Disney Dreams Dashed: The Real Life Up House Might Be Torn Down for Good

Edith Macefield refused to sell her home to developers, but after her death the fate of the house is unclear

By Jenna Mullins Jun 30, 2015 10:33 PMTags
Real Up HouseKevin Schafer / Getty Images

Quick! Does anyone have the ability to move a 600 square foot house?! We need to save the Up house!

In case you didn't know: the 2009 Pixar film Up, also known as The Most Heartbreaking Love Story Told in Under 10 Minutes, is a true story. Kind of.

About a decade ago, Edith Macefield of Seattle famously turned down a $1 million deal from developers so she could keep her house, which led to businesses being built around her home. Pixar has stated that Up wasn't based on any actual location, but we like to think if that movie happened for real, it would involve this house.

Edith died in 2008 at the age 86, but if you have a few minutes to spare, you really need to read her life story. She reportedly was a WWII spy! How cool is that?!

"I went through World War II, the noise doesn't bother me," she said about all the construction around her house. "They'll get it done someday."

She was awesome, right? Now Edith's house sits between an LA Fitness and a Ross and it's a frequent stop for tourists. They leave signs and tie balloons to the fence. Unfortunately, this symbol of not bowing to the man might soon be gone for good.

An investment management company currently owns the 115-year-old house and thought they found a buyer who would be turning the house into a coffee shop. Unfortunately, after discovering that the cost to bring the house up to code would be too expensive, they backed out.

"Bringing new life to Edith Macefield's house isn't financially viable," broker Paul Thomas told The New York Times. "After reviewing the situation, the seller has reluctantly concluded that their best option is to donate the house, ideally to a nonprofit, and then sell the land."

The owner is currently accepting offers over the next 30 days from anyone who would be willing to haul the house away, still intact and free of charge. If no one comes forward to move the house, a wrecking crew will come in and tear it down.

Now, we might have this crazy idea to get that house out of there. It involves a crap top of balloons…

At least Edith's legacy has been preserved in the beloved Pixar film, which taught us the importance of love, friendship and of course...home.