The phrase “celebrity home” conjures up images of opulence, style and of course, high expenses. We’re used to being amazed and thrilled by the homes of famous people, but it isn’t always the level of luxury that draws our eye.

Sometimes it’s the legacy and life of the owners that thrills us and makes the house more than just a home. Every so often, a dwelling that was formerly occupied by a celebrity comes on the market and the buzz around it is always palpable.

The House of Yesterday

Fewer stars were more popular and controversial than Elvis Presley. His famous home Graceland won’t be going on the market anytime soon, but the home in which Elvis and Priscilla Presley spent their honeymoon recently did.

Dubbed “the House of Tomorrow” for its innovative use of natural lighting and materials, there is still a lot here that is reminiscent of the past. Tourists come here to get their picture taken in front of the King’s House and it’s still a popular sightseeing stop. Built with many long angles and clear lines, typical of the modern 1960s style, the home was designed to take advantage of the scenic views and outdoor space that makes Palm Springs such a paradise. Freemanforman.co.uk contains similar listings of equally impressive properties a bit closer to home.

Fictional Fame

Self-proclaimed millionaire, playboy, and scientific genius Tony Stark owns an impressive Malibu mansion that is just as fictional as he is. The home you’ve seen on celluloid is no more than a computer generated design juxtaposed on a tropical cliff-side. The architecture of this impressive home, which was featured in the Iron Man movies, is based on a real house in San Diego. Also known as the Razor Residence, this stunning home is actually located in the exclusive La Jolla oceanfront neighborhood and was for sale just a few years ago.

Considering it’s renowned architectural beauty and stunning design reminiscent of an amphitheatre, the price of just over $14 million was a bargain. The combination of glass and concrete moulded into a scenic cliff-side is every bit as breathtaking as the similar digital home featured in the films. Never mind the prestige of living in a house that was deemed to be fit for a superhero.

Born to Run Home

Bruce Springsteen’s music is famous for its gritty, blue collar anthems that extol the virtues of middle class America. This stands in stark contrast to the Beverly Hills compound that he sold in June for cool $60 million. The actual features of the property were kept under wraps, but the estate encompasses four and a half acres, and contains two residences (one a Mediterranean style villa, the other an English country cottage). Stunning, stately, and totally inaccessible to most of his fans.

Springsteen’s musical brilliance wasn’t born in Beverly Hills, however. He wrote the bulk of his most successful album “Born to Run” in a modest little two bedroom home that is currently up for sale. The location is only a couple of blocks from a quaint beach in Long Branch, New Jersey. The price is well within reach of the middle class working folks at a mere $299 000. It was initially purchased by a small group of friends who were also Springsteen fans to save it from the threat of demolition. Some recent renovations have made it a decent investment prospect along with it’s existing status as a piece of American history.

The Ladies of Music and Movies

The elite neighbourhood of Hidden Hills, CA is where you can find the almost four acre estate of actor, singer and dancer Jennifer Lopez. This home has no less than nine bedrooms and three bathrooms, and features amazing views of both the San Fernando Valley and the distant San Gabriel Mountains. It’s also a convenient 20 minute drive away from Malibu.

Swinging over to the east coast, Manhattan has more than a few notable names and their homes are currently listed for sale as well. Lady Gaga’s one bedroom apartment on the Lower East Side, where she wrote her album “The Fame” is currently available for rent for only $2000 a month. In 2011, she actually visited the building during a segment featuring herself and her work on 60 Minutes. Also in Manhattan, for those who are more about movies, Kathleen Turner recently listed and sold her three bedroom apartment for almost four million dollars. This home is 39 stories up and boasts amazing views of the Hudson River.

Celebrity homes are part of the stories that our favorite public figures tell us. Buying such a home isn’t just investing in a stellar design or a similar upscale taste. It’s also about the prestige and fame of living where the stars lived, even if they were never real people. Their homes, or the places that inspired their homes, can be just as exciting and interesting as the celebrities themselves.

Jacob Bell is fortunate enough to be involved with marketing some high-end properties. He has a working knowledge of the luxury real estate market and likes to share his views online. He is a regular contributor for a number of lifestyle and property websites.