America’s favorite handyman and home improvement star Bob Vila, 77, has put his Florida waterfront mansion up for sale for $59.2 million as he and his wife plan to downsize.
Located on Everglades Island, just off West Palm Beach, the 0.84-acre property is 6,300 square feet and has seven bedrooms.
The home also features approximately 175 feet of water amenities including a pool, hot tub and private dock.
Vila and his wife Diana Barrett, a former Harvard University professor, bought the home from their late mother for $6.1 million after Barrett’s parents bought it for $375,000 in 1975.
Bob Vila has put his 1949 waterfront Florida mansion (pictured) up for sale for $59.2 million
Bob Vila (pictured) is known for helping others renovate their homes, hosting television shows such as This Old House and Bob Vila’s Home Again, and making cameo appearances on Tim Allen’s Home Improvement
The mansion’s backyard pool (pictured) is surrounded by palm trees and overlooks Lake Worth
Chris Vila, the couple’s real estate agent and son, told the Wall Street Journal that the home was originally built around 1949 and has a formal H-shaped floor plan.
Vila and Barrett began small renovations in 2005, hiring a general contractor and landscaper to give the home a “very old Florida feel.”
They started by installing new electrical, a new roof and new windows. With each renovation, the couple tried not to change the authentic design of the property.
On the east side of the house there is a loggia, a covered outdoor corridor lying on a black and white marble floor and leading to the pool terrace.
The couple then added a guest wing, connecting the detached cabana to the main residence.
The kitchen was also remodeled with a massive center island and a large stove with hood. It also flows seamlessly into the large family room and dining room.
The living room has large glass doors that look out to the pool, private doctor and Lake Worth.
One of the bedrooms has been decorated with red details, white walls and lots of natural sunlight coming through white blinds.
Vila and Barrett renovated the kitchen (pictured), which features a large island and stove with hood
One of the seven bedrooms (pictured) features small red accents, white walls, and plenty of natural sunlight streaming through white blinds
The poolside room (pictured) features black and white marble tile floors and large glass windows
Barrett said that while the house looks like a “modest brick home” from the outside, she likes that visitors can enjoy the pristine water views as they enter.
In addition to the home renovations, the exterior shows Vila’s talent for gardening, as he said the land on the property is mixed with tropical plants, an orchid garden and native plants.
Vila also revealed that the grounds are full of 1950s royal palms and ylang ylang trees.
Vila has built his brand by helping others modernize their homes on shows like “This Old House” and “Bob Vila’s Home Again,” and even visited the set of Tim Allen’s 1990s sitcom “Home Improvement.” years.
Both Allen and Vila subsequently competed against each other in a quiz competition and other races, and Allen appeared in a cameo in Bob Vila’s Home Again.
While Vila is no stranger to home improvement, he said the small upgrades to his Florida mansion have shaped the home but also become a challenge for him alone.
“It’s an older house, so there’s always something,” Vila told the Wall Street Journal.
Vila (left) was known for his appearances on Tm Allen’s (right) hit 1990s sitcom Home Improvement
In addition to the water views, Vila has also found a knack for gardening, as the home is planted with tropical plants, an orchid garden and native plants
Vila’s wife, Diana Barrett (left), said the idea behind the house was to make it feel “very old Florida.”
The pool is equipped with a swimming pool, a hot tub (pictured) and a private doctor
He and his wife have planned to downsize to a small home in Palm Beach since two of their children live nearby and their third lives in California.
Barrett said the couple had a “15-minute flirt” with the idea of moving into a new apartment building in West Palm Beach, but soon backed away when they realized the glass walls wouldn’t hold up their artwork.
Another reason the couple decided to put their beloved Florida home up for sale is the booming real estate market.
Redfin reported that the average sales price of a home in Palm Beach was $1.65 million in September 2023 and that homes in the area sell 172 days after listing.