_{SOURCE: theclose.com}

Well, hello there! You’ll be thrilled to learn about this week’s real estate fun facts!

1. A Secret Apartment Sits Atop the Eiffel Tower

As a part of his commission for the design and construction of the most famous Parisian landmark, Gustov Eiffel built and maintained ownership of a secret, 1,000-square-foot apartment near the top of the Eiffel Tower.

2. Sears Used to Sell Mail-order Homes

If you think that Amazon is the pioneer of purchase-and-ship products, you’re forgetting about the mail-order giant Sears & Roebuck. In the early 20th century, you could buy just about anything through their giant catalogs, including a surprisingly large selection of homes.

3. Billionaire Warren Buffett Still Lives in His Modest Home in Omaha, Nebraska

Warren Buffett, the Oracle of Omaha, one of the wealthiest men on the planet with a net worth of approximately $94 billion, apparently likes living in his unassuming home in Omaha. He bought it in 1958 for $31,500, which translates to about $250,000 in today’s dollars. Now it’s worth well over $833,000, but he’s not selling it any time soon. 

4. The Shire Really Does Exist (Sort Of)

We know this looks like a set piece from “Lord of the Rings,” but it’s actually just one of more than two dozen real homes you can rent on Airbnb in beautiful Charlevoix, Michigan. The homes were built by a Northern Michigan native, Earl Young, and constructed mainly from stone and boulders from Lake Michigan and Lake Charlevoix.

5. You Can Stay in Luke Skywalker’s Boyhood Home

The next time you’re passing through Matmata, Tunisia, and need a place to crash for the night, make sure to check out Hotel Sidi Driss. Yes, you can sleep in Luke Skywalker’s house for around sixty bucks a night. Just watch out for Jawas.

Stay tuned for more! We’re excited for our next week’s real estate fun facts!