A six-bedroom, four-bathroom Colonial home at 657 Boulevard in Westfield, New Jersey has now become one of America’s most popular homes.
The story goes like this: Derek and Maria Broaddus purchased the spread in 2014 for $1.35 million — and it’s where they were excited to live with their three children. For them, it was their dream home.
Only 16 miles away from New York City, the Broaddus family saw the property as the perfect balance.
Before officially moving in, they began some renovations — and then, the nightmares started.
Around that time came the first of several menacing letters, as cited in a buzzy 2018 New York Magazine expose.
Dearest new neighbor at 657 Boulevard, Allow me to welcome you to the neighborhood. 657 Boulevard has been the subject of my family for decades now and as it approaches its 110th birthday, I have been put in charge of watching and waiting for its second coming. My grandfather watched the house in the 1920s and my father watched in the 1960s. It is now my time. Do you know the history of the house? Do you know what lies within the walls of 657 Boulevard? Why are you here? I will find out.
Each letter was signed as “The Watcher.”
And as the latest Netflix series highlighted, the letters kept coming — and continued being just as creepy.
Do you need to fill the house with the young blood I requested? Better for me. Was your old house too small for the growing family? Or was it greed to bring me your children? Once I know their names I will call to them and draw them too [sic] me.
This continued for years, and eventually the Broadduses were so desperate to sell the home, they took a $400,000-plus hit. They sold the property for $959,000 to Andrew and Allison Carr in 2019, who didn’t seem phased by the letters.
Westfield police told The Post in October 2021 that there have not been any threatening communications since the new owners took over the home.
The home spans roughly 4,000 square feet. David Realty Group
The foyer with a seating nook. David Realty Group
The formal dining room. David Realty Group
The formal living area. David Realty Group
The sun room. David Realty GroupHowever, it’s unknown since that time last year if there have since been any disturbances. The Westfield Police Department has not returned The Post’s recent request for comment; the Carrs didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Before the Broadduses, John and Andrea Woods lived in the home for 23 years without incident. When the Broaddus family reached out to them, they said they had only received one letter from “The Watcher.” The note had been “odd,” Andrea said, and made similar mention of The Watcher’s family observing the house over time, but threw away the letter without much thought.
But what exactly makes this home so special, that it lured in a stalker in the shadows — one who was seemingly upset that the Broadduses had done renovations?
According to a previous listing, the home as been pegged as a “stunning one of a kind turn of the century colonial with a dramatic wrap around front porch with impressive curb appeal on a picturesque street.”
Features include a grand foyer, period moldings, hardwood floors, and a primary suite with a dressing room and a renovated bath. Coffered ceilings are displayed throughout.
Built in 1905, the home is situated on half an acre of land and spans nearly 4,000 square feet.
However, the house used for the Netflix series is actually located in Rye, New York.
A six-bedroom, seven-bathroom estate, the property is much larger than the real-life “Watcher House,” spanning more than 10,100 square feet.
The house used to film the Netflix series “The Watcher” is located in Rye, New York and spans more than 10,100 square feet. Sotheby's International Realty
Bobby Cannavale as Dean Brannock in the Netflix series, “The Watcher.” ERIC LIEBOWITZ/NETFLIX
The foyer. Sotheby's International Realty
The kitchen and breakfast area. Sotheby's International Realty
The Brannock family in ‘The Watcher’: Luke David Blumm as Carter, Isabel Marie Gravitt as Ellie, Bobby Cannavale as Dean and Naomi Watts as Nora. ERIC LIEBOWITZ/NETFLIX
The Brannock family in the kitchen. ERIC LIEBOWITZ/NETFLIX
The family room. Sotheby's International Realty
The formal living area. Sotheby's International RealtyThe home was listed for rent in 2020 for a sky-high $50,000 per month.
Built in 2016, records show the land was sold in 2014 $4.2 million.
Situated on 1.25 acres, the stone Colonial features 19 rooms across four floors.
Perks include a chef’s kitchen with Calcutta stone, a 10-seat movie theater, an indoor basketball court, a full gym, a golf simulator and six fireplaces.
The fourth-floor office boasts water views, and exterior amenities include a 70-foot swimming pool and spa.
