20 TV Homes That Exist In Real Life

Photo of author

By Amelia Kent

Some of the most beloved homes on television are not just sets built in a studio. They are real buildings you can actually visit, photograph, and in some cases even sleep in overnight.

From San Francisco row houses to grand English castles, these iconic TV homes have taken on a life of their own beyond the screen. Get ready to discover exactly where your favorite fictional families really lived.

1. New Girl – 836 Traction Avenue, Los Angeles

New Girl – 836 Traction Avenue, Los Angeles
© Global Film Locations

That funky downtown loft where Jess, Nick, Schmidt, and Winston crammed together is a real building in Los Angeles’s Arts District. The address is 836 Traction Avenue, and it sits in a neighborhood filled with galleries and coffee shops.

The show filmed exterior shots here regularly, but all the inside scenes happened on a studio soundstage. Still, fans make the trip just to snap a photo in front of the building.

2. Full House – 1709 Broderick Street, San Francisco

Full House – 1709 Broderick Street, San Francisco
© San Francisco Chronicle

Many people assume the Tanner family home is one of the famous Painted Ladies near Alamo Square, but that is actually a common mix-up. The real exterior is a private Victorian home at 1709 Broderick Street in San Francisco.

All the warm family moments inside were filmed on a soundstage. The neighborhood is quiet and residential, and the house looks just as charming today as it did back in the late 1980s.

3. A Christmas Story – Cleveland, Ohio

A Christmas Story – Cleveland, Ohio
© Ohio Magazine

Ralphie’s wish for a Red Ryder BB gun is one of the most iconic moments in holiday movie history, and the house where it all happened is sitting right in Cleveland, Ohio. You can tour it, buy souvenirs, and even book an overnight stay in Ralphie’s actual room.

The owners restored every detail to match the film. Visitors from around the world show up each December, making it one of America’s quirkiest holiday destinations.

4. Roseanne – Conner Family Home, Indiana

Roseanne – Conner Family Home, Indiana
© The Irish Sun

The Conner family home from Roseanne had a working-class, lived-in feel that millions of viewers recognized from their own neighborhoods. The real exterior is a four-bedroom, two-bathroom house that was once listed for just $129,000 back in 2013.

It is a private residence, so visitors should be respectful from the street. The modest home perfectly captured the spirit of the show, proving that not every TV house needs to be a mansion to leave a lasting impression.

5. Dexter – Bay Harbor Club Condos, Miami Beach

Dexter – Bay Harbor Club Condos, Miami Beach
© Compass Real Estate

Dexter Morgan’s waterfront apartment gave the show a sleek, sun-soaked Miami vibe that felt both glamorous and eerie at the same time. The building used for exterior shots is the Bay Harbor Club condos at 1155 103rd Street in Miami Beach.

All the interior scenes were recreated on replica sets in Los Angeles. The real condo complex is a private residential property, but the exterior is visible from the road for fans wanting a quick look.

6. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air – 251 N Bristol Avenue, Brentwood

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air – 251 N Bristol Avenue, Brentwood
© thejoshaltman

Despite the show being called The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the Banks mansion is actually located in Brentwood, not Bel-Air. The home at 251 N Bristol Avenue has 17 rooms, five bedrooms, four bathrooms, and nearly 3,900 square feet of living space.

Will Smith himself helped make the house available on Airbnb in 2020, letting lucky fans book actual overnight stays. The property was built roughly 70 years ago and still looks absolutely stunning today.

7. Hocus Pocus – 318 Essex Street, Salem, Massachusetts

Hocus Pocus – 318 Essex Street, Salem, Massachusetts
© Peabody Essex Museum

Halloween fans know Allison’s house from Hocus Pocus as one of the most atmospheric homes in movie history. That grand white Colonial with black shutters is a real building at 318 Essex Street in Salem, Massachusetts, and it now operates as a museum.

Visitors can tour the interior and soak up the spooky history of Salem at the same time. The location makes it a natural stop for anyone visiting the city during October’s famous Halloween season.

8. Friends – 90 Bedford Street, Greenwich Village, New York

Friends – 90 Bedford Street, Greenwich Village, New York
© victoria.nycvisit

Central Perk may be fictional, but the building that houses Monica and Rachel’s apartment is absolutely real. Head to the corner of Grove Street and Bedford Street in Greenwich Village and you will find 90 Bedford Street standing right there.

There is a cafe on the ground floor, though it is not Central Perk. The building’s warm brick exterior has been photographed by millions of Friends fans who make the pilgrimage to Manhattan every single year.

9. The Brady Bunch – 11222 Dilling Street, Studio City, California

The Brady Bunch – 11222 Dilling Street, Studio City, California
© LA Times

For decades, the Brady Bunch house sat quietly on Dilling Street in Studio City without matching the show’s famous interiors at all. That changed in 2018 when HGTV purchased the property and renovated it to finally look like the beloved home fans remembered.

The project was documented in its own TV special, adding another chapter to the house’s pop culture story. It remains a private residence today, but fans regularly cruise by to catch a nostalgic glimpse.

10. Downton Abbey – Highclere Castle, Hampshire, England

Downton Abbey – Highclere Castle, Hampshire, England
© Discover Britain

Highclere Castle is one of the most breathtaking filming locations in television history, and the good news is that it is very much open to the public. Located in Hampshire, England, this 17th-century estate serves as the ancestral home of the Earls of Carnarvon.

Tours run on specific days throughout the year, giving visitors a chance to walk the same grand halls seen on screen. The castle also holds a fascinating Egyptian exhibition connected to the fifth Earl’s archaeological discoveries.

11. Breaking Bad – Walter White’s House, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Breaking Bad – Walter White's House, Albuquerque, New Mexico
© Architectural Digest

Walter White’s house is one of the most recognizable addresses in modern TV history, and it is a real home in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Spanish Colonial revival property spans about 3,500 square feet and features original wood floors, stone-framed doors, and ornamental fireplaces.

The owners have had to deal with fans tossing pizza onto the roof, recreating a famous scene from the show. Despite the unwanted attention, the house remains a private residence and a true pop culture landmark.

12. Succession – Woolworth Tower Residences Penthouse, New York City

Succession – Woolworth Tower Residences Penthouse, New York City
© New York Post

Kendall Roy’s jaw-dropping Manhattan penthouse on Succession was filmed inside Pavilion A of the Woolworth Tower Residences in Lower Manhattan. The building is a converted version of the legendary Woolworth Building, one of New York City’s most iconic skyscrapers.

The penthouse unit features a duplex terrace and access to over 67,000 square feet of luxury amenities. It is the kind of address that perfectly matches the show’s obsession with staggering wealth and architectural grandeur.

13. Arrested Development – 23155 Dolorosa Street, Woodland Hills, California

Arrested Development – 23155 Dolorosa Street, Woodland Hills, California
© LAmag

The Bluth family may have been hilariously dysfunctional, but their house was a perfectly ordinary suburban home in Woodland Hills, California. The exterior at 23155 Dolorosa Street was used for both outdoor shots and some interior filming during the pilot episode.

The neighborhood is quiet and residential, which made it a funny contrast to the chaos happening inside the Bluth household. Fans of the show occasionally stop by to pay tribute to one of TV’s greatest comedies.

14. The Beverly Hillbillies – Kirkeby Mansion, 750 Bel Air Road, Los Angeles

The Beverly Hillbillies – Kirkeby Mansion, 750 Bel Air Road, Los Angeles
© CNBC

The Clampetts may have stumbled into wealth by accident, but their mansion was the real deal. The Kirkeby Mansion at 750 Bel Air Road in Los Angeles was built in the 1930s and sits on a sprawling 10-acre property with an unforgettable pool out front.

The estate eventually sold for a staggering $180 million, making it one of the priciest residential sales in California history. It is a fitting legacy for a home that became a symbol of over-the-top American luxury.

15. Beverly Hills, 90210 – Walsh Residence, Altadena, California

Beverly Hills, 90210 – Walsh Residence, Altadena, California
© Flickr

Here is a fun twist: the Walsh family home from Beverly Hills, 90210 is not actually in Beverly Hills at all. The real house sits at 1675 E Altadena Drive in Altadena, California, a quiet community quite far from the zip code in the show’s title.

The four-bedroom, four-bathroom property is currently valued at over $2 million. It is a private residence, but the address is well-known among fans who enjoy tracking down real-life filming locations across Southern California.

16. Big Little Lies – 30760 Broad Beach Road, Malibu, California

Big Little Lies – 30760 Broad Beach Road, Malibu, California
© House Beautiful

Madeleine Mackenzie’s gorgeous Monterey home in Big Little Lies was not actually filmed in Monterey. The real location is a stunning beachfront property at 30760 Broad Beach Road in Malibu, California, used for both interior and exterior scenes throughout the series.

The home rents for $5,000 per night, which says everything about its level of luxury. Floor-to-ceiling ocean views and modern coastal design make it one of the most enviable TV homes ever put on screen.

17. Black-ish – Johnson Residence, Sherman Oaks, California

Black-ish – Johnson Residence, Sherman Oaks, California
© IAMNOTASTALKER

The Johnson family’s stylish home on Black-ish reflects the show’s themes of success, identity, and family in a really visual way. The exterior used for most of the series is located in Sherman Oaks, a comfortable and well-established neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley.

Interestingly, the pilot episode used a completely different house at 1640 Lombardy Road in Pasadena before production settled on the Sherman Oaks location. Both homes carry that aspirational, upper-middle-class energy the show always portrayed so well.

18. Murder, She Wrote – Blair House, Mendocino, California

Murder, She Wrote – Blair House, Mendocino, California
© blairhouse.com

Jessica Fletcher’s charming home in the fictional town of Cabot Cove was actually filmed in the real coastal village of Mendocino, California. The house used is the Blair House, a Victorian-style bed and breakfast built in 1888 at 45110 Little Lake Street.

Guests can still book stays there today, making it one of the few TV homes where you can literally sleep inside the story. The surrounding town of Mendocino doubles beautifully as the quaint New England setting the show needed.

19. The O.C. – Cohen Family Home, 6205 Ocean Breeze Drive, Malibu

The O.C. – Cohen Family Home, 6205 Ocean Breeze Drive, Malibu
© Hooked on Houses

Sandy and Kirsten Cohen’s Newport Beach home was the emotional center of The O.C., and the real exterior is located at 6205 Ocean Breeze Drive in Malibu, California. The house has that classic Southern California look that the show used to define an entire era of teen drama.

Malibu stood in for Newport Beach throughout the series, and the neighborhood’s upscale feel matched the show’s sun-drenched aesthetic perfectly. Fans of the early 2000s series still seek it out on road trips through the area.

20. Modern Family – Dunphy House, Cheviot Hills, Culver City, California

Modern Family – Dunphy House, Cheviot Hills, Culver City, California
© the Roadtrippers map

Claire and Phil Dunphy’s warm, chaotic family home is one of the most recognizable houses in recent TV comedy. The real exterior is on Dunleer Drive in the Cheviot Hills neighborhood of Culver City, California, a peaceful residential street that looks exactly like the show suggests.

One fun detail: the actual interior of the real house looks nothing like the set used for filming. Production built a separate interior set to match the show’s layout, which is a common trick in Hollywood.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.