The lake house

Especially built for the movie on Maple Lake in the suburbs of Chicago, this too-good-to-be-true romantic abode houses a similarly unrealistic story of a love that defies the laws of time.

Starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock as an architect living in 2004 and a doctor in 2006 who meet via letters left at the lake house they both live in, the film largely takes place in and around the beautifully transparent over-water structure.

After the movie’s release, the house acquired such an iconic status that the producers were reportedly showered with inquiries from prospective buyers, who were disappointed to learn that after filming the house was removed and replaced with a simple fishing dock.