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Everyone could use a few more “happy trees” on their property — and one special spot in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, may have some of the happiest because of their connection to a certain artist.
A Mediterranean-style home in the Florida surfing town that was once owned by Bob Ross Inc. and served as an artists’ retreat is now for sale for $1.999 million, Premier Sotheby’s International Realty has told Inman.
The three-story, 5,000-square-foot property, which was known as “Classroom by the Sea” by Bob Ross Inc., was used as an art instructor training facility in the intimate New Smyrna Beach neighborhood of Bethune Beach. The organization, which was cofounded by Ross; his second wife, Jane; and business partners Annette and Walt Kowalski, hosted art retreats and training at the home for Bob Ross-certified instructors and their students.
Bob Ross Inc. purchased the property in 1996 after Ross passed away and sold it in 2018 to the current owners for $625,000, according to Zillow.
A feature story about 6465 River Road, New Smyrna Beach, in the Bob Ross Inc. produced “Brush Strokes” newsletter | Courtesy of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty
Listing agent Mark Ehrli told Inman that the current owners love the home but have decided to sell so that they can relocate closer to family in Tampa.
Mark Ehrli | Premier Sotheby’s International Realty
“One of the cool things about it is the legacy of Bob Ross is so strong locally, nationally and internationally,” Ehrli said. “You can kind of see the folks in your mind’s eye, doing various classes, and learning, and being in this wonderful area where they could go and sit on the no-drive beach and paint.”
The home’s grand entrance with wrought-iron gates opens to a fountain, and, beyond, an Ecuadorian hand-carved front door greets guests to the property.
The four-bedroom, four full-bath and two half-bath house features a living room with an 18-foot ceiling, stained glass windows and a fireplace. It also features a 4K movie projector, surround sound, wine room with 90-bottle cooler, a bar and a pool table.
The extensive outdoor patio area features a 22 x 32-foot-long, 8-foot-deep pool with a retractable awning and a heated spa. Buyers who want a taste of the Atlantic Ocean instead of the pool, only have to walk three blocks to the coast.
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The property is located on a thin strip of land between the Atlantic on one side and the Mosquito Lagoon Aquatic Preserve on the other. It lies just north of the Canaveral National Seashore.
“Bethune Beach is a small, little, quiet beach town,” Ehrli said.
“It’s an iconic property,” he added. “The vibe and the mojo of it is pretty amazing.”
A 2021 Netflix documentary, Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal and Greed, depicted Bob Ross Inc. as exploitative in the wake of Ross’ death from lymphoma in 1995 and cold toward his survivors, including his son, Steve Ross.
Joan Kowalski, daughter of Annette and Walt Kowalski, took over operations of Bob Ross Inc. in 2012 and spoke out about a number of the allegations made in the documentary during an interview with Vanity Fair in 2021. They largely argued that many of the allegations made in the documentary were less controversial in reality compared to how the film depicted them.
The median sale price of a home in New Smyrna Beach was $392,500 in December 2023, down 1.5 percent year over year, according to Redfin.
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