Renters Flock to Whitey Bulger's Santa Monica Digs

The simple Santa Monica apartment where James "Whitey" Bulger hid from the FBI for more than a decade could soon be one of the hotter properties in the city's rental market. The door to unit 303 remains sealed with police tape as FBI agents continue to pick the place apart, but a line of would-be renters is already jostling to get a look at the apartment once occupied by America's most wanted criminal. One California real estate agent said his Santa Monica office had been inundated by callers wanting to know when the Bulger apartment would be available, and how much it would cost. "It's a total curiosity," he said.

There's not much to distinguish Bulger's former home from any other in the 1970s complex. The corner unit faces away from the sea, is next to an elevator and has two bedroom and two bathrooms. Bulger was always punctual with his rent, and he only paid in cash. After his June 22 arrest, agents found about $800,000 in cash, more than 30 firearms, multiple knives and several pieces of false identification in the apartment—hidden in several holes cut into the drywall, and covered with art or mirrors. (Click to read more about the arrest and impending case against Bulger.)