Stunning $1M California home with a 2-story wall of glass quickly becomes the most-viewed listing in the US
This California home is shattering the glass ceiling of real estate.
A striking glass-walled house tucked into the Berkeley Hills has become an unlikely internet sensation, drawing nearly 12,000 views on Redfin in just four days as house hunters swarm the listing.
The two-bedroom, three-bath home at 141 Fairlawn Drive hit the market Sept. 23 for $1.08 million and quickly landed as the most viewed listing on Redfin.
As of the platform’s latest publicly available count, the 1,625-square-foot pad had attracted 11,946 views and 1,051 favorites.
And listing agent Elizabeth Lee of eXp Realty is in no hurry to pull the plug on all that attention.
Asked why the heavily trafficked home had not already been snapped up, Lee said she deliberately planned additional opportunities to get buyers through the door.
“There’s a reason why — because I’m having two open houses and I’m having a twilight party Thursday,” Lee told The Post.
She is also hoping the eye-popping attention translates into a sale well north of the asking price.
The Bay area market has seen a flurry of buyers outbidding for homes.
The property is scheduled to host that twilight open house Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., followed by additional weekend showings.
But the home’s sudden viral fame is about more than its price.
Built in 1972, the residence is an early work by then 28-year-old architect Andrew Batey, who designed it for architectural photographer Henry Bowles. Bowles trained under noted California photographer Morley Baer and photographed projects for Condé Nast, according to the listing.
The result is a house that looks almost more greenhouse than home.
A soaring, two-story grid of glass dominates the facade, putting the leafy surroundings on full display from inside. The main living space rises beneath exposed structural beams, while an open staircase leads to a mezzanine-like upper floor. Sliding glass doors spill onto a broad deck shaded by mature oak trees.
Batey also designed the home around its hillside setting rather than leveling the property, creating a multi-level floor plan that unfolds along the slope.
Upstairs, a primary suite spanning more than 400 square feet includes a black-tiled bathroom that Batey returned to design in the late 1980s, according to the listing. Two skylights bring additional natural light into the space.
There’s another piece of the property’s photography pedigree beside the garage.
A roughly 300-square-foot standalone space, originally used as Bowles’ darkroom, now has a sink, a full bathroom and a skylight, making it suitable as a studio, office or guest quarters. The property also comes with a detached garage, EV charging, central heat and an updated kitchen with quartz counters.
The home’s history suggests Berkeley buyers have been willing to pay a premium for it before.
The current owner purchased the property for $725,000 in 2004 after it had been listed for $595,000, becoming so captivated by it during an open house, public records show. It previously changed hands for $358,000 in 1988 and $210,000 in 1981.