Beachfront homes are a dime a dozen in Florida—but there’s one Pensacola property on the market right now that really stands out from the crowd, so much so that you’d be more likely to think it was part of a movie set than an oceanfront property.
Now on the market for $1.595 million, the spherical concrete dome home rises sculpturally from the palm trees and blends seamlessly into the sand below.
At first glance, the sandy surroundings and bare concrete shell look very similar to the houses in a “Star Wars” film, giving the property an almost otherworldly atmosphere.
“You drive past a lot of houses along the beach and you see the typical structure, two-story, three-story, similar siding and all that, just different colors and variations. Then you see this thing that looks like a spherical dome,” the real estate agent says Daniel Hua with Alliance Real Estate.
“It’s a very unique looking house that we don’t normally see in Pensacola.”
The home and the half-acre lot it sits on were put on the market in late July, having last changed hands in 2017 for $310,800.
The dome was built in 2007 from reinforced concrete and was never fully completed. Hua says not much is known about the history of the house and why it was built this way.
“There is a carport area downstairs that was originally supposed to be fenced off and an elevator was supposed to be installed, but it never was,” he explains, adding that the elevator shaft still remains.
The seller bought the house a few years ago, made some improvements, and lived in it for a while before moving out.
“He hasn’t lived there for about a year or two,” Hua said. “But he still has his own facility there.”
The building, which somewhat resembles a spaceship, has three floors and about 2,700 square meters, which Hua describes as somewhat awkward living space.
“It definitely looks unique from the inside, but in terms of livability it’s probably not what most people are used to, with the curved walls and everything.”
The flooring still needs to be finished, but the bones are there, waiting for the buyer to add their own preferences.
“We definitely need to work on the inside,” he says. “The floor plan probably needs to be redesigned and redesigned. Right now, as it is, it seems larger from the outside, but inside it’s actually just two bedrooms and two bathrooms.”
The dome home sits on a property with 75 feet of sheltered white sand shoreline, and there is also permission for a 180-foot long dock with multiple moorings that can even accommodate a large yacht.
“You have a beach that needs to be rehabilitated somehow, but the beach is there so you can have a nice beach,” he says. “Then you have port access for which a port permit has already been issued and you can travel to the Gulf from there.”
Since there is no roof to speak of, the concrete dome has no roof maintenance issues and is very sturdy to withstand storms.
“It’s not going anywhere. It’s a very good concrete dome structure, like a golf ball,” he says with a laugh.
Hua says some people have expressed interest in buying the property, demolishing the structure and building something new.
“In typical new construction, they all look the same. But these older constructions or unique designs are really eye-catching, and I’m hoping to find a buyer who can somehow maintain that look.”
There is no HOA and Hua says the property has a lot of potential.
“It would be a really good short-term rental. It would definitely be a unique structure for short-term rentals,” he says. “There is a large property with beach access and fairly deep water for larger boats.”
The house is not in the touristy part of Pensacola, but is close to the military base, so you can have a front row seat to Blue Angels practice and shows while still being a waterfront escape.
“With the balcony upstairs it’s really nice to be out there, you can hear the sound of the waves and stuff like that and it’s very quiet. It’s not too busy.”
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