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Wednesday, November 13, 2024

The Salary You’ll Need to Pay the Mortgage On Famous TV and Movie Homes

Salaries Needed To Afford Famous Homes
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We deploy a step-by-step methodology to each piece of research we publish to ensure our studies offer complete coverage and meet our rigorous editorial standards.

In the entertainment world, iconic TV and movie homes have earned cult followings and captured our imaginations for decades. And in recent years, more of these treasured homes have been listed for sale — ahem, any bidders on Regina George’s “Mean Girls” mansion

But what would it cost actually to live in one of these famed dwellings, and what annual salary would you need to earn to afford their mortgages? Apparently, a small fortune.

Using Zillow’s estimated home values of 25 beloved TV and movie homes, such as the “The Godfather” mansion on Staten Island and the McAllister’s “Home Alone” colonial in Chicago, we determined the monthly mortgage rates and the annual income required to afford each famous property.

Eyeing “Mrs. Doubtfire’s” Victorian home in San Francisco? Keep reading to discover the salary required to cover the mortgage on that iconic residence and others.

“The Godfather” Beverly Hills Estate

photo of the Hearst Estate in Beverly Hills, CA from “The Godfather”
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
  • Location: 1011 N Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills, CA
  • Zillow Estimated Home Value: $59,832,000
  • Estimated Monthly Mortgage Payment: $372,334
  • Estimated Annual Income Needed: $14,893,360

The opulent Hearst Estate, renamed the Beverly Estate in 2022, is renowned for both its grandeur and its iconic role in cinematic history, particularly the unforgettable horse head scene from “The Godfather.” The estate last sold in 2021 for a cool $63.1 million, but its current estimated worth is around $59.8 million. To afford this home beloved by film buffs, you would need an annual household income of $14,893,360.

Regina George’s Mansion in “Mean Girls”

  • Location: 11 High Point Rd, Toronto, ON
  • Zillow Home Price: $19,998,000
  • Estimated Monthly Mortgage Payment: $119,991
  • Estimated Annual Income Needed: $4,799,640

This stunning 2.4-acre property, made famous by the cult classic film, “Mean Girls,” is currently on the market, listed at $19,998,000. To live like Regina, you’d face an estimated monthly mortgage payment of $119,991, meaning you’d need an annual income of $4,799,640. While it may not be filled with burn books and Juicy Couture tracksuits, it’s perfect for anyone looking to channel their inner queen bee. 

“Breakfast at Tiffany’s” NYC Brownstone

  • Location: 169 E 71st St, New York, NY
  • Zillow Estimated Home Value: $7,722,300
  • Estimated Monthly Mortgage Payment: $46,376
  • Estimated Annual Income Needed: $1,855,040

This charming Upper East Side brownstone once served as the backdrop for Holly Golightly’s glamorous cocktail parties in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” The apartment boasts a Zestimate of $7.7 million and would cost more than $33,000 a month to rent. To call this luxe 3,600-square-foot space home, you would need an annual household income of $1,855,040.

“Full House” Victorian Townhouse

  • Location: 1709 Broderick St, San Francisco, CA
  • Zillow Home Price: $6,500,000
  • Estimated Monthly Mortgage Payment: $39,046
  • Estimated Annual Income Needed: $1,561,840

The exterior of the iconic Tanner residence in the Lower Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco is currently on the market for $6.5 million. To call this place home, you’d need an estimated monthly mortgage payment of $39,046, translating to an annual income of $1,561,840 — “How rude!”

“Mrs. Doubtfire” House in Pacific Heights

photo of the “Mrs. Doubtfire” home in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco
Image Credit: guteksk7/Shutterstock.com
  • Location: 2640 Steiner Street, San Francisco, CA
  • Zillow Estimated Home Value: $5,413,900
  • Estimated Monthly Mortgage Payment: $32,532
  • Estimated Annual Income Needed: $1,301,280

The legendary “Mrs. Doubtfire” house in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights neighborhood last sold in 2016 for $4.15 million and is now valued at a whopping $5.4 million. Home to birthday soirees with petting zoos and Robin Williams’ famed disguise, the Victorian-era home has an estimated monthly mortgage payment of $32,532. So fans of the movie would need to earn $1,301,280 annually to afford the home (just make sure to keep the goats outside). 

The McAllisters’ “Home Alone” Colonial

photo of the “Home Alone” colonial home outside of Chicago, IL
Image Credit: andhikatriyadi/Shutterstock.com
  • Location: 671 Lincoln Ave, Winnetka, IL
  • Zillow Home Price: $5,250,000
  • Estimated Monthly Mortgage Payment: $31,549
  • Estimated Annual Income Needed: $1,261,960

Ever dream of living like Kevin McCallister but without the “Wet Bandits” and booby traps? The iconic “Home Alone” colonial outside Chicago is listed on Zillow for $5.25 million (currently pending). With an estimated monthly mortgage payment of $31,549, you’d need an annual household income of $1,261,960 to afford this stately abode. 

“The Royal Tenenbaums” Brownstone

  • Location: 339 Convent Ave, New York, NY
  • Zillow Estimated Home Value: $3,632,400
  • Estimated Monthly Mortgage Payment: $21,849
  • Estimated Annual Income Needed: $873,960

Embrace the quirky world of Wes Anderson with “The Royal Tenenbaums” brownstone in Harlem, New York, valued at $3.6 million. This 6,000-square-foot residence, where the Tenenbaum family navigated their delightfully dysfunctional lives, is perfect for those with eccentric tastes. With an estimated monthly mortgage payment of $21,849, you’d need an annual income of $873,960 to call this cinematic treasure your own.

Brady Bunch Mid-Century Ranch

  • Location: 11222 Dilling St, North Hollywood, CA
  • Zillow Estimated Home Value: $3,340,100
  • Estimated Monthly Mortgage Payment: $20,096
  • Estimated Annual Income Needed: $803,840

Ready to live like the Brady Bunch? The iconic mid-century ranch in North Hollywood has an estimated value of $3.34 million on Zillow. This groovy home, where Mike, Carol, and their blended family solved life’s quirky problems, could be yours for an estimated monthly mortgage payment of $20,096. With an annual income of $803,840, you can recreate the iconic scenes and even say, “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!” in the very same halls.

“The Godfather” Staten Island Home

  • Location: 110 Longfellow Ave, Staten Island, NY
  • Zillow Estimated Home Value: $2,852,900
  • Estimated Monthly Mortgage Payment: $17,174
  • Estimated Annual Income Needed: $686,960

Make an offer you can’t refuse on “The Godfather” Tudor-style home in Staten Island, New York, last sold in 2016 for $2.4 million and currently valued at $2.85 million. In 2022, fans of Coppola’s film even had the chance to rent the home on Airbnb. This is where Vito Corleone himself plotted his empire, and you could step into the role of the Don for an estimated monthly mortgage payment of $17,174. To afford this home and live like a Corleone, you’ll need an annual household income of $686,960.

The Cullens’ Modern Home in “Twilight”

  • Location: 3333 NW Quimby, St, Portland, OR
  • Last Sold For: $2.5 million on 3/1/22
  • Zillow Estimated Home Value: $2,578,900
  • Estimated Monthly Mortgage Payment: $16,134
  • Estimated Annual Income Needed: $645,360

The Cullen’s ultra-modern home in Portland, Oregon, is the definition of sleek. The vampires’ pristine residence last sold for $2.5 million in March 2022 and now boasts a Zillow estimated value of $2.58 million. For an estimated monthly mortgage payment of $16,134, you’d need an annual income of $645,360 to live like Edward Cullen.

“10 Things I Hate About You” House

  • Location: 2715 N Junett St, Tacoma, WA
  • Zillow Estimated Home Value: $2,246,300
  • Rent Zestimate®: $9,335
  • Estimated Monthly Mortgage Payment: $13,537
  • Estimated Annual Income Needed: $541,480

Get ready to swoon over the Victorian charm of the “10 Things I Hate About You” house with an estimated home value of $2.25 million. Lovers of this Pacific Northwest gem near Seattle, Washington, would need $9,335 a month to rent it or $13,537 a month for the mortgage. With an annual income of $541,480 required, living here will have you saying, “I hate how much I love this house,” in true Kat Stratford fashion.

Cameron’s Modernist Home in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”

photo of Cameron Frye's modernist home in “Ferris Bueller's Day Off”
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
  • Location: 370 Beech St, Highland Park, IL
  • Zillow Estimated Home Value: $1,605,500
  • Estimated Monthly Mortgage Payment: $9,694
  • Estimated Annual Income Needed: $387,760

Step into the world of Ferris Bueller with Cameron’s modernist masterpiece outside of Chicago, now valued at over $1.6 million on Zillow. This sleek home, where the red Ferrari took its infamous dive, offers a blend of cinematic history and architectural brilliance. With an estimated monthly mortgage payment of $9,694 and an annual income of $387,760 needed, living here means you can relive Ferris’s day off in style.

Max & Dani’s House in “Hocus Pocus”

  • Location: 4 Ocean Ave, Salem, MA
  • Zillow Estimated Home Value: $628,700
  • Rent Zestimate®: $3,499
  • Estimated Monthly Mortgage Payment: $3,721
  • Estimated Annual Income Needed: $148,840

We’re all spellbound by Max and Dani’s charming Salem, MA house in “Hocus Pocus,” currently valued at $628,700. This enchanting, 1,305-square-foot home, where the Sanderson sisters ran amok, rents for $3,499 a month, and you’d need an annual household income of $148,840 to afford its monthly mortgage payment.

The Byers House in “Stranger Things”

  • Location: 149 Coastline Rd, Fayetteville, GA
  • Zillow Home Price: $400,000
  • Estimated Monthly Mortgage Payment: $2,464
  • Estimated Annual Income Needed: $98,560

There’s no creepier house than the Byers home in “Stranger Things,” a portal to “the Upside Down.” Although the show is set in Indiana, the actual home is located in Fayetteville, Georgia, and last sold in 2022 for $400,000. With an estimated monthly mortgage payment of $2,464, you’d need an annual income of $98,560 to live in this piece of TV history. Perfect for fans who want to feel like they’re part of Hawkins, Indiana — minus the Demogorgons!

“Breaking Bad” House

photo of Walter White’s house from “Breaking Bad” in Albuquerque, NM
Image Credit: JRJfin/Shutterstock.com
  • Location: 3828 Piermont Dr NE, Albuquerque, NM
  • Zillow Estimated Home Value: $352,300
  • Estimated Monthly Mortgage Payment: $2,179
  • Estimated Annual Income Needed: $87,160

Walter White’s notorious New Mexico home in “Breaking Bad” is currently worth $352,300, according to Zillow. Fans who want to live like Heisenberg (minus the blue crystal) would need to pay $2,179 per month for the mortgage and have an annual income of $87,160 to afford the residence.

Full Dataset

Check out the interactive data table below to explore all 20 famous TV and movie homes and the salaries needed to afford them!

Closing Thoughts

So, there you have it — the lowdown on what it takes to live in some of TV and movie history’s most iconic homes. Whether you’re dreaming of living like a Corleone or just want a taste of the Upside Down, one thing’s clear: you’ll need a blockbuster salary to match. 

“Clearly, many of the houses featured in some of the most famous films and shows are out of reach for most Americans,” says Erica Sandberg, consumer finance expert with CardRates.com. “And who doesn’t want to jump into the pool at the Hearst Estate? But when you’re in the market for a home of your own, it’s always best to be realistic with what you can truly afford.” 

Ready to start saving, or will you just keep dreaming from the comfort of your couch? Either way, it’s fun to imagine!

Before you start planning your move, remember that smart financial planning is key to achieving any dream home. For more tips on managing your money and building the credit you need to afford these iconic residences, check out our educational guides.

Methodology 

We created a list of the most famous TV and movie homes using House Beautiful, Ranker, and Business Insider. Using Zillow listings data, we pulled the Zestimate (Zillow’s estimated home value) for each home. Using Bankrate’s mortgage calculator, we calculated the estimated monthly mortgage payment for each, including the principal plus interest, homeowner’s insurance, and property taxes. The mortgage rate assumes a standard 20% down payment, a 30-year fixed loan, and the current interest rate as of June 2024, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED).

Using the standard rule that monthly mortgage payments should account for no more than 30% of monthly income, we then calculated the annual household income needed to afford each famous home. Zestimates were collected for all homes except the “Mean Girls” mansion, the “Home Alone” house, and the “Full House” home. For these properties, list prices were used because they are currently on the market or pending sale. The data for this study was collected in June of 2024.