LA's Infamous Squatter Mansion Is Back on the Market

For years, this Hollywood Hills estate was one of LA's most infamous eyesores — a graffiti-covered symbol of urban decay, repeatedly overtaken by squatters while it sat vacant. The graffiti has finally been cleaned off. Everything else is exactly as complicated as you'd expect.

The Bones Are Still Genuinely Impressive

Strip away the backstory, and this 11,152-square-foot, 6-bedroom, 12-bath estate reads like a serious Hollywood Hills showpiece: an elevator, a ballroom, a state-of-the-art screening room, and sweeping city lights views. The primary suite has its own boudoir, dual baths and closets, and pocket glass doors opening directly to an indoor/outdoor pool — one of two on the property. There are two gourmet kitchens, a dedicated spa room, five additional bedroom suites, staff quarters with private access, and a wood-paneled office flexible enough to serve as a second screening room.

A Very Public Downfall

The property was purchased in 2013 by film producer John Powers Middleton, son of Philadelphia Phillies owner John Middleton, and then left vacant and tax-delinquent for years. It became a genuine public safety issue in the Hollywood Hills, with police responding to dozens of calls as squatters and taggers moved in and covered the walls in graffiti — at times with reportedly as many as 20 people living inside. Middleton eventually issued a public apology to the city and his neighbors. The house ultimately went into foreclosure, and it's now being sold by Wells Fargo Bank. The graffiti is gone, but industry estimates put the cost of a full restoration in the millions of dollars, and the current asking price reflects roughly half of what the estate could command in move-in-ready condition.

The Internet Has Thoughts

Naturally, this listing caught the attention of Reddit's r/zillowgonewild community, who were genuinely surprised the kitchen cabinets, plumbing, and windows all survived the squatter years intact, floated theories about a billionaire family simply not noticing a house was sitting empty, and ran their own renovation math, landing somewhere around $2-3 million to bring it back to move-in condition. One commenter compared buying it to falling back in love with a cheap wallet you already own; another pointed out the primary suite alone has more bathrooms than most houses have bedrooms. See what people are saying about it here.

Think you know what LA's most notorious mansion is asking for now? Take the price quiz and find out. View the full listing here.