Former home of beloved 'Hot Tub Guy' listed for $899,000

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A house steeped in Berkeley’s communal, hippie historical past has hit the actual property market — virtually precisely a yr after its storied proprietor handed away taking one last soak.

Deward Hastings, a longtime neighborhood fixture recognized to many merely as “the Scorching Tub Man,” opened up the handcrafted tub behind his cozy, brown shingle bungalow as a sanctuary to the skin neighborhood — freed from cost — for almost 50 years.

This week, the 2-bed, 1-bath dwelling, positioned at 2133 Essex St., was listed for sale for $899,000. The three,484-square-foot residence contains the semisecret yard scorching tub, which was encircled by towering Redwoods and at all times set at a scalding, but full of life, 113.5º utilizing a laboratory-grade mercury thermometer.

Tens of 1000’s of tourists loved a steaming soak on the hidden oasis between 1975 and September 2022, when Hastings died at the age of 78. A visitor arrived to seek out Hastings lifeless within the tub; he was pronounced useless by emergency responders a half hour later. Police stated there have been no suspicious circumstances round his demise.

Locals and vacationers, alike, have been free to take a dip on the silent, clothing-optional communal house, so long as they knew the code or somebody who did.

This brown shingle bungalow, located at 2133 Essex St., Berkeley, was listed for sale for $899,999. — This brown shingle bungalow, positioned at 2133 Essex St., Berkeley, was listed on the market for $899,999.

The 2-story South Berkeley dwelling, simply two blocks east of the Ashby BART Station, options hardwood flooring, board and batten wooden paneling, coved ceilings and a big basement with “nice potential,” based on itemizing agent Michael Stephens.

The neighborhood continues to be grieving Hastings’ demise, and Greg Callahan, who lives subsequent door and was one of many main caretakers of the property, stated it was a “complete shock” to see the home formally up on the market.

Callahan stated the bathtub was Hastings’ manner of utilizing his bodily assets and mechanical information to create a secure, pure place for folks to flee society’s troubles.

“It’s much like shedding an in depth member of the family who you actually love having in your life,” Callahan stated. “(The bathtub) was a extremely vital a part of folks’s days and weeks. Not having that — the house, the yard, the neighborhood — it’s actually missed.”

Whereas Hastings needed the bathtub to dwell on after he was gone, Callahan stated the 78-year-old by no means absolutely squared away a plan to do this.

Callahan intimately understands simply how huge of an ask it will be for the brand new house owners to proceed working the bathtub, particularly on prime of much-needed renovations and maintenance contained in the Essex Avenue dwelling.

However he will surely welcome anybody who has the monetary assets and dedication to strive.

“It could take somebody like Deward to remain on the home, be a steward and watch over what goes on again there,” Callahan stated. “I’d like to see that custom carried on, as a result of it was actually lovely, however I’m additionally effectively conscious of what it takes to do this — it’s no small feat.”