Listed here in August 2022 for $4.25 million, listing agent Crosby Doe of Crosby Doe Associates explains that the seven-bedroom, six-bathroom home in Los Banos, California, was pulled off the market during the holidays.
But now it's back on the market, this time with a $3.825 million price tag. Since it was relisted on 4 August, the property has received three offers but remains available for sale.
The sellers bought the 4,041-square-foot Usonian-style property in 2012 from original owners Randall "Buck" Fawcett and Harriett Fawcett.
Completed in 1961, the home is based on Wright's 1955 design, which Doyle called "Falling Water in the San Joaquin Valley." Los Banos is about two hours from the San Francisco Bay Area.
The design uses materials such as concrete blocks and copper. It has a koi pond, a 12-foot-wide fireplace, an open floor plan and a horizontal roof.
Doe says, "They are very conscious of preserving the environment." As a result, they hired a great team to do a full restoration. They use it for private getaways and family gatherings.
The sellers worked with Eric Lloyd Wright - grandson of Frank Lloyd Wright, who died earlier this year - and Arthur Dyson, co-architect of Taliesin.
They also drilled a well with a reverse osmosis water system for the house, garden and pool. Most of the work was done shortly after they moved in.
Doe notes, "They didn't make a profit. It was a labour of love."
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the owners were unable to travel much from Florida, and business interests took them elsewhere. As a result, they chose to put this prized property on the market.
The alfalfa farm on the land still had a two-year contract that could be renewed or discontinued by the new owners.
During the marketing process, Doe had certain types of buyers in mind: retired hobby farmers, or Silicon Valley residents looking for a cool corporate retreat.
He says, "We also have international collectors who just want great architectural pieces." They're there, too. I've found that patience is key with these unique pieces of architecture. Finding the right buyer takes time.
But he has faith in Wright's designs because he knows they will still attract interest decades from now.
"The market for Frank Lloyd Wright homes has been amazing. They are usually priced tens of per cent higher than their local counterparts."
There are two other Wright-designed homes on the market that cost almost twice as much as the California ranch: this stunner in Connecticut and a stunner in Oklahoma.
