‘Goonies’ house in Astoria sells to a fan who wants to protect the landmark
Hey you guyyys! The likely new owner of a Victorian-era home in Astoria, known as “The Goonies” house, is a fan of the classic coming-of-age movie about friendships and treasure hunting, and he promises to preserve and protect the landmark, says listing agent Jordan Miller of John L. Scott Real Estate.
The deal is expected to close in mid January, says Miller, and the new owner, a self-described serial entrepreneur, will make his name known at that time.
The buyer teases in a Q&A to “die-hard Goonies” that he wants their help rebuilding the contraption that opens the front gate.
“Of course, no one gets in unless they do the truffle shuffle,” he jokes in his written statement.
The restored private residence at 368 38th St. was listed for sale at $1.65 million on Nov. 17. An offer was accepted six days later, according to public record.
“After the word spread that the property was for sale, we received multiple offers, at asking price and higher, and we have a full back-up offer,” says Miller.
Seller Sandi Preston is passing along movie memorabilia she has collected or has been given, and some of the furniture in the home, restored to its original 1896 style, may also be sold to the buyer, says Miller.
Miller has also received an offer on the house next door, at 384 38th Ave., which was for sale at $550,000 by Preston’s daughter. The 1885 house may be occupied by a childhood friend of the new owner of the Goonies’ house.
Miller says the potential new owner first saw “The Goonies” when it was released in 1985 with his mom, brother, sister and his friend, Michael (“Mikey”).
He considers himself a “Goonie,” which he defines as friends sticking together.
“My childhood friendships were, and still are, instrumental to my development and success,” he told Miller. “Buying this home is one huge step in showing your dreams can become reality with the right friends around you. You don’t have to be rich to achieve your dreams, but you do need a strong support group, honesty and a desire for adventure.”
He recalls his first reaction to the movie reinforced his continuing beliefs that a child’s imagination is limitless, adventure is to be embraced and you can’t predict where chance leads you.
He sees buying the storied property as a way to relive his childhood, and Astoria as “magical with the almost daily fog that can either turn into pure sunshine or a cozy day at the coast.”
As the next owner of “The Goonies” house, he says he is most excited to “duh! Live in the Goon Docks.”
Since the adventure comedy’s release in 1985, Goonies groupies have made pilgrimages to Astoria, in the northwest edge of Oregon, and converged at 368 38th St. to get a glimpse of the off-limits old house saved by the film’s unlikely young heroes.
Fictional brothers Brand Walsh (played by Josh Brolin) and Mikey Walsh (Sean Astin) and their misfit friends from the wrong side of the tracks (the “Goon Docks”) fought to keep the brothers’ family house from developers.
The real-life homeowner, Sandi Preston, who bought the property in 2001, at first allowed fans inside before she restored the two-story house.
Most of the visitors were respectful, she said, but sometimes souvenir seekers pulled off pieces of the wallpaper near the bunk beds. She then closed the doors to the house built in 1896 except during Goonies Day tours, organized to celebrate the movie’s anniversary.
Preston says she wants to downsize from the two-story house with 2,336 square feet of living space.
There is also a finished attic and an unfinished basement where Steven Spielberg, who wrote “The Goonies” story that was made into a screenplay by Chris Columbus, had a desk during filming. He met with director Richard Donner there, says Miller.