Beachfront Concrete ‘Ball’ House Looks Like It’s Part of a ‘Star Wars’ Set

Beachfront dwellings are a dime a dozen in Florida—but there is a Pensacola property currently on the market that really stands out from the crowd, so much so that you’d sooner think it was part of a movie set than an ocean-adjacent abode.

The ball-shaped concrete dome home, which is now on the market for $1.595 million, rises up from the palm trees in a sculptural fashion, blending in seamlessly with the sand beneath it.

At first glance, the sandy setting and the bare concrete shell appear very much like the homes in a “Star Wars” movie, giving the property an almost otherworldly feel.

“You’ll drive by many of the homes that are along that beachfront and you’ll see the typical structure, two-story, three-story, similar siding, and all that, just different colors and variations. Then you see this ball dome looking thing,” says listing agent Daniel Hua with Alliance Real Estate.

“It is a very unique-looking home that we don’t typically see in Pensacola.”

The home and the half-acre lot it sits on were brought to the market at the end of July, having last changed hands for $310,800 in 2017.

The dome was built in 2007 using steel-reinforced concrete and was never totally finished. Hua says not much is known about the home’s history and why it was built this way.

“At the bottom, there is a carport area that was originally going to be enclosed and there was going to be an elevator installed, but never was,” he explains, adding the elevator shaft remains.

The seller bought the place a few years ago, made a few improvements, and lived in it for a bit before moving out.

“He has not lived in there for about a year or two,” Hua says. “But he still has his own furnishings in there.”

The somewhat spaceship-looking structure has three stories and about 2,700-square-feet of what Hua says is somewhat awkward living space.

“It’s definitely unique-looking on the inside, but as far as livability, it is probably not what most people are used to with the way that the walls are curved and everything.”

The flooring needs to be finished, but the bones are there, waiting for a buyer to add their own preferences.

“It definitely needs work on the inside,” he says. “[It] probably needs to be rearranged and redesigned, the layout. Right now, the way it is, it seems bigger on the outside, but on the inside it’s really only two bedrooms and two baths.”

The dome home is on a lot with 75 feet of protected white sand shoreline, and there is also a permit in place for a 180-foot dock with multiple slips, allowing space for even a large yacht.

“You’ve got a beach that needs to be kind of rehabbed, but the beach is there so you can have a nice beach,” he says. “Then you have a dock access that already has a dock permit and you can get out to the Gulf from there.”

With no roof to speak of, the concrete dome doesn’t have any roof maintenance issues and is very strong 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 shown an interest in buying the property and tearing the structure down and building something new.

“With typical new construction, they all look the same. But those older construction or unique designs are really, like, eye-catching, and I’m hoping to find a buyer that can kind of continue 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 rental,” he says. “It has a large lot with the beach access and pretty deep water for larger boats.”

The home isn’t in the touristy part of Pensacola, but instead near the military base, allowing front-row seats to the Blue Angels practices and shows while still being a waterfront refuge.

“With the upstairs balcony, it’s really nice to be out there, and you can hear the waves rolling and stuff like that, and it’s very quiet. It’s not too busy.”