They’ve been driven bonkers by all the Breaking Bad fans who keep showing up.
If you’ve ever dreamed of owning a piece of television history, now’s your chance. The famous house featured in Breaking Bad, where Walter White’s unforgettable journey played out, is up for sale. But before you get too excited, be prepared to deal with an army of devoted fans who regularly show up to relive scenes from the iconic show.
The house, located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, served as the exterior location for many memorable moments in the series. While the interior scenes were shot on a set, the property became synonymous with Walt’s troubled life. Over the course of the show, the house saw its fair share of chaos: debris from a mid-air plane collision rained down on it (yes, Walt’s fault), its pool was subjected to some gross misuse (also Walt’s fault), gasoline was poured all over it (again, Walt), and, most famously, a whole pizza ended up on the roof—courtesy of Walt himself.
Fun fact: Bryan Cranston, who played Walt, nailed the pizza toss on his very first try during filming. Unfortunately, fans have since tried to replicate this stunt, much to the frustration of the home’s real-life owners.
A Family Home Turned Tourist Attraction
The homeowners, first approached by the Breaking Bad production team back in 2006, initially embraced the opportunity. Joanne Quintana, whose parents owned the home, recalled how her mother would even offer cookies to the cast and crew during filming. However, Bryan Cranston had to politely decline until shooting wrapped, as he was maintaining his weight for the role.
The once-beloved family home, which the Quintanas owned since 1973, has become more of a headache than a haven in recent years. The property regularly attracts die-hard fans of the show, many of whom try to toss pizzas on the roof or sneak into the backyard pool. The situation became so unmanageable that the family had to erect a fence to deter unwelcome visitors.
Speaking to local broadcaster KOB-TV, Quintana explained her reasons for selling: “This was our family home from 1973, almost 52 years. So we’re going to walk away with just our memories. It’s time to move on. We’re done. There’s no reason to fight anymore.”
A Pricey Piece of Television History
If you’re interested in owning the famous house, be prepared to pay a hefty price. The property has been listed for $4 million, a steep price compared to similar homes in the area. But then again, none of those houses have the distinction of being Breaking Bad’s Walter White residence, a pop culture landmark that continues to draw visitors from around the world.
For potential buyers, the home could become a profitable investment. Fans might be willing to pay big bucks to stay there, turning the property into a tourist attraction or themed rental. However, you’d have to deal with the constant influx of visitors and their antics—something the current owners have grown tired of.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the house even attracted groups of fans who ignored safety guidelines just to hang around the property, hoping for a glimpse of Bryan Cranston. Of course, since Cranston doesn’t actually live there, he wasn’t inside recovering from the virus (as some fans bizarrely believed).
Though the homeowners were compensated with a location fee for allowing Breaking Bad to use their property, it wasn’t enough to make them millionaires. Perhaps selling the home will finally provide the Quintana family with the financial windfall they deserve after years of dealing with pizza-throwing fans and backyard trespassers.
So, would you take on the legacy (and challenges) of owning this iconic piece of TV history?