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We have a new James Bond. A puff of white smoke emerging from the EON Productions back lot heralded Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the next man to don the bespoke tuxedo of Agent 007.
The selection of a new actor to lead the film franchise has fans abuzz. Naturally, we at Realtor.com® wondered where the 33-year-old actor would take the British secret agent next. Specifically, where will he film the next installment of Bond? The fictional Agent 007 has visited nearly 50 countries over the course of 25 films dating to 1962.
The globe-trotting agent has made a handful of appearances in the U.S., which was the setting for at least six of the films. (Three years ago, we looked at some of the breathtaking homes featured in the film franchise.) Now, we’ve found homes fit for a secret agent in some of the U.S. towns where Bond has turned up. Pour yourself a martini and have a look…
‘Goldfinger’ (1964): Louisville, KY
While it’s certainly no Monte Carlo, the humble Louisville metro does have one lure for the likes of Bond: proximity to Fort Knox—and its prodigious gold reserves.
Sadly, six decades ago, no scenes were filmed in the Gateway to the South. Miami stood in for Louisville, and a soundstage replicated the Bullion Depository.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t homes worthy of a secret agent in the lovely town of Louisville. We found a grand mansion on 6.7 acres in the town’s east side. It could currently serve as an ideal—and inconspicuous—lair as it’s being sold midrenovation for $4,995,000.
And because the historic home with a distinctive solarium is being sold unfinished, an enterprising buyer could install features and amenities worthy of a covert agent. Or at the very least, a wet bar.
Louisville, KY, home could serve as an inconspicuous hideout.
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‘Diamonds Are Forever’ (1971): Palm Springs, CA
While most of the movie’s U.S. action took place in Las Vegas, one of the film’s most distinctive scenes was filmed at a home 250 miles south in Palm Springs, CA. The famed Elrod House designed by architect John Lautner served as the home base of the Willard Whyte character.
Bond memorably mixes it up with two of Whyte’s henchwomen inside the modernist marvel.
In 2016, the Elrod House came on the market as part of a foreclosure proceeding with an $8 million price tag. It wound up selling that same year for $7.7 million.
Elrod House in 2016
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And although you missed your opportunity to live in a true Bond location, Palm Springs does offer a worthy alternative.
Located just around the corner from the Elrod House is the five-bedroom Round House. Outfitted with a massage room, retractable glass panels, and a dramatic curved staircase, it’s ready for the big screen. And the location high above the desert floor is simply cinematic.
Roll into the Round House in Palm Springs, CA
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‘Live and Let Die’ (1973): Harlem, NY, and New Orleans, LA
Two years after leaving Las Vegas, Bond met up with Mr. Big in the Manhattan borough of Harlem. In unraveling a plot that involved voodoo and drug trafficking, 007 also visited the Big Easy.
In Harlem, a secret agent would feel right at home in 2024 in the John Dwight House. Dating to 1890, the five-level townhouse on West 123rd Street offers nearly 12,000 square feet of living space with which to plot your next move.
Featuring 52 large windows to keep an eye on all passers-by, the Gilded Age home is now on the market for $7.25 million. Whether you decide to retrofit one of the interior walls to completely spin around à la the bad guys in the film is entirely up to you.
Bright room in a Harlem home
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Down South, we’ve found a Bond-worthy residence right in the middle of the French Quarter. It’s an ideal spot to monitor any funeral processions in the neighborhood.
On the market for $4.2 million, this compound of vintage buildings looks nondescript from the exterior. But inside, there’s a proper lair with a parking garage for 20 vehicles—perhaps an Aston Martin or two, if you’d like.
In the heart of the French Quarter
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‘A View to a Kill’ (1985): San Francisco, CA
Bond returned to U.S. shores in the mid-’80s with a visit to the San Francisco Bay Area. His mission was to stop a madman who plans to blow up Silicon Valley. Don’t ask. Fleeing the police, the agent takes part in a memorable chase through San Francisco streets.
As for Bond-worthy residences near San Francisco Bay, there’s one right in the middle of the bay.
However, we think Red Rock Island might be more suited to a Bond villain, rather than 007 himself. It’s the only private island in the bay, and it’s on the market for $25 million.
Red Rock Island, the ultimate lair?
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Another option is to purchase a home with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, where the film’s final scene took place. There’s a fabulous $25 million mansion for sale in the Sea Cliff neighborhood. Windows in the massive villa frame the iconic span perfectly. Keep an eye out for any stray blimps!
Bathtub views of the Golden Gate Bridge
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‘License to Kill’ (1989): Key West, FL
At the outset of this late ’80s flick, Bond can be found in the southernmost tip of the U.S.
The agent visits the Hemingway House, a residence that housed writer Ernest Hemingway in the 1930s. Now a national historic monument, the home was converted into a private museum in 1964.
So you can’t buy Hemingway House, but Key West offers appealing alternatives for a secret agent seeking a retreat on the water.
We found a mansion for sale on tiny Sunset Key just off the mainland. Accessible by ferry, the $6.65 million waterfront residence doesn’t offer much privacy, but it’s a quick getaway into the Gulf waters outside the back door. No one would suspect a spy could live here, right?
Sunset Key retreat
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The post The Spy Who Could Live Here: These U.S. Homes for Sale Are Ideal for the New James Bond appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.
