The home of Walter White, the beloved villain protagonist of the hit TV show Breaking Bad, is up for sale. Listed on Zillow, an online American real-estate marketplace, the property is valued at USD 4 million—more than three times its estimated value of USD 395,000.
The dramatic price increase is largely due to the show’s popularity. Despite the series concluding in 2013, fans still flock to the house, disrupting the family currently residing there.
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Before it was the home of the high school chemistry teacher turned drug lord, it belonged to the Padilla family. Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Fran and Louis Padilla bought the house in 1973, hoping to lead a quiet life in their peaceful neighbourhood. However, they did spend three relaxing decades at home before their lives forever changed in 2006.
Talking to KOB 4 Eyewitness News, Joanne Quintana, the daughter of Fran and Louis Padilla, explained how the fame of their house came to be. Quintana recalled how the producers approached them and asked her mother if they would be interested in the opportunity. “They introduced themselves and handed her a card and said, ‘We would like to use your house for a pilot'." Once the family verified the details, they gave the studio the green light to use their home for filming.
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“We were, like anybody, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing. You got to meet the actors, the actresses, you got to see how they set up the equipment and what it all takes,” she added.
Quintana shared that the family had a close relationship with the cast and crew, often baking cookies and distributing them between takes. Initially, the family did not bat an eye when fans showed up unannounced to their home, as they understood the excitement, but over time the negatives of their TV-famous house became more evident.
Recalling one incident, Quintana said, "Around 4:30 in the morning, the doorbell rang, my mom got up and opened the door, and it was a package addressed to Walter White.” The family called authorities, and a bomb squad was deployed to their home.
Longing to retreat to the quieter life, she said, “This was our family home from 1973, almost 52 years. So we’re going to walk away with just our memories," Quintana explained. “It’s time to move on. We’re done. There’s no reason to fight anymore.”
Breaking Bad is widely regarded as one of the most iconic TV shows in television history. It entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the most critically acclaimed TV show of all time. The show, which bagged 16 Primetime Emmy Awards in its five-season run, stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul in lead roles.
