Modernism Week concluded over the weekend with one of the most anticipated events of the 2018 event: the auction of the Palm Desert Wave House. The home, which was designed and built by Walter White (the architect, not the fictional New Mexico drug lord), came with a commitment from the city of Palm Desert to kick in $50,000 for renovations. The auction was over in less time than a Bruno Mars song and featured a pretty awkward start, according to the Desert Sun (emphasis by me).
Auctioneer GV Kruse, with GWS Auctions LLC, tried to start the bidding at $1 million but had no takers.
It started at $50,000 and quickly jumped to $100,000 then continued to climb in $50,000 increments until reaching $350,000 as bid by the Stayners.
Solid job by the auctioneer there.
“How about we start the bidding for this house, appraised at $340,000 for, oh, I don’t know…”
“Anyone? Anyone? Anyone?”
*Two minute pause*
“Okay, do I hear five bucks?”
The winning bid was by father and son architects Gilbert and Christian Stayner, who got the house for $360,000 – or less than half the price ($725,000) the city paid for it back in 2007 – proving yet again the people who run Palm Desert are awesome at handling taxpayer dollars.
