It’s a Sidney Sheldon Triplet: 3 Palm Springs Homes on Market

By: Diane Tuman, Zillow Content Manager | May 25, 2009



Sidney Sheldon, who deftly and successfully crossed over mediums as a screenwriter (”The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer”), Broadway author (”Redhead”), television writer (”I Dream of Jeannie,” “Hart to Hart”) and then his biggest success as the author of best-selling novels (”The Other Side of Midnight,” “Are You Afraid of the Dark?”), died in 2007, but the Palm Springs compound where Sheldon crafted his best-selling novels is on the market.
Actually, it’s not only one Sheldon home — but three homes — two adjacent to each other and another across the street — that  belong to the Sheldon estate and are now being listed for sale. In addition to Sheldon’s main residence at 425 W. Via Lola, Palm Springs, CA 92262, there are two nearby properties once owned by Sheldon that are also for sale: the “guest house” next door at 467 W Via Lola, which is listed for $1.9 million and another property at 480 W Via Lola, which is listed for $2.2 million. Here are some details:


Sheldon’s main house — 425 W. Via Lola, Palm Springs, CA 92262 (Photos above)
For Sale: $1.7 million
Built in 1959, this is a Mid-Century Modern California-ranch style house that Sheldon purchased in 1977. He used Arthur Elrod, a famous Palm Springs designer, who was known for designs of large, open, light-filled spaces.  Sheldon wrote his best sellers from a casita, which is located in the back. The estate sits at the foot of the San Jacinto Mountains and is said to be one of the largest in the Palm Springs area. Take a look at more photos of the Sheldon compound.

Sheldon’s guest house — 467 W. Via Lola, Palm Springs, CA 92262
For Sale: $1.9 million

Built in 1948, this property was once owned by Winthrop and Jeanette Rockefeller who used it as a desert getaway from his position as governor of Arkansas. Playwright Moss Hart and his wife, actress Kitty Carlisle, purchased it from the Rockefellers, and then Sheldon bought it in 1992 for $775,000. Combined with the 425 address, this is the third largest acreage of 275 properties in the Old Las Palmas area of Palm Springs. Neighbors included Dinah Shore and Kirk Douglas.

Sheldon’s “Running Water” estate – 480 W Via Lola, Palm Springs, CA 92262
For Sale: $2.2 million
The third and final piece of Sheldon’s Palm Springs real estate collection, this was used as an “overflow” guest house when the first two homes could not quite accommodate all of Sheldon’s family and out-of-town guests. It was called “Running Water estate” and if you watch this video of Running Water, you’ll know why.
Windermere’s Scott Palermo and Jim Sanak are handling the listing locally, in Palm Springs. Jim said the main estate and the one next door at 467 W Via Lola can be sold together or separately.