Good neighbors are hard to find—unless you live near your favorite fictional star. Which character on the small screen is the most sought-after in 2018?
The best on the block, according to the annual Celebrity Neighbor Survey by Zillow, are Leonard and Penny from “The Big Bang Theory,” with 19 percent of the vote. Leonard is played by Johnny Galecki, whose ranch in San Luis Obispo was destroyed in a fire last summer. Penny is portrayed by Kaley Cuoco, who, after briefly residing at Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian’s former home in Tarzana, made headlines with her single-gal spread.
One TV twist: Nine percent of respondents to the survey said they’re not fans of “Big Bang” characters Sheldon and Amy. The most nightmare-ish, however? Thirty-one percent said they’d dread living in proximity to the titular Simpsons—but 11 percent, still, said the opposite.
“‘The Big Bang Theory’ is one of the most popular shows on television, so it is not surprising that American adults chose its leading couple as the most desirable neighbors for 2018,” says Jeremy Wacksman, CMO at Zillow. “On the other hand, it wouldn’t be easy to live next to the Simpsons, who have spent nearly 30 seasons causing chaos for neighbor Ned Flanders and the rest of Springfield. However, as the stars of one of TV’s longest-running shows, the Simpsons are certainly beloved by some: they also tied for second on the most desirable neighbor list.”
The faves following Leonard and Penny in the ranking: The Dunphys from “Modern Family” (No. 2 alongside the Simpsons); Will and Grace from “Will & Grace” (No. 3); Jack and Rebecca Pearson from “This Is Us” (No. 4); and The Johnsons from “Black-ish” (No. 5).
After the Simpsons, the neighbors not welcome are: The Lannisters from “Game of Thrones” (No. 2); Olivia Pope from “Scandal” (No. 4); and the Jennings from “The Americans” (No. 5).
2018’s choices differ from those in prior years, when Americans were asked to pick a real-life star to share a fence with. In 2017, that honor went to the Obamas.
For more information, please visit www.zillow.com.
Suzanne De Vita is RISMedia’s online news editor. Email her your real estate news ideas at sdevita@rismedia.com. For the latest real estate news and trends, bookmark RISMedia.com.
