Prime Locations: These Lavish Homes are Part of TV History

Standout luxury properties have what it takes to be star of the show, writes Nancy Groves

  The real estate mantra “location, location, location” acquires higher meaning for some luxury homes on the market. While any property that isn’t brand new has a history—sometimes across generations of ownership—it’s a rare private home that can lay claim to being a filming location for the large or smaller screen. Location is “the biggest background player of them all, hiding in plain sight,” writes journalist Rebecca Liu in a deep dive on the art of location scouting. But especially in this golden era of television, key locations are immortalized not just on an hour or two of movie celluloid but often across multiple seasons of long-running shows. “Any actual home is far more evocative than a stage,” says veteran location manager Harriet Lawrence. “It has the patina, the texture of a real building, lived in by real people over time.” Some homes become star attractions themselves, while owning a piece of cultural heritage can be a strong draw for buyers. Here are five properties with filming backstories.

Rancho Alegre, New Mexico

When a 178-acre adobe compound in New Mexico came to market this summer, coverage oscillated between its standout aesthetics and its brief but significant cameo in HBO’s “Succession.” It starred as the remote ranch of Logan Roy’s eldest son Connor, where the family gathers for their infamous group therapy session. Of course, the two are connected. “The setting is expansive and the main house exudes the uber-desirable feel of the west or southwest U.S.,” says Neil Lyon of Sotheby’s International Realty – Santa Fe Brokerage. Lyon says the home possesses “incredible scale with no possible way to miss it” and “a level of quality that could only be associated with great wealth and taste,” assuring its popularity with scouts. The 20,000 sq ft property has also featured in Adam Sandler’s “The Ridiculous 6,” sci-fi teen drama series “Roswell” and the murdery mystery series “Dark Winds.”

Twilight Moon Ranch, Utah

Another ranch property, another state, but no less an illustrious television credit: for Paramount’s neo-Western drama “Yellowstone,” starring Kevin Costner. Utah’s Twilight Moon Ranch, built in 2014 on eight acres just a short drive from Park City, takes inspiration from the surrounding mountains for its architecture and interiors. While the “Yellowstone” filming focused mainly on its huge, light-filled kitchen, with seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms it makes a generous family home or rental. The home is being sold with all its contents—give or take a stuffed animal or two.

Belain Farm, Ontario

L.M. Montgomery’s beloved book “Anne of Green Gables” is set in the fictional town of Avonlea on the very real Prince Edward Island, Canada’s smallest province. But when scouts for the recent Netflix adaption “Anne with an E” were hunting for suitable locations, they landed some 1,000 miles west in Ontario. Belain Farm is a picturesque property that stands in for the family home of Anne’s best friend, Diana Barry. The central farmhouse exudes all the necessary charm, while its pond makes the perfect “Lake of Shining Waters,” as Anne herself calls it.

453 West 24th Street, New York

As any “Sex in the City” fan will tell you, no tour of Carrie Bradshaw’s fictional life is complete without a photo op on a classic Manhattan stoop. While the listing for this 1849 red brick townhouse in West Chelsea keeps schtum on its exact screen credits, it epitomizes New York’s history and romance and frequently features on television. Maybe it’s the tree-lined street, elegant railings and floor-to-ceiling parlor windows. Or the private garden and balcony out back. Four main floors of living space are contained within, while hiding at basement level is a 5,000-bottle wine cellar.

Spencer Hills House, California

The Californian coastal town of Mendocino has a rich cinematic history, thanks to its elegant architecture, cliffside setting and abundant greenery. But arguably it is best known as the West Coast stand-in for the East Coast town of Cabot Cove in the long-running TV series “Murder She Wrote,” now with a cult following. Spencer Hills House, home to the show’s Dr. Seth Hazlitt, is among the town’s finest properties. Built in 1855, it has all the design hallmarks of a Mendocino Victorian, from its custom trim to the wraparound veranda—star of many a dramatic scene. A luxury property’s filming history “solidifies its place and associations with intriguing events and people,” says Lyon. Practically, the exposure can lead to an audience of many millions. Emotionally, a sizable chunk of those viewers will be “blown away by its beauty and what it represents.”