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  • Writer's pictureKeith Gantenbein

Famous Homes in Foreclosure


The once-beautiful guesthouse on Walt Disney’s old estate in Palm Desert is in foreclosure. Walt would go to Palm Desert and kick back with friends such as Lucille Ball, Humphrey Bogart, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop. These guests would hop on a zipline and go ziplining across the canyon in the backyard of Walt’s guesthouse.

The guest house has one bedroom but sits on 3 gorgeous acres of open desert. The home was offered for sale last April for $595,000. In December 2014, the guesthouse went into foreclosure. Somewhere along the line, either the previous owners or ‘bandits’ stripped the inside of the house. The appliances are missing, along with the entire air conditioning system.

Unfortunately, there are additional liens against the property totalling $60,000. The price expected at auction is a minimum of $350,000.

Three other world-renown homes in Palm Springs are also in default. They’re owned by Palos Verdes real estate investor, Michael J. Kilroy. One home was seen in the movie “Diamonds Are Forever”, the John Lautner-designed “Elrod House” built in 1968 for interior designer Frank Elrod. That 8,902 square-foot home had a very modest entrance with an enormous interior space, set under a huge dome. Indoor-outdoor boulders are massed in the living room that became part of the integral design. The home is literally one of the most architecturally significant homes in the world and has been featured too many times to count in various magazines and books.

Not far from the Elrod House on Southridge Drive, are two additional homes owned by Kilroy that are in default; the Boat House and the Hugh M. Kaptur House. Kilroy is also in default on his Loretta Young West Hollywood home.

The 1992 Boat House sits on one acre and is a 4,493 square feet masterpiece with a mezzanine-style master suite on the second floor. The shape of the property inspired the unusual shape of the home, coined later as the Boat House. The house narrows due to the property lines, giving the sense the home is plowing through the desert. The tip of the property has an infinity edged pool fitted into the prow-like triangular space. At night, the house is said to be magnificent all lit up.

The Kaptur House, once belonged to actor Steve McQueen and is locally known as the McQueen House. The home was built in 1968, a mid-century style, built with steel I-beams and has a strong rectilinear form that cantilevered over the rugged hillside. The 4,300 square foot house has a floating staircase and glass walls opening into huge concrete balconies.

The Elrod, Boat House and Kaptur houses all sit in one of the most exclusive neighborhoods showing the recession and economy can be a financial struggle for every walk of life.

No one is immune from the housing economy's ups and downs.

If you are facing foreclosure, have a foreclosure issue, or need help with your loan modification, contact Gantenbein Law Firm at 303-618-2122.

Gantenbein Law Firm's experienced attorneys also practice Real Estate Law, Tax Law, Business Law, HOA Defense, Credit Dispute and Estate Planning. For more information, please visit our Gantenbein Law Firm's website.

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