In the real world it is plain old 11222 Dilling Street, but between 1969 and 1974, it was 4222 Clinton Way, the home of The Brady Bunch: Mike and Carol, their six kids Greg, Marcia, Peter, Jan, Bobby and Cindy, their housekeeper Alice and beloved family dog Tiger.

How on earth did they all fit in that small bungalow, you may ask? More on that in a moment.

On the property market for the first time since the series aired, the sale of the iconic Brady Bunch house was always going to be something of a media circus; fans feared developers would snaffle it and destroy a much-loved piece of TV history.

With an assortment of celebrities apparently putting in bids, the house was first listed at $US1.89 million but likely sold for much more, probably over $US2 million.

Buyers signed non-disclosure agreements, according to real estate agent Ernie Carswell, and some requested "full confidentiality". Carswell said bids came from both celebrities and "regular families."

The winning bidder? Initially it as announced as former NSYNC boyband member Lance Bass. Or was it? No sooner had Bass announced his successful bid for the house, it was back in jeopardy as a US studio moved to purchase it.

The winning bidder was finally revealed to be the home renovation-focused HGTV channel, which is owned by Discovery Networks. Their intention is obvious: they will feature the house in an upcoming program.

Sadly, it means that Bass's housewarming plans may now be permanently on hold; Bass had planned to have Marcia Brady herself, actress Maureen McCormick, as his first guest in the house.

"Congratulations," McCormick said on social media when Bass announced the purchase. "May all your problems from here on out always be solved in a half hour."

Bass replied that she would "most certainly be the first dinner guest!" and McCormick graciously accepted the offer. "I would absolutely love that," she said.

But just a day later, Bass's hopes were dashed.

In historical terms, the house was never used in the television series outside the establishing shot.

And the little window fixed to the outside in that shot to make the one-story bungalow appear to be a two-storey home was, obviously, fake.

What is more, the layout of the television house was drastically different to the real one, including the addition of a false upper level to explain the TV house's upstairs bedrooms and attic, which were regularly visited in the show.

As was the convention at the time, the establishing shots for the series were filmed on one day and the house exterior was not used again.

The exterior parts seen in the series, such as the front porch, backyard, garage and driveway were all recreated in a soundstage on the Paramount studio lot.

While the floorplan of the real house and its fictional counterpart were different, the show's set designers obviously took some cues from the real house, which still contains architectural elements which were recreated in the TV version.

The fictional house contained a master suite on its upstairs level, plus two bedrooms packed with six kids, and an adjoining bathroom, an attic, generous living areas and accommodation for housekeeper Alice, located off the kitchen.

The real house is far more modest: just three bedrooms and approximately 223 square metres.

Given the media interest in the show and the enduring pop culture appeal of the Brady franchise, the interest in the house is not surprising.

And should the ultimate owner plan to retain the show's television heritage, its fans, and and their precious childhood memories of Greg, Marcia, Peter, Jan, Bobby and Cindy, can rest easy.

Bass had hoped to remodel the interior of the house to closely match the interior of the television house and leave the exterior alone; when quizzed online by fans, Bass answered: "That's the plan!"

The house now faces a similar fate: restored to its groovy Clinton Way glory. Same Brady house, just on a different Brady channel.