Story at a glance
- A unique house built into the side of a bridge in Los Angeles County has found a new owner.
- The unusual house sparked a wider conversation about affordable housing in the area.
- Douglas Lee, the listing agent, called it the strangest property he’s ever had.
(KTLA) – A unique home in Los Angeles County that captured the interest of California homebuyers — and started a wider conversation about the high cost of getting into the real estate market — has found a new owner.
The home, located in Alhambra, was popular among home-seekers because of its modest (for California) price of $250,000. But it also made nationwide headlines due to its location: It’s built into the side of a bridge that overlooks a drainage ditch.
The home isn’t visible on Google Maps. The single-family residence is actually below street-level, accessible by a staircase that descends to the front door. Inside, visitors will find one bedroom and one bathroom within its 462-square-feet of living space.
Douglas Lee, the listing agent, called it the strangest property he’s ever had.
“I’ve heard ideas for everything,” he once told Nexstar’s KTLA of potential plans for the property. “Turning this into an Airbnb, using it as a law office … they wanted to do a cigar shop,” he said of some prospective buyers.
The home, built in 1949, features a patio that overlooks the Alhambra wash, as well as a “rooftop patio” about the size of the home itself which is actually located at street level.
There’s also a mold issue, and no parking.
Still, the bizarre property got plenty of attention and hordes of curious parties stopping by the open house. That interest led to about a dozen offers, Lee said.
A bidding war ensued, with the winning offer coming in at a whopping $430,000.
The “rooftop” patio from a one-of-a-kind home in Alhambra, listed for sale in May 2023. (Douglas Lee Real Estate) 
The bathroom inside the Alhambra “treehouse” which went to market in ay 2023 (Douglas Lee Real Estate) 
The fixer-upper kitchen in a unique home for sale in Alhambra listed in May 2023. (Douglas Lee Real Estate) 
The fixer-upper kitchen in a unique home for sale in Alhambra listed in May 2023. (Douglas Lee Real Estate) 
The main living space of the Alhambra “treehouse” located at 1340 E. Main St. (Douglas Lee Real Estate) 
The front entryway to the Alhambra “treehouse” listed for sale in May 2023. (Douglas Lee Real Estate)
The home went into escrow last week. The new buyer was so eager to get the keys that they wired their earnest deposit and waived all contingencies, meaning any additional repairs or fixes will have to be completed by the buyer.
“Obviously, the person that [buys the home] is going to be the one that has the imagination and can see all the great things about it,” Lee previously told KTLA.
The home’s previous owner bought the home in 2005 for $72,000, with plans on using it as a deluxe “man cave.” But it sat vacant for nearly two decades, being used as a storage space instead.