reallife The Owner of the IF THESE WALLSWhen cameras Bachelor aren’t rolling, a HOME SWEET family lives in HOME “It’s just a part of life Mansion reality TV’s most for us,” Marshall (rear) says of handing over the (in)famous house family home twice a year to camera crews and Reveals All! COULD TALK singles looking for love. or about 84 days a year, the 9,000-square-foot Villa De La Vina is the site of drama and de- bauchery as The Bachelor and The Bachelorette Fcameras roll. But the rest of the time, the 2005 Spanish Revival–style estate — which features six bedrooms and nine baths — is where contractor Marshall Haraden lives Our reporter, with wife Joanna, their teenage son and cat Samantha (their three older children have moved out in recent years). “Two Diana! Girls from Ben Higgins’ season days before they start filming, we leave,” Marshall tells In Touch. have fun in the tub. “Everything — our furniture, drapes, clothes and cars — are moved into storage. Then they repaint, bring in lots of lights and turn it into a TV set.” (While Marshall declines to comment on compensation, he says his family is put up at a nearby hotel.) Starting with Bachelor Brad Womack’s quest for love in 2007, the 10-acre property, nestled in the mountains of Agoura Hills, The Pool & Hot Tub Calif., just outside LA, has hosted 19 seasons of the hit ABC series (season The saltwater pool and two notorious The Bathroom eight of The Bachelorette was the only one not filmed there). “It’s a great Jacuzzis have “the softest water you’ll Before the Haradens move out twice each house to live in,” Marshall says. “But I don’t want to be here when they’re ever swim in,” brags the homeowner. year, they box up everything in the house, When tourists pull up to see the house, including the contents of all nine bath- filming. If these walls could talk...!” — Reporting by Diana Cooper “sometimes I let them come in,” he rooms. Producers decorate to suit their adds. “If I have five minutes, I’ll tell needs. Says Marshall: “They show up, take them, ‘If you want to jump in the pool, Chris Soules and the house and do whatever they want.” jump in the pool.’ They take their his potential partners SKOTT R/R; GETTY; SNYDER; SKOTT R/R; VITTI; TODD LEFT: BOTTOM FROM CLOCKWISE GETTY SNYDER; SKOTT RR; GETTY; (2); SNYDER shoes off and go for it!” party in the pool. The Kitchen “The house is designed around the The Exterior The Den kitchen,” says Marshall, who owns the contracting company the Marshall Group. First-night arrivals are shot in front of Rose ceremonies are filmed in the His wife’s favorite room, it features a the mansion’s dazzling facade. The den, which normally houses a pool 100-year-old bookcase from India. house was scouted when it was under table and a bar. Like all the rooms, Despite contestants’ wild antics, the construction by someone working on the it’s repainted every season (and then only damage he’s discovered over the 2001 filmJoe Dirt. “They didn’t use it, painted back at the end of filming). past decade was a broken pot: “If they but years later an agent came by and Sean Lowe doles out The ladies vying for “For The Bachelor, they do colors break something, [producers] fix it.” said, ‘The Bachelor is interested in Ben Flajnik greets roses on season 17. Nick Viall’s attention suited to a man,” Marshall says. using your house,’” Marshall explains. contestants outside get cooking. 60 IN TOUCH FEBRUARY 20, 2017 the house. .