfall. Not really a fan, but maybe you are. Just a cool, quicky, big house. #FridayNightZillow

This is one of the better church conversions I've seen, and the price is still pretty reasonable. 4,000 sf for $750K, room for lots of kids. Weird cattle-call bathroom sink. Ellicottville, NY on #FridayNightZillow zillow.com/homedetails/46…

This next place is just plain awesome. Ideal for an artist in Vermont. Unusual turned on its side design. 2BRs, 1BAs, needs to be seen to be believed, 8 acres.

Just $195K! Gorgeous setting. Why aren't we all retiring here right now! #FridayNightZillow
zillow.com/homedetails/10…?

Vermont, btw, has been the best at COVID since the beginning. If we end up with COVID-21, we'll all have regretted not buying this place. #FridayNightZillow

Homes are cheaper in OHIO. $369K for this big Victorian. But you'd have to spend some money ripping out that wallpaper. #FridayNightZillow zillow.com/homedetails/11…

I just like the looks of this round Montana house. It comes with 42 acres and is just $598K. The inside is nothing special though. #FridayNightZillow zillow.com/homedetails/60…

Update from a previous listing: This spectacular, restored Scranton mansion sold for just under $1M. Amazing how far your bucks go in that town. zillow.com/homedetails/52…

Bummer. This super-cute dome house already is pending. That's the problem when I wait til Fridays. $199,500 for 2K sf in Shreveport. Who says there is no affordable housing? #FridayNightZillow zillow.com/homedetails/38…

h/t @AaronStarmer on the diagonal house in VT

Houses are cheaper in Kentucky. I *almost* considered figuring out a way to buy this riverfront home, and then realized just how far away it is. $280K, nearly 4,000 sf. Riverfront Dome on #FridayNightZillow zillow.com/homedetails/10…

Montana dome w/44 acres and insane views. $799K. Only 1BR though. #FridayNightZillow zillow.com/homes/1050-Rav…

Hard to beat this price to sf ratio.

$795K for 12K sf former Lutheran church. It's a 6BR/3BA home AND a venue for weddings/dinner-theater and more. Pretty sweet!

Minnesota on #FridayNightZillow zillow.com/homes/631-3rd-…?

$995K. Stunning setting for this Point Chataqua lake house on a large lot. Would redo some of the interior though. #FridayNightZillow zillow.com/homedetails/61…

Posting this house just to show out of whack Silicon Valley is on home prices. This is just a normal, large suburban home on a modest lot in Palo Alto. $25 MILLION DOLLARS. WHAT? #FridayNightZillow zillow.com/homedetails/20…

Falling asleep and still have houses to post. Will post a couple in the morning, Hope you enjoyed #FridayNightZillow!

So, down the street from La Colline on "La Colline Dr." is just your typical modern mansion estate. Just 5 acres, modern interior, nothing particularly exciting. $4.2M. zillow.com/homedetails/4-…

Up next on #FridayNightZillow: A gorgeous mansion in Riverside, Ill., which featured in "The Lake House" w/Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, has some architectural history & has been tastefully updated.

8BRs/5BAs,10K sf, $2.1M

Would be ~$5-10M in DC?
zillow.com/homedetails/84…

I've seen a LOT of these old house mansions and most are marred with horrible wallpaper. This one is wallpaper-free! #FridayNightZillow

Screenshot at this link of the house in the movie: …rewupinriversideillinois.blogspot.com/2019/05/in-pho…

Up next on #FridayNightZillow (yes I know it's Saturday):
Just a spectacular pod house. A bit pricey at $1.5M but a cool design. Not a fan of the weird ceilings inside.
zillow.com/homedetails/30…

🏰New Dream Home? It's almost perfect until the nightmare room on Page 28 (Warning: Don't click).

Turret of the gods, gorgeous stone, river.

Now, anyone got $9M laying around?

Chattanooga, TN on #FridayNightZillow zillow.com/homedetails/50…?

This is a bathroom. #FridayNightZillow

A shower with a view! #FridayNightZillow

Turret! I'm a sucker for turrets. Sure, they're inefficient, but so is the Mona Lisa. #FridayNightZillow

Unique home theater on the left (a little suspicious of the acoustics?) and a closet larger than some bedrooms on the right. The chandelier is a bit much. #FridayNightZillow

You also get this garage, which I guess is useful if you have a bunch of race cars or something. (I'm more of an electric car kind of guy myself). #FridayNightZillow

Just your standard bedroom probably larger than most 1BR condos w/a turret view of the river on left, porch on right #FridayNightZillow

Now, about that Page 28. It's not the worst "trophy room" I've seen, but I, for one, don't like hanging out with lots of taxidermied animals. And whatever this is will haunt my dreams. #FridayNightZillow

The other fail, is a design flaw in a lot of homes these days: Putting TVs above fireplaces. Only acceptable in BRs IMHO. Spend $9M on a home and then have to crane your head to watch TV? NO NO NO NO.