Top 10 Movie Properties

One of the key features in any movie is a memorable property. Something that makes the audience think “I wish I lived there!” Lamudi, the global property portal, takes a look at the top 10 properties from some of the best loved films.

1. ‘El Fureidis’ in Scarface

Image via Wikimedia Commons

Stretching over a jaw-dropping 10 acres of land, El Fureidis—Tony Montana’s mansion, is now up for sale for a staggering US$35 million. The Roman-style stucco estate has recently undergone an exquisitely detailed renovation, allowing its four bedrooms, numerous Persian gardens, and glistening swimming pools to return to their original splendor. Located in Santa Barbara, California, El Fureidis offers luxury living of the highest order, combined with an incredible history and provenance.

2. Corleone Family Home in The Godfather

Ever since Francis Ford Coppola’s magnum opus, The Godfather, graced the screens in 1972 to universal critical acclaim, the Corleone family home featured in the film has been a residence recognized the world over. Measuring an astounding 6,248 square feet, the English Tudor-style mansion located in Staten Island, was center stage in the unforgettable wedding sequence which starts off the film. Renovated in the style of the Godfather in 2012, the estate is now worth an estimated $2.895 million. However, the original Godfather house was set in a small town in Italy called Savoca, this is where the first movie in the trilogy was filmed.

3. Hearst Castle in Citizen Kane

© Dan Schreiber via Shutterstock.com

“Cost: no man can say” goes the famous newsreel at the beginning of Orson Welles’s epic in reference to Charles Foster Kane’s staggeringly vast private estate. Named in Citizen Kane as Xanadu, it is clear that Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California, is the inspiration behind Kane’s stately home. Now it is one of America's most enticing museums and one of the most well-known properties in the world.

4. St. Joseph Plantation in 12 Years a Slave

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This 12,000-square-foot raised Creole-style estate was built in the 1830s and is still operational today as a family-owned sugar plantation. Located along the Mississippi River, St. Joseph’s Plantation recently gained worldwide recognition after its memorable appearance in Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave.

5. Palace Bristol Hotel in The Grand Budapest Hotel

Wes Anderson’s 2014 masterpiece earned more BAFTA nominations than any other film, including Best Film and Best Director. Crucial for the film’s success was the set design and visual aesthetic which were admirably supplied by the Palace Bristol Hotel which served as the inspiration for Anderson’s Budapest Hotel. Built at the end of the 19th century, the Palace Bristol Hotel contains 48 single and double rooms, as well as luxury and presidential suites, which cater to the tastes and desires of the wealthy.

6. Bag End from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings

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Located at the end of Bagshot Row in Hobbiton, Bag End provides the perfect backdrop for the antics of Tolkien’s most endearing characters. According to the floorplan provided in The Hobbit book and designed by Daniel Reeve for the movie, about a third of the space is intended for the preparation and consumption of food, while the remaining areas allow for the pursuit of quieter pleasures such as smoking and writing.

7. The McCallister family home in Home Alone

© Minh Phan via Flickr

Based in Winnetka, Illinois, this red brick colonial Georgian house comprises an awe-inspiring 4,250 square feet and is within a stone’s throw from Lake Michigan. Up for sale in December of 2014, this piece of real estate sold for $1.58 million.

8. The Razor Residence in Iron Man

Comprising 11,000 square feet and overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Razor Residence can be seen center stage in Jean Fareau’s 2008 American superhero film Iron Man. Perched on the edge of California’s Torrey Pines State Park, the house resembles a glass monolith, fitting perfectly into the landscape whilst standing out as a piece of modern art. Designed by San Diego based architect Wallace Cunningham, the estate caters to the most luxurious tastes, whilst retaining its simple and elegant beauty.

9. Christ Church College in Harry Potter

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Who could forget Harry’s first time in the great hall at Hogwarts? The floating candles, the Sorting Hat, the incredible tension electrifying the atmosphere, and the original Dumbledore making his first appearance before our hero is placed into Gryffindor House are all unforgettable features of our favorite movie adaptation. This crucial part of the series was filmed in the Great Hall, modeled after the Great Hall at Christ Church, Oxford, and is one of Harry Potter’s best moments.

10. Elrod House in Diamonds Are Forever

In Sean Connery’s final outing as the super-slick MI6 agent James Bond, director Guy Hamilton needed an equally mesmerising house. Elrod House was brought to life by architect John Lautner in 1968. Lautner’s design manages to create a seemingly floating concrete roof structure which blurs the line between interior and exterior, as well as showcasing the panoramic landscape view of the Palm Springs desert. These factors combine to make it the best known property to ever feature in a film.