Being a huge fan of American treasure Bob Dylan, I strained to find an obvious reason to write about the man on a real estate blog as he approaches his 70^th birthday (Tuesday, May 24^th). Turns out, the task was as easy as remembering what we all love about real estate…our innate interest in housing, homeownership, and lifestyles of the rich and famous.

The bard from Hibbing has diversified his real estate holdings over the years. He still owns a farm in Minnesota, but his primary residence is a beautiful home in Malibu that was custom-designed and built for the Dylan’s in the mid-1970s when he was married to Sara Lownds. (Musician Jakob Dylan is their youngest child…more on Jakob’s real estate later.)

There was some real estate drama “blowing in the wind” a few years ago when his Malibu neighbors complained about a noxious odor emitting from a porta-potty on his property…apparently kept there for use by his security guards. The “Poo-sitively 4^th Street” smell was so bad that it was sickening the neighbors. The big stink has since been resolved after intervention by Malibu city officials, but the incident created as much bad press as when he went electric.

Frankly, it’s no wonder that Dylan let his porta-potty situation get out of hand. The man spent most of his time on a tour bus far from the neighborhood potlucks. Oh…and there’s the houseboat, a “cabin” in upstate New York, and as many as five residences in Manhattan. That’s a lot of real estate to keep well-maintained.

Dylan spent time in New York City early in his career, too, living at the famed Chelsea Hotel…also one-time home to Mark Twain, Patti Smith, Jack Kerouac, Janis Joplin, Allen Ginsberg, and other notables. In a sure sign of an improving real estate market in the Big Apple, the Chelsea may be “going condo.” Sign me up for the 1400-square foot, 2-bedroom “Dylan Plan,” please.

Another of Dylan’s early haunts, the childhood synagogue in Hibbing where young Bobby Zimmerman became a Bar Mitzvah in 1954, is also bowing to a changing real estate world. The current owners bought the synagogue from the congregation in 2001 with plans to convert it into a bed-and-breakfast. It didn’t work out, so the owners now have it on the market for $119,900. Contact me if you want to pursue this opportunity to own a key piece of Dylan’s history. I’m told it could be a unique duplex rental property.

Now regarding Dylan’s son Jakob: “Like a rolling stone” he wants to distance himself from Dad. Jakob Dylan has put his Malibu home on the market for a cool $4,150,000. Recognizing the need for a compelling price, that’s a significant reduction from his initial mark of $4,450,000. You, too, could be Matthew McConaughey’s neighbor. Call me!

So, as we celebrate Bob Dylan’s 70^th birthday tomorrow, let’s enjoy and learn from his real estate adventures. Keep your children at a safe distance, let go of your real estate past and move on, and be careful to follow city ordinances when placing an outhouse. After all, as your neighbors would attest, “You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.”

Happy Birthday, Bob!

By Tom Gongaware