The Los Angeles property that served as the exterior backdrop for the Banks family home in the popular TV sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” has been brought to market for US$22.95 million. Although the series placed the Banks family in Bel-Air, the estate is actually located in North Brentwood Park, one of Los Angeles' most desirable neighbourhoods. Here, it provided the familiar facade seen in the opening sequences and throughout its run in the 1990s. More recently, the recognisable residence returned to the screen as an exterior setting for the Hulu/FX series “The Shards.”
Built in the 1930s in the Georgian Colonial style, the house belongs to Farhad “Frank” Rahban and his wife, Parvin Rahban. After nearly 50 years of ownership, the couple has decided to sell the property.
Property Details and Features
The estate is accessed via a tree-lined, circular driveway that leads to the house's most prominent exterior feature: a two-storey columnar portico. Tall columns frame the main entrance beneath a curved upper balcony, while neatly trimmed hedges and plants line the pathway. The driveway continues past the right side of the house and under a covered porte-cochère to the garages and a separate exit gate onto Parkyns Street.
Upon entering the house, a double-height entrance hall opens up, dominated by a sweeping staircase that ascends along the rear wall beneath a crystal chandelier. Hardwood floors extend throughout the entrance area, while pale green walls, period mouldings, and arched openings frame the adjoining rooms. The living room extends to the left of the foyer, offering a window frontage overlooking the front garden. A fireplace with a traditional mantelpiece is located on the right wall, surrounded by formal sofas and chairs on a dark brown rug.
The formal dining room continues the house's traditional style, featuring a long, carved wooden table beneath a crystal chandelier. Tall windows along the exterior wall are framed by layered curtains, while white panelling covers the lower half of the room, contrasting with the muted green walls above. Upstairs, a room opens onto a private balcony overlooking the garden, its white balustrade offering a sweeping view across lawns and pool.
Exterior Facilities and Future Prospects
The outdoor area begins directly behind the house, extending across the lawn to the pool and more formal garden areas. A stone archway marks the transition from the lower terrace to the main lawn, with climbing plants winding around the curved frame and sculptural figures on either side. The swimming pool is surrounded by stone terraces, offering ample space for relaxation on both sides. At the far end, an elevated spa is situated directly in front of the pool house pavilion, whose row of arched windows and doors faces back towards the water and lawn. Away from the main area, low hedges create an enclosed square around a garden gazebo, which stands on a gravelled surface.
- —Price: US$22.95 Million
- —Location: Brentwood, California
- —Living Area: 6,438 square feet on 0.88 acres
- —Bedrooms: 6, Bathrooms: 7
More than three decades after "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" made the property's exterior world-famous, the villa could now undergo one of the most significant changes in its nearly 50-year history under the same ownership. Its location in Brentwood Park offers a future owner several options: from preserving and modernising the original 1930s residence, to extending the existing footprint, or a more comprehensive redevelopment. The listing for US$22.95 million thus opens up the opportunity for a new owner to acquire one of Los Angeles' most iconic television homes and shape its future.
This property is offered exclusively by Christophe Choo of Coldwell Banker Realty and Zaman Nourafschan of Beverly & Company, INC.
