Edgar Allan Poe House !!! Where Poe Spent a Midday, Cheery

Edgar Allan Poe is famous for his ability to craft stories and poems of dread. But the author of "The Raven" and "The Tell-Tale Heart" took a break from massaging the macabre when he wrote a story that largely focused on just describing this property's beauty.

Built in the Colonial era, this $1.285 million property in Philadelphia received periodic visits from Poe, who became enamored with its fecund landscape. Spanning 1.62 acres, the residence overlooks a verdant valley that runs down to Wissahickon Creek. Poe made the river and its surroundings the setting of his travel story, "Morning on the Wissahiccon" (in which he recommended that travelers visit in "the brightest glare of the noonday sun" to appreciate the setting's full beauty and avoid any "dreariness of effect").

The Property That Made Edgar Allan Poe Happy

Named "Spring Bank," the 7,500-square-foot, three-story home has seven bedrooms, six bathrooms and a luxury eat-in kitchen. It also boasts an enclosed back porch -- along with an abundance of windows -- that afford views stunning enough to have brightened the mood of an author who specialized in chronicling bad ones.

Loretta C. Witt of Fox & Roach, Realtors, has the listing.

Vera Wang House !!! Fashion Designer Vera Wang Bought A $10 Million House Made Of Glass

Image: Trulia/Wikipedia

Wedding dress designer-to-the-stars Vera Wang just bought a $10 million home in Beverly Hills, according to the Wall Street Journal (via Realtor.com).

The designer, who has decked out everyone from Victoria Beckham to Kate Hudson, is reportedly planning to spend more time working on the west coast.

Like many of her finest confections, Wang's new abode is sleek and white.

It has glass walls, a pool and spa, and four bedrooms.

The home has walls made of glass

Image: Trulia

And is nearly all-white

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Lots of wide open spaces

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And gorgeous views from every angle

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The home wraps around the pool

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And glows at night

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A living room

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One of the four bathrooms

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Another bathroom

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The home theater -- perfect for a chick flick

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You can see right through the house

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One of the four bedrooms

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Even the bedrooms are floor-to-ceiling glass

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The garage

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Great place to catch a sunset

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Frances Bean Cobain House !!! Frances Bean Cobain Smells Like Teen Home Owner

Just a year after turning 18 and gaining access to a ton of trust money, Frances Bean Cobain is investing in the Los Angeles real estate market -- shelling out $1.875 million for a house all her own.

The 3,350 square foot Spanish-style home has 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, a terrace, vintage light fixtures and hardware, stained glass windows and a media room.

The 19-year-old rock heiress is reportedly attending college in upstate New York -- so this is just her West Coast crash pad ... in between semesters.

MUHAMMAD ALI HOUSE !!! MUHAMMAD ALI SUES My Old Kentucky Home ... SUCKS!

Muhammad Ali is ready for another big fight ... because he's suing a married couple that sold him a home that even Ty Pennington couldn't fix.

Ali and his wife, Yolanda, claim they bought the Louisville mansion back in 2006, and almost immediately discovered an array of ghastly problems, including a leaky roof, leaky chimney, mold, and structurally defective decking.


Ali and Yolanda say the unkindest cut of all is that the sellers knew the problems existed and then set out to deceive the greatest fighter of all time.

Ali and Yolanda are suing for unspecified damages.

Johnny Depp House !!! Johnny Depp Cops Race to L.A. Home After Security Scare

L.A.P.D. officers rolled over to Johnny Depp's L.A. mansion early Friday morning ... responding to a call about a possible breach in security ... but TMZ has learned, it was simply a "false alarm."

Law enforcement sources tell us ... Johnny wasn't home at the time ... but when officers arrived to the house, they checked out the property to make sure everything was okay.

Eventually, cops determined there was no actual threat -- and Johnny's house got the "all clear."

Inside Johnny Depp’s beautiful Hawaiian home

The people at In Touch sent us these gorgeous pictures of the amazing mansion in Oahu, Hawaii where Johnny Depp and his family are staying for the summer. It rents for $5,000 a night and you can see why. The property has a gym, infinity pool, game room and I’m sure much more. Super rich Johnny is probably not even footing the bill. He’s in Hawaii to film Pirates of The Caribbean 4, and was recently spotted working alongside his new costar, Penelope Cruz. Here’s more on the home from In Touch:

Johnny Depp says he’s happiest with his family — whether at their home in thesouth of France, on their yacht or frolicking on their private Caribbean island. But this summer, while Johnny, 47, films the next installment of Pirates of the Caribbean in Hawaii, the Depps are spending the summer in a newly renovated mansion that is best described as heaven on earth. Located on the most coveted strip of coastline in the Pacific, the seven-bedroom mansion is located in the center of the most prestigious neighborhood on Oahu’s South Shore and rents for a whopping $5,000 a night. Johnny has been living in the house since late June with his longtime partner, actress/singer Vanessa Paradis, 37, and their children, Lily Rose, 11, and Jack, 8. Complete with an infinity pool, hot tub, game room, theater and gym, the very private family has no reason to leave the property — but they do occasionally escape to Jet-Ski, paddleboard and shop for souvenirs.

[From In Touch Weekly]

Can you imagine lounging around that gorgeous house with Johnny or walking hand in hand over the water on the slate in that Asian courtyard? Oh swoon. I’m sure he’s busy working and isn’t around much, though. (At least that’s what I’m telling myself as I mentally give Vanessa the side eye.) He was seen on the beach in Hawaii and on a nearby boat filming scenes with Penelope Cruz dressed as a sexy lady pirate. I’m giving Penelope the mental side eye too, but it’s not that harsh. She’s just too damn normal and nice despite how gorgeous and equally lucky she is in the partner department.

Johnny may live like a king, but he doesn’t have the attitude that often accompanies that level of privilege and that’s why we love him. I remember him calling his 45 acre private island “a little place in the Bahamas” and explaining on Letterman “It’s the one place we can take the kiddies to the beach without a bunch of lenses coming out.”

Johnny and Vanessa Paradis are shown at Cannes. Credit: Fame Pictures. Photos of Johnny’s new digs thanks to In Touch Weekly

Andie MacDowell House !!! Andie MacDowell Buy My Picture-Perfect Pad ... Because You're Worth It!

Andie MacDowell is moving her ageless face to a new crib -- the longtime L'Orealspokeswoman is selling her Asheville, North Carolina estate ... for $4.5 million.

The 10,872 square foot Tudor-style home has 6 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, a game room, and a 2,207 square foot fully-finished basement.

On top of all the space -- the home overlooks the seventh hole fairway of a ritzy golf course and country club.

Marcia Gay Harden House !!! MARCIA GAY HARDEN SUES You Can't Evict Me!!!

Academy Award winner Marcia Gay Harden is being evicted from the kick ass Santa Monica home where she's been staying for several months ... but the actress claims she's getting screwed ... and now she's filed legal papers to buy herself some time.

According to legal docs obtained by TMZ, Marcia claims she signed a 1-year lease with the owners of the 4,200 square foot property back in August ... in which she agreed to pay $10k per month in rent ... plus a $20k security deposit.

But Marcia claims the owners of the property sold the place after she moved in ... and the NEW owners are trying to kick her to the curb ... with only 3 days notice.

In the docs, MGH says it just ain't fair ... claiming the OLD owners cashed her rent check for October without mentioning anything about a possible eviction ... and therefore, she's legally entitled to as much as 90 days notice before she has to be out.

Josh McDaniels House !!!! EX-DENVER BRONCOS COACH Josh McDaniels The MASSIVE Real Estate Loss

EX-DENVER BRONCOS COACH
The MASSIVE Real Estate Loss

Former Denver Broncos coach Josh McDaniels -- the guy who drafted Tim Tebowlast year and later got fired -- has taken ANOTHER major hit in Colorado ... losing $500k on a bad real estate deal.

McDaniels just sold his 5,685 sqft Greenwood Village mansion for $1.95 mil ... HORRIBLE for Josh considering he bought the place for $2.5 mil back in 2009 just after he reportedly signed a 4-year, $8 mil contract with the Broncos.

Don't feel too bad for McDaniels -- he got a new gig as an offensive coordinator for theSt. Louis Rams ... and according to TMZ's resident football expert, they'll probably be better than the Broncos this year.

Philip Rivers House !!! Philip Rivers' house in San Diego, California

NFL star quarterback Philip Rivers of the San Diego Chargers was born in Decatur, Alabama where he spent the first part of his childhood before his family moved to nearby Athens. Philip Rivers now resides in the Santaluz development north of San Diego. His close friend, former San Diego Padres pitcher Jake Peavy, also resides in the Santaluz development. Rivers purchased his Santaluz home in mid-2009 for $3,299,000. The home has six bedrooms, six full baths and one half, and includes a courtyard with a fountain, outdoor fireplace, built-in BBQ, swimming pool with a waterfall & spa, private rose gardens off of the bedroom suites, wine cellar, full bar, library, and a media room.

Philip Rivers' house in San Diego, California..

While at North Carolina State University, Philip Rivers led the team to four bowl games and was named MVP in all four. Rivers joined the Chargers in 2004, where he signed a six-year, $40.5 million contract. In 2009, Rivers signed a 6-year, $92 million dollar contract extension with the Chargers. As of 2010 Philip Rivers has made the Pro Bowl team three times: 2006, 2009, and 2010.

Click on the images below to see similar houses like Philip Rivers house pictures

An Incredible Photo Tour Of America's Wealthiest Zip Code

Image: Trulia

Forget East Hampton's 11937 and Beverly Hills' 90210--the most prestigious zip code in America is officially 07620. It belongs to Alpine, New Jersey, an enclave of around 2,400 that counts some of business and pop culture's best known names among its residents.

The borough, less than nine miles from Manhattan, recently topped Forbes' list of the most expensive zip codes in America.

Click here to tour Alpine >

Most people value Alpine for its privacy. Unlike other expensive zip codes where high taxes pay for a bevvy of municipal services, Alpine has a relatively low tax rate, thanks in part to the fact that it doesn't have a high school or mail delivery.

In fact, it has barely any commerce at all--the only restaurant is Kiku, a hibachi house on the outskirts of town.

The median home price in Alpine is $4.55 million, while the most expensive home on the market, the historic stone mansion on the Frick estate, is listed at an eye-popping $53 million.

That doesn't necessarily mean the borough's housing market is booming, however. There are currently 54 homes with Alpine addresses on the market, according to Trulia (just five cost less than $1 million). "For Sale" signs hang all over town, most with the phone number of the local Sotheby's Realty office. And last year, prices were down 23% year-over-year, according to Forbes.

Want to know what it's really like inside America's wealthiest zip code?

Alpine is just a 20-minute drive from Midtown Manhattan, making it a convenient haven for commuters. Was this Ferrari also headed to 07620?

Once you cross the bridge into New Jersey, Alpine is just a quick trip north on the Palisades Parkway.

On the way, you'll pass Trillion Dollar Mile in Englewood Cliffs (home of America's 75th wealthiest zip code). It's home to the headquarters of Ferrari North America, CNBC and Unilever.

If you're visiting on a weekend, you'll also pass a TON of cyclists.

We made it! For a town of just 2,400 this place is relatively big, covering more than six square miles. Around half of the town's land is preserved for park space.

Image: Julie Zeveloff/Business Insider

Alpine is home to Montammy, a private golf and country club that's frequented by locals and Manhattanites.

Alpine Golf Club, while prettier, is actually located in the town over.

Drive into Rio Vista, an uptown neighborhood on the town's south side.

The homes here are absolutely massive. And many of them are brand new.

There's a ton of construction underway, which is impressive considering how many existing homes are currently on the market.

Rio Vista is home to Devil's Tower, a relic from the former estate of a sugar baron. Rumor has it the tower is haunted.

Wesley Snipes reportedly lives in the modern white mansion behind Devil's Tower.

Image: Google Earth/Wikipedia

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The northern part of town, called Timberline Estates, is home to Armstrong tower, the birthplace of modern FM radio. It may be historic, but it's a huge eyesore for nearby residents.

Several celebrities live in Timberline Estates. We believe this home belongs to Chris Rock.

Image: Google Earth/Wikipedia

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And this modern white house reportedly belongs to rapper Lil' Kim. Too bad she's got that monstrous tower in her sight-line.

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Sean Combs, aka P. Diddy, and Stevie Wonder both live on Anderson Avenue, not far away.

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This is Closter Dock Road, Alpine's main drag. It's home to two of the town's most massive megamansions. You can see them to the north and south.

Image: Google Earth/Dina Spector

This is as close as we could get to the Frick Mansion, which is currently on sale for $53 million and is the most expensive property on the NJ housing market.

Click here to tour the $53 million Frick mansion >

It's being sold by Richard Kurtz, a real estate developer who runs the Kamson Corporation.

Image: Trulia

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The estate that belongs to DAVA Pharmaceuticals CEO John H. Klein is right across the street.

We tried to get a closer look, but between the gates and the hedges, it was also impossible to see.

But it looks pretty awesome from above.

Image: Google Earth

Closter Dock Road is also Alpine's commercial heart. We counted five businesses in total.

Even the handy man's shop was landscaped.

Two of the businesses were dedicated to real estate. We saw their signs hanging all over town.

The town's single public school is a short drive away. It serves students in grades K through 8, who then transfer to nearby Tenafly High School or one of the local private schools.

The school, a one story brick bunker, was the least impressive building we saw.

For the most part, the town really just consists of one megamansion after another.

Some looked like they had been around for awhile, but most of the biggest ones appeared to be built in the last decade.

We did see a handful of smaller homes, mostly near the commercial and municipal buildings. But they were few and far between.

For the most part, the houses were truly enormous. This White House look-alike is on the market for $14.5 million.

Here's Borough Hall, also home to the town's small police fleet and the post office. There's no mail delivery service--residents prefer to use P.O. boxes.

The volunteer fire department is right next door.

Alpine's lone restaurant is Kiku, a Japanese hibachi grill with a parking lot full of fancy cars.

One thing that struck us as we drove Alpine's streets was how empty they were. On a sunny Sunday we barely passed any cars, let alone pedestrians.

Most properties have thick iron gates and are surrounded by trees or hedges. The message to visitors is clear--keep out.

While there are no sidewalks, there are several "boro pathways" connecting Alpine's streets, which are spread out and often end abruptly.

We didn't see many Halloween decorations, but presumably some children live within the gates of this estate.

Practically every home has a swimming pool and tennis court, and four-car garages are standard. This home had a golf green.

Alpine's a pretty place, but there's not much to do there, unless you belong to the golf club or have a few million dollars to spend on a house.