Pristine Desert-Steel Celebrity - Page 2

Wexler's own residence (1955), a wood post-and-beam construction at 1272 East Verbena Drive, was recently profiled in this space on its first ever listing. It was priced at $1.75 million and sold in December for $1,675,000.

Another feature that distinguishes No. 6 from the half-dozen other Steel Development homes is its placement at the front of its lot and the addition, in about 2004, of an iron gate and stone wall.

"It sits right on the curb [and] feels much more expansive because the distance to the other homes is greater," said Johns, who has sold two of the other six adjacent steel houses in recent years for prices in the mid-$600,000s. Of the street-front additions by the prior owner, he added, "They didn't just go to Home Depot and buy a gate [either], and the wall is a piece of art unto itself."

"It is in far superior condition," he said of No. 6 compared to his prior listings of Steel Houses No. 1 and 4. "They were both considerable fixer-uppers."

Johns is vice president of the Palm Springs Preservation Foundation, a member of the city Historic Site Preservation Board, and also sits on the city's 'Modernism Week' board. He said Carnase finished the restoration in 2011 to coincide with the 'Donald Wexler: Steel and Shade' exhibition at the Palm Springs Art Museum.

"These seven homes, all day long you'll see the tour buses pull up and people getting out to look," he noted. "Certainly among this market, they are among the most well-known homes."

As a result, he said, "We are restricting access to the house...no broker open house, no public open house."

"We're not having an open house, just because we know too many people would come," said the realtor, stating that Carnase and his wife are "selling pride of ownership." Johns conceded that limiting tours only to qualified buyers could limit the amount of attention it attracts, admitting, "I don't expect there will be a bidding war."

For more on the Wexler Steel House No. 6 listing, click here.