We here at the Curbediverse tend to focus our energies on things happening in real time—of-the-moment real estate news, shelter gossip, and design personalities. Yet we couldn't possibly tear our browser away when it landed on a real-life version of The Simpsons house standing proud in Henderson, Nev. Back in 1997—way before these things called "blogs" and all—the 2,200-square-foot four-bedroom yellow house was built by Kaufman and Broad Home Construction as a nationwide sweepstakes organized by FOX and Pepsi. How'd they do it? Well, for starters, by watching more than 100 episodes of the show, obsessing over 7,200 color swatches (before actually settling on 25), and ultimately choosing 1,500 Simpsons-themed styling props, from Duff Beer cans to the living room's sailboat painting. Part of an affordable-housing community—not Evergreen Terrace but still appropriately named Springfield—the house cost Kaufman $120K to build. And here's the extra-depressing part: the retired factory worker from Kentucky who won the sweepstakes decided, instead, to take the $75K payout instead of the house itself. In 2001, after being stripped of its Simpsons likeness, it was sold to another owner.

· Amazing Fantasy Inspired Homes [Choices Blog]

· The Simpsons House [Las Vegas Adventurer]

· Cartoon House Comes to Life; Kaufman & Broad Unveiled The Simpsons House to Fans, Contest Hopefuls [PR Newswire]

House Calls: This Colorful Family Home Stands Out