News | advice | area guide

We Found the Unicorns: 7 Iconic Abodes in the Real Silicon Valley

Grab your hoodie! Pop your nootropics! And park the Tesla out back. For those who like to nerd out on “Silicon Valley,” the HBO cult fave is set to return with more stories of the tortured peaks and valleys of Pied Piper Inc.

The cable TV hit has nailed its spoofs of geeky coders, socially awkward programmers, and eccentric-crazy tech billionaires. And while the show may give viewers a surprisingly accurate notion of life in the valley, we’re interested in the real real estate up for grabs within paradigm-shifting proximity of the show’s buzzy Northern California setting.

The homes in the series are iconic in their own right—from the suburban-style incubator home hosted by Erlich Bachman, to the outrageous McMansion acquired by Big Head (Josh Brener) with his multimillion-dollar payout. But are these digs true to life? What, exactly, does current Silicon Valley real estate have to offer?

As with the rest of the San Francisco Bay Area, housing is scarce and very expensive. The tech boom wasn’t exactly accompanied by a building boom, so fairly modest abodes can easily command seven-digit price tags. On the other end of the scale are multimillion-dollar mansions custom-made for tech billionaires.

So put aside some of your VC cash, and join us on a tour of some of the real houses of Silicon Valley.

Pricey in Palo Alto

First stop, Palo Alto. This charming town is home to Stanford University, which begat the founders of Google, Yahoo, and Instagram, among many others. It’s also the fictional setting for the incubator hostel owned by Bachman (T. J. Miller), who hosts the programmers for the start-up Pied Piper, the brainchild of Richard Hendricks (Thomas Middleditch).

2131 Hanover St, Palo Alto, CA

Price: $1,488,000

Listings here move quickly, and there’s no way an incubator could afford most (any?!) of the homes available in Palo Alto. First-mover advantage isn’t a cliche when it comes to real estate in this section of Silicon Valley.

The cheapest place for sale in the entire city is this place at $1.49 million. This three-bedroom home is way too bright and airy for the tastes of hackers with their heads down. Also, it’s quite small and already pending sale. But the garage does give off a distinct Hewlett-Packard vibe.

1870 University Ave, Palo Alto, CA

Price: $16,998,000

For the CEO who rode a unicorn into an IPO bash and cashed in big-time, here’s how the other half lives in Palo Alto. This gorgeous compound is the most expensive home in the city.

Built in 1929, the structure has been completely updated, while historic touches like Tiffany stained-glass windows were preserved. The 9,322-square-foot home sits on 1.8 manicured acres featuring glorious rose bushes, fruit trees, and a bocce court. There’s also a chef’s kitchen, two-level wine cellar, large family room, six bedrooms, and five baths. There’s also a one-bed studio located over the garage. Maybe the new owner will let a hacker couch surf in the studio?

———

Where the Billionaires roam

Although the cable TV series doesn’t exactly show where Hooli senior executive Gavin Belson (Matt Ross) lives, or where Pied Piper’s fired CEO Jack Barker (Stephen Tobolowsky) parked, we have some ideas. We’ve found some of the most extravagant listings in the most exclusive enclaves of Silicon Valley.

200 Alamos Rd, Portola Valley, CA

Price: $19,750,000

If you want to lord over the tech world, this Portola Valley estate offers country living “just minutes to Silicon Valley tech and venture capital centers.”

The elevated escape on 4.42 acres offers views of the Bay Area. The 11,300-square-foot home, which uses solar power, has five bedrooms, including a “stunning” master suite and a separate guest apartment. The acreage also offers a theater, fitness center, and two offices. The outdoor space sports a pool, spa, and full equestrian facilities.

10718 Mora Dr, Los Altos Hills, CA

Price: $18,000,000

If high-tech modern is more your thing, check out this Los Altos Hills masterpiece. Built in 2016, the sleek design in stucco and glass opens to a massive space with 24-foot-high ceiling. The space extends outside to multiple decks and an infinity-edge pool. The home features a “jaw-dropping” kitchen, master suites on two floors, a lounge area with a bar, theater, and gym. And for the executive who has no time to shop for furniture, the home comes fully furnished.

155 Kings Mountain Rd, Woodside, CA

Price: $14,995,000

Here’s a compound that could double as a camp. A camp for coders perhaps.

Built in 1985, the Woodside property has been renovated and expanded. It sits on 5 fun-filled acres anchored by a 10,000-square-foot, five-bed, six-bath house. The parklike setting includes a pool, outdoor kitchen, one-bedroom guesthouse, eight-stall barn, riding ring, tennis court, orchards, children’s playground, and batting cage.

———

An Apple programmer’s delight in Sunnyvale

Not everyone in Silicon Valley is busy creating a start-up. Some, like the Hooli coders in “Silicon Valley,” choose the (relatively) more stable life of a worker bee at a behemoth tech company. The upside might not lead to a mansion in Los Altos, Woodside, or Portola Valley, but it beats sharing a room with five dudes in an incubator.

599 Cypress Ave, Sunnyvale, CA

Price: $899,000

This cozy three-bedroom, two-bath home in Sunnyvale, CA from 1952 caught our eye. We love the in-ground pool and sun room. Plus, it’s a quick commute to Apple’s new spaceship-like campus. Priced under a million, this is a great find for a young developer working toward the dream of middle management.

———

In Mountain View, the true magic happens

The Google-like company named Hooli in “Silicon Valley” features a sprawling campus that looks suspiciously similar to what you’ll find lurking off U.S. Highway 101. Google’s real-life location is Mountain View, CA, and the city has since been colonized by waves and waves of Googlers.

1657 Rock St Mountain View, CA

Price: $1,598,000

It’s also where you’ll find this cool spread, perfect for a well-paid employee who wants to be close to work.

The brand-new, 1,774-square-foot, three-bedroom, 2.5-bath home features open living spaces, soaring ceilings, a chef’s kitchen with quartz counters and stainless-steel appliances, and a modern style. Located on a quiet cul-de-sac and near hiking trails, the property features a landscape with redwood, palm, and avocado trees. The home is close to Google, Microsoft, LinkedIn, and public transit.

The post We Found the Unicorns: 7 Iconic Abodes in the Real Silicon Valley appeared first on Real Estate News & Advice | realtor.com®.

Source: Real Estate News and Advice – realtor.com » Real Estate News