House for sale: includes ferris wheels and bumper cars

I mean, $4m seems like a steal to me.

Zillow listing

Good comments on the Zillow Gone Wild Twitter thread:

https://twitter.com/zillowgonewild/status/1556307017362546688

Neverland Ranch…
One of those wheels is a rare Garbrick, which would be good to have. Not 3.9 good, but good.

That bathroom carpet though...

I don't think either one of those wheels is from Neverland. The photos from back then show a wheel where the gondolas are outside the outer ring, and neither one of these is built like that.

More background about the property.

It's not a total gut job, but honestly, it's pretty close. It looks like 1985. You'll need several dumpsters to get rid of all that kitschy crap.

Hmm, I have to wonder what home inspector you'd find that also would be qualified to inspect amusement rides. :-)

Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to imply the wheels came from Neverland, just that the little backyard park reminds me of what Michael had.
Neverland had an Eli Bridge wheel. The model?
HY-5!

From the pictures it kinda feels like they hosted an awesome birthday party and then forgot to return the rentals.

35 years ago.

Is the tube TV included for that price?

As someone who just bought a new house <2 years ago, it's a pet peeve when they don't declutter for the pics.

That being said, I'd take those wooden ducks in pic 17!

Place looks pretty awesome though. Definitely needs some interior updates, but it's not awful inside. Honestly, the amusement rides that led the OP to post this are probably the biggest turn-off. They look both cheaply built and expensive to maintain, and I can't imagine what the liability is. The only ones I'd even be halfway interested in are the large Ferris Wheel and the Bumper Car building assuming I can get some good bumper cars, ala Knoebels.

kpjb:

Is the tube TV included for that price?

When we sold my grandmother's house the tube TV was in one of those wooden consoles. Not only could we not get the TV out after 20+ years of tube TV heat warping the wood and trapping the TV inside, even the professional movers could not lift it or get it out with any of the rolling dollies they had. The new owners wound up getting a fun surprise with their brown shag carpet.

I believe amusement rides in the back yard aren’t a liability (in the legal sense) if you let no one on them. That’s often why these homemade backyard coasters are a hard credit. The builder/owners just use it for themselves and their own families. I suppose insurance companies might have high rates either just because it’s there or because they’re not properly enclosed and randos can find access.
As for the de-clutter, oh my goodness. I’d be afraid to list our house today because our stuff is not to everyone’s taste and we have a pretty, red living room! But often those publicized “novelty” listings are left like that. I always have the impression the place is too large and involved for a staging company to be economically employed. Or the owners are dead or the daughter in law can’t be bothered or something like that. Sold “as is, all included” if you will.

My buddy grew up in the area and told me about a neighbor's house filled with monkeys. So there seems to be no shortage of interesting people in the area. ;)

Screw the rides, they'd be the first to go. I want the garage. How are you gonna list this property without any pictures of that?

There was a person who owned a company that supplied aircraft components to the military that lived in the East County of San Diego. He had a carousel with a band organ, and an Eli Wheel on his property. The organ company that I used to work for went out at least once a year to service the band organ. Then there is the man that bought the Broadway Flying Horses at auction, and was going to put it in a climate controlled building next to his house in New England. He decided it wasn't fancy enough for him and it's been in storage since 2004. He then bought the Astroworld machine and had it restored completely. The last I hear it's still in that building, and for sale, as he finally found the ride that met his criteria. Rumor has it he passed away before his final purchase was restored, his heirs have been pretty much mum about everything.

Here's another one that kind of fits the theme, seeing that it has carousel animals throughout. Not sure whether or not they convey. Wonder if any of our resident carousel experts can determine if these are from an actual carousel and if so, which one.

Oh they are real, and from various machines. I recognize the band organ, it was acquired from a gentleman who was a major dealer in carousel figures and band organs located in Southern CA. At one time the value of the figures in the house would have exceeded that of the property. That is no longer the case.

This is a bizarrely juxtaposed house! The front looks so normal and actually kind of charming, then you go to the back of the property and it’s like someone was trying to create their own legit amusement park and gave up. Then you look at the typical “I’m rich and have incredibly boring taste” furnishings and think ok…and then bam! Dwarf figurine with a polar bear! Then they’ve got what looks to be a restaurant and bar in the house where they only make slow cooker foods, but they’ve got enough tables outside to have an entire cafe…I am so confused yet intrigued. I’d totally keep the rides and have them redone or have them dismantled for cuter furniture.