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For enthusiasts of Frank Lloyd Wright and his extraordinary homes, 2016—the year he would have been 149—offered what felt like an embarrassment of riches on the real estate front. The covetable properties popped up everywhere, from Michigan to Minnesota to Nevada, some including original furniture designed by the architect himself.
Owning and maintaining an architecturally significant house comes with its own set of problems, however, especially if it’s also designated a historic property, which may help to explain why a few of these homes appear to be languishing on the market. After all, with great starchitect power comes great responsibility, and not everyone is ready for that.
Without further ado, here are the best Frank Lloyd Wright-designed houses—plus one designed by Jr.—that went up for sale this year.
Stuart Richardson House, Glen Ridge, New Jersey
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One of three remaining homes in the Garden State designed by Wright, this peculiar 1,800-square-foot three-bedroom was built in 1941 and features a unique hexagonal floor plan that leaves all but two of the residence’s angles measuring either 60 or 120 degrees. It last asked $995,000.
Cooke House, Virginia Beach, Virginia
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Though the designs for this gorgeous 3,000-square-foot lakefront four-bedroom, known as the Cooke House, were initiated in 1953, it wasn’t until 1959, two weeks before Wright’s death, that construction finally began. Now it’s considered a green, passive solar home and sold for $2,197,270, down from $2,750,00 asking.
Boulder City, Nevada
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While the architect conceived of the original design, it was Harry Thompson, one of Wright’s students, that saw it to completion. The 2,100-square-foot three-bedroom was finally completed in 1963 after a few setbacks and features walls fully grouted with concrete and steel. It last asked $450,000, according to Zillow, and now appears to be off-market.
Eppstein House in Galesburg, Michigan
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Offered at $469,900 then cut down to $455,000, it was the cheapest Frank Lloyd Wright-designed property for sale on the market at the time. The 2,250-square-foot three-bedroom Usonian home was built in 1953 and even has a pool.
James B. Christie House, Bernardsville, New Jersey
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The oldest and largest of four Frank Lloyd Wright designs in the Garden State, the 1941 James B. Christie house is still available for $1,950,000, down from $2,200,000. Originally measuring 2,000 square feet, a 1990s renovation added a master bedroom suite that had been part of the original plans but was not constructed initially. Original seating is intact.
Olfelt House, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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This incredible, virtually untouched 1960 home in Minneapolis was a hit when it first hit the market—for the first time ever!—back in June, and it’s still, miraculously, available for $1,395,000, after a price cut of $100,000. Featuring to-die-for original built-ins including seating, book shelves, cabinetry, and geometric furniture and fixtures, the 2,647-square-foot three-bedroom is a treasure.
Norman Lykes House, Phoenix, Arizona
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Truly funky, this curved house, the architect’s final design and set on a desert plateau, was designed in 1959 but wasn’t completed until 1967. Measuring 2,849 square feet, the three-bedroom is registered with the Wright Conservatory and features a series of concentric circles—as well as what appears to be Wright-designed furniture. It’s remarkably still available for $3,250,000, down from the original asking price of $3,600,000.
Isidore Heller House, Chicago, Illinois
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This 1896 landmarked home first hit the market in January 2012 and stayed there for over 1,000 days. It took a break earlier this year, but came back last month with a slight price cut. Located in trendy Hyde Park, future home of the Obama Library, it’s asking $2,425,000.
J. Kibben Ingalls House, River Forest, Illinois
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This 1909 Prairie Style home has also struggled to find a buyer. Originally listed at $1,325,000 last March, then cut to $1,180,000, it was re-listed in August for a mere $999,000. The exquisite 2,800-square-foot four-bedroom is surprisingly still available.
Frank Lloyd Wright, Jr.’s Novarro House, Los Angeles, California
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Bonus: This stunning Mayan-inspired Art Deco masterpiece by Wright’s son perched on the hills of Los Feliz was built in 1928 for silent film star Ramon Novarro’s personal secretary Louis Samuel. The 2,690-square-foot three-bedroom has since changed famous hands several times over, including those of Diane Keaton and Christina Ricci, and is now on the market for $4,295,000.
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