Janis Joplin’s Childhood Home Up for Sale
Before Janis Joplin became one of the definitive voices of Sixties rock, she was a child growing up in Port Arthur, Texas. Now, the home where the singer spent the early part of her life is up on the market, according to SFGate.
The local realtor in charge of the listing suggested that the houses around Joplin’s former abode usually sell for between $70,000 and $80,000, and public records indicate that the residency is valued at $52,500. However, the initial asking price for the five-bedroom, three-bathroom house is $500,000. “You’re obviously paying for the fame of the home,” the realtor stated.
Sarah Bellian, who serves as curator for the Museum of the Gulf Coast, told SFGate she was skeptical that any prospective buyer would agree to the price tag. “Unlike having a car or a piece of clothing or something that you can take with you, the house is where the house is,” she said. “So you have to look at the surrounding market for it.”
Bellian also suggested that “much of the home has likely changed in the decades since Joplin lived there,” diminishing its historical value – only the doors and doorknobs remain from Joplin’s time. Although the museum features an exhibit on Joplin, the institution was reportedly uninterested in purchasing her old house.
Last December, Joplin’s Porsche was put up for auction in New York City. Though the vehicle was expected to go for $400,000 to $600,000, it ended up selling for $1.76 million.