It’s no secret that real estate in Los Angeles can be a dirty business, but a deal-gone-wrong concerning the famous “Brady Bunch” house in Studio City has at least one celebrity seeing red.
Lance Bass, the former member of boy band *NSYNC and a television and radio personality, says he was “used” by Douglas Elliman, the real estate firm representing the listing, to drive up the price of the house. This following his claim that an “over-asking” offer he made was accepted.
“I’m feeling heartbroken,” he wrote on Twitter on Saturday night (August 4). Citing “unforeseen circumstances,” Bass says another corporate buyer — “Hollywood studio” — “wants the house at any price.” Bass claims the seller’s agent discouraged an even higher bid by Bass and his husband, Michael Turchin. “I truly believe I was used to drive up the price of the home, knowing very well that this corporation intended on making this offer and it’s not a good feeling. … I’m hurt and saddened by this highly questionable outcome. I just hope it is not demolished.”
The three-bedroom split-level ranch at 11222 Dilling Street was offered for $1.885 million. According to the Douglass Elliman site, the nearly 2,500-square-foot home features “perfectly preserved 1970’s decor” and serves as a “postcard of American 70’s style and its special culture.”
As Variety previously reported, the neighborhood around the house has been inundated with deep-pocketed developers who buy and tear down old homes to build bigger, brand-new macmansions. However, Douglas Elliman broker Ernie Carswell told the L.A. Times that the sellers, the children of longtime owners Violet and George McCallister, who acquired the home in early 1973 for $61,000, “will give first consideration to bidders who want to keep the home intact.”
On Friday, August 3, Bass tweeted excitedly, “They accepted my offer on the #BradyBunch house last night!!! This is going to be a fun project.”
He sang a sadder tune the following evening, but also took the opportunity to promote a more positive act: registering to vote. Read Bass’ note below.
https://twitter.com/LanceBass/status/1025971593397166081