The pool house that we saw in the pilot episode was actually built onto the backyard of 6210 Ocean Breeze Drive in Malibu. This home was on the same street as the real Cohen house exterior we see in almost every episode. After filming the pool house was taken down and was rebuilt in the Raleigh Studios along with the rest of the Cohen house etc..The creators loved everything interior wise about 6210 Ocean Breeze Drive but they didn't like that the house wasn't a two story, that's why they ended up choosing 6205 Ocean Breeze Drive for the exterior shots. As a bonus pro-tip 6210 Ocean Breeze Drive was also the location where Seth Cohen's room was filmed during the pilot.
As you see in the GIF above, the pool house was added as well as the cement wall behind the grill area. The rest looks like it was there for the most part.
This is the front exterior shot of the 6210 house which the interiors and backyard area was inspired from.
In this real estate photo above is where the pool house once sat. As you will also notice this portion of the house resembles very closely to what the backyard studio version of the Cohen house looked like, albeit much narrower.
As you can see from the photo the red outlined areas were the sections that the creators ended up keeping and rebuilding in studio. The red outlined pool area was where the temporary pool house sat. As you may also notice the stairs walking up to the pool area are missing, the stairs were added in the studio version of the house to raise the elevation of the house so that you can see the ocean backdrop while filming inside the home (strictly technical add-on).
Here is an angle of the opposite side of the real pilot location. The pool house featured 5 sets of double doors, 4 windows, kitchen and bathroom, same as the studio version.
Here is a super rare exclusive photo of the studio version of the pool house area that was built inside the Raleigh Studios and seen after the pilot episode. Looking at the features of the structure makes me believe that it is literally the same pool house building that was built on location. After the pilot was shot, the pieces were stored until the show got picked up, then it was rebuilt inside Raleigh Studios. Notice the cool ocean backdrop. More on the backdrop here!
The pool house was clever, not only was it cool but it gave Ryan privacy and it allowed him to feel fully spoiled to bask in his new found richness. A place all to himself to get away from the crappy Chino life he once knew. Heck the place even has a maid, he truly had it made!
!UPDATE! *SAD NEWS*
The 6210 Ocean Breeze Drive home has been completely destroyed in a recent Malibu Woolsey fire. Details on that here.
