A piece of TV history is now on the real estate market with an asking price more than 10 times higher than what it would likely cost to own otherwise. It's the famous suburban home of Walter White, aka Heisenberg, the mild-mannered science teacher turned villainous drug lord of the TV series "Breaking Bad," on which he was unforgettably played by Bryan Cranston. A local Albuquerque outlet recently reported that the real-life house that served for exterior shots on the show has hit the market with an asking price of $4 million.
That's quite a substantial price hike compared to its estimated market value per real estate site Zillow, which is $343,100. But the home's present and longtime owners have earned that hefty profit margin after years of seeing their home turned into an unofficial tourist destination for hardcore "Breaking Bad" fans. Joanne Quintana told KOB 4 that since the peak of the show's popularity they get approximately "300 cars a day" with occupants who want to get a look at what is likely the most famous TV house of the 21st century. She went on:
"This was our family home from 1973, almost 52 years. So we're going to walk away with just our memories. It's time to move on. We're done. There's no reason to fight anymore. I hope they make it what the fans want. They want a BnB, they want a museum, they want access to it. Go for it."
Even the listing's Zillow overview is having some fun with the house's fictional status:
"Me and my wife Skyler have lived here for years [with] our son, Walter Junior lives here with us alongside our newborn baby. If you find bags of blue crystals in the crawlspace under the house, just ignore it, and if you find any money, turn it into the government."
At $4 million, it's likely that the house will be purchased by someone with some sort of business in mind rather than the simple pleasure of living in the White family home, and it will be interesting to see if the neighbors have any opinion on its possibly being turned into a "Breaking Bad" museum or permanent Airbnb. However, it should be noted that no interiors for the show were ever filmed at the house, lest a prospective buyer expect to find the house as it was on the show inside as well as out — although a wealthy investor and "Breaking Bad" fan might have the resources to redesign the home's interiors to more closely reflect the way the house existed in the world of the show.
That's all speculation about the future of the house, however. For now, the home is for sale through its own designated website (at www.WalterWhitesHouse.com). You can also check out the local TV news report on the home's listing for yourself below:
