This fire-ravaged estate has sparked a great deal of online attention.
Despite being a shell of its former self, this palatial southern villa commanded an enormous amount of interest — and quickly entered contract.
“Tragic total loss by fire of a classic mansion!” begins the unusual listing for a Franklin, Tennessee property, which immediately went viral after publicly listing for $1.49 million this month. The lead image for the home — which lasted just days on the market before getting scooped up — is also bizarre: A photo of the white-columned manor on fire, flames bursting from its roof and black smoke billowing into the sky.
The home when it was engulfed in flames. Kennedy News/Benchmark Realty/Zillow
The blaze made its way into some honest advertising. Kennedy News/Zillow
The home’s exterior before the fire. Courtesy of the Duvalls“The photo was taken just moments after we arrived at the scene … I stood there weeping,” seller Danny Duvall told The Post of the emotional story behind the fire, that image and the subsequent sale. He and his wife, Paula Duvall, had invested two years into carefully renovating the grand abode, built in 1997, only for a freak accident to set the property ablaze.
It happened in September, as workers were finishing up renovations in the library, when a tiny spark from a paint sprayer ignited the fumes from the lacquer paint being used. “The entire room and home quickly went up in flames,” said Duvall.
The damage is hard to calculate as “this was no ordinary home,” but one “filled with exquisite details,” most of which have been totaled — some of which were spared. The foundation may also be salvageable.
A Brit snapped up the ravaged home after three days for sale. Kennedy News/Mike Thakur
The facade after the flames tore through. Courtesy of the Duvalls
A guest house, which was untouched by the fire. Courtesy of the Duvalls
An outdoor kitchen area that was also spared by the flames. Courtesy of the Duvalls
The main home’s kitchen before the fire. Courtesy of the Duvalls
“Most” details were ruined, but some remain. Courtesy of the Duvalls
The kitchen in the guest lodge. Courtesy of the Duvalls
Much of the sprawling basement was spared. Courtesy of the Duvalls
The least damaged room in the main house. Courtesy of the Duvalls
Honest listing images of the damaged interior and exterior. Courtesy of the DuvallsTheir insurance carrier, Duvall emphasized, “walked with us every step of the way” after the disaster, but still the couple were unsure how to recover from “such a catastrophic loss.” So they made the decision to move on from the home, selling everything as is. To their surprise, they were inundated with interested buyers, and the home was under contract with a new family after just two days.
“The new family plans to restore the home to all of its original glory,” said Duvall. “I am thrilled to know that our home will soon be reborn and new life will rise out of our devastating flames.”
Despite being in contract, though, the couple continues to get daily calls from interested parties.
In addition to the badly burned main house, the new family will also receive a guest home untouched by the flames, plenty of potential for expansion, and the approximately 5 acres — complete with an outdoor kitchen and porches — on which the structures stand.
