Yes you read that right…$6,500 per night to rent the "Jersey Shore" house! I don't need to see the TV show to know that this is almost as crazy and the Brangelina house. Seriously, you can rent a truly amazing home for $6,500 a night…or a mega yacht. This is simply a mega-rip-off to me. More great celebrity real estate news this week – Bernie Madoff finds a buyer, Scarlett Johansson's home goes on the market, Joely Fisher sells her home and then the crazy "Jersey Shore" home.
JERSEY SHORE HOUSE FOR RENT! For all you Guido and Guidette wannabes who want to gym/tan/laundry in the actual space where the “Jersey Shore” cast of characters hung out, you can because the Jersey Shore house is for rent! The rental prices are for single nights only and they have a definite spike for seasonality. For example, the house is renting for $3,500/per night until May 1, then it jumps to $6,500 per night from May 1-July 15. See more photos of Jersey Shore house.
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In case you’re caught up in the tan-sanity of MTV’s latest reality series “Jersey Shore,” you’re probably wondering what’s “The Situation” on the Jersey Shore house where Snooki, Pauly, Vinny and the rest of the crew spend their days and late, late nights. The brown-shingled party house is located at 1209 Ocean Terrace, Seaside Heights, NJ 08751 and it’s just behind a row of shops on the boardwalk in Seaside Heights, NJ – including the T-shirt shop where they all work (click on the photo above and drag to the left to see the boardwalk).
The show airs Thursday nights on MTV and has commanded its share of headlines due to a cast with strong personalities who like to ”gym/tan/laundry,” get into fights and call themselves “Guidos” and “Guidettes.” Ironically, while the house is located on the Jersey shore and the show is about the happenings at the Jersey shore, only one cast member — Sammi “Sweetheart” Giancola of Hazlet, NJ — is actually from the Garden State.
Many Italian-American organizations and MTV advertisers have taken exception to their behavior and self-described monikers and call the group offensive and exploitative of a stereotype.
“I don’t see any redeeming value in the show,” DiMino told the NY Times. “They are an embarrassment to themselves and to their families.” — Andre DiMino, president of the largest Italian-American service organization in the U.S.
Philadelphia blog Phillyist says this is not the real Jersey shore – or at least the part of the Jersey shore that Philadelphians would dare venture into.
Meanwhile, the show is rocketing up the ratings scale for MTV, last Thursday capturing the No. 1 slot on cable for the 12-34-year-old demographic. (Twelve-year-olds are watching this?)
Want to see your share of tans, muscles and plenty of hormone-fueled drama? Tune into Jersey Shore on Thursday at 10 p.m. on MTV. We won’t tell…
Ooh, this has to hurt: Actress Scarlett Johansson purchased this Hollywood Hills home in 2007, paying $7 million and now she has listed it for sale for $4,950,000 — a price reduction of $2,050,000 (see percentage of Hollywood Hills homes sold for a loss).
This gated Spanish Villa was built in 1931 and just underwent a complete restoration, including some green upgrades such as solar power. A gourmet period-style kitchen includes “Big Chill” appliances (retro, baby). Rooms flow in and out to terraces, patios and cascading gardens.
Johansson has starred in films such as “Lost in Translation,” and “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” and is reportedly spending more time in New York where she is making her Broadway debut to rave reviews in Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge.”
It looks like Bernie Madoff’s penthouse apartment in Manhattan’s Upper East Side has gone into contract for an undisclosed price, according to Curbed (via the Wall Street Journal). While the apartment at 133 E 64th St, New York, NY, 10065 still shows a $8.9 million price tag, it was originally listed at $9.9 million last fall.
Of Madoff’s three real estate holdings that were seized by U.S. Marshalls for resale with proceeds going to victims of Madoff’s spectacular Ponzi scheme, Madoff’s Montauk beach house sold first for $9.4 million. Now that the Manhattan penthouse appears to be locked up by an unknown buyer, the only Madoff property left is the Palm Beach home for $7,250,000, which appears to have been reduced twice now — from $8.5 million to $7.9 million and now to $7.25 million.
Joely Fisher, sitcom star of ‘Til Death and the daughter of a celebrated Hollywood couple (Eddie Fisher and Connie Stevens; her half-sister is Carrie Fisher) just sold her Encino, CA home for $2.4 million.
According to the LA Times, “…the four-bedroom, seven-bathroom contemporary had been on and off the market since mid-2007.” According to public records, Fisher purchased the house in October of 2005 for $3,350,000.
The 1955 home was redone in 2005, employing Asian-style touches. A home theater is included in the 4,511 square feet of living space, and it has city and mountain views, plus a lagoon pool with a pool house.
This week's Celebrity Real Estate News courtesy of Zillow.com leads us to a Lost Island, a Ranch in Aspen, Sinbad and Fantasia setting the record straight. Enjoy this week's edition and we will see you next week for more juicy Celebrity Real Estate stories.
There are many expensive homes for sale in the U.S., but there is one that piqued our curiosity in Aspen. Called the “Stony Creek Ranch,” this 10-acre property is listed for $47 million.
The interesting part is that Stony Creek Ranch is owned by Karen Davidson, the widow of Bill Davidson, who died last March at age 86. Bill was the owner of NBA’s Detroit Pistons and, earlier, the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning — winners of the Stanley Cup in 2004. While Karen has taken over ownership of the Pistons (the Lightning was sold in 2008), it appears that in addition to selling Stony Creek, she is also interested in selling the Pistons.
As the WSJ reports, at age 61 and without Bill, Karen wants to downsize and the rugged Stony Creek Ranch is part of the downsizing. Bill purchased the ranch in 1996 for $8.25 million as a place to spend holidays and summers with their families.
Stony Creek Ranch is located midway between Snowmass Village and Aspen, which is a huge selling point since it has quick and easy access to both locales, plus skiing. According to the listing description, it has a “signature big red barn along Owl Creek Road is one of the most recognizable structures in the entire Aspen area.” The ranch has 11,000 sq ft, including a main house, plus five additional buildings (two guest houses, stable and two barns). The grounds have a pond and vegetable garden and, as can be imagined, include various visits by wildlife such as deer, migrating elk, fox, and an occasional bear.
The season premiere of Lost is upon us (yes! finally!) so we will find out exactly what has been going on, right? RIGHT?
One of the best characters on the show is the island itself, with its gorgeous beaches, lush tropical forest and mountains. Turns out, the island is not quite so hard to reach – most of the filming is done on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu.
According to my extensive Lost Internet research, many of the beach scenes are filmed on Oahu’s North Shore, which is famous for its amazing waves and surfing. However, much of the filming is done on a sound-stage (yawn) in Honolulu, HI.
American Idol’s Season 3 winner, Fantasia Barrino, is hitting the talk-show circuit to promote her new album and set the record straight on her much-publicized financial drama. The 25-year-old singer owed $65,000 that she borrowed in 2006 to pay back taxes she owed the IRS and as a result, was at risk of losing her home.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Fantasia spilled all.
“The house problem wasn’t a foreclosure, and it wasn’t that I didn’t have the money. I’m not the richest, but I’ve always been a hard worker … and I thank God I’m still able to make ends meet. It could have been a lot better for me though if I would have had better management and better accountants…They ended up not paying my taxes and I had to clean up all that stuff. I had to hustle and bustle and make sure that was taken care of.”
Fantasia also told Oprah Winfrey that the situation was “very embarrassing” and confirmed that it was an auction on her home, not a foreclosure, that was threatening ownership of Fantasia’s Charlotte, NC home.
An attorney for the Broward Energy Partners lending company said in a statement that the auction was called off because an agreement has been reached between both parties. If the agreement between the two parties had not been reached, the singer’s home would have been sold at auction on Monday, Jan. 12.
Zillow’s Zestimate for the home is $1.16 million and it is located in the Rain Tree neighborhood of Charlotte where the Zillow Home Value Index is $263,300, down 8.8% from the previous year. In Rain Tree, 0.09% of all homes were foreclosed upon in November 2009.
Barrino is looking to reclaim her superstar status with a new VH1 reality series “Fantasia For Real“.
In December, we reported that actor/comedian Sinbad was in trouble with the IRS, owing $2.1 million to the state of California, as well as another $8.5 million in delinquent federal taxes and the U.S. Attorney General’s office wanted his house sold to pay the debt, according to The Detroit News.
Well, it looks like it’s happened: Sinbad’s home at 5950 Spring Valley Rd, Hidden Hills, CA 91302 is now for sale for $3 million. See more photos of Sinbad’s home.
It seems that there is an endless supply of juicy celebrity real estate news. This week we have the Bachelor House, Anderson Cooper, Justin Timberlake and the late Michael Jackson making headlines.
Between late 2007 and 2008, the late Michael Jackson rented a home in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Las Vegas at 2785 S. Monte Cristo Way, Las Vegas, NV. Today, the Las Vegas Sun is reporting Jackson’s home was sold for $3.1 million, after being listed for $3,950,000.
On Zillow, the video tour of Jackson’s house shows a status of “pending,” so take a look before the video comes down.
The home is gated and has 8-foot walls around the entire one-acre property. At 6,400-square-feet, it includes au pair quarters (attached apartment with two beds, one bath), tennis and basketball courts, fitness rooms, sauna, theater, orchestra loft, seven bedroom suites, three office suites, elevator, and large formal entertainment rooms. The master bedroom in incredibly huge — over 2,000 square feet — with a large covered patio, plus it has private access to a rooftop deck designed for sun bathing and Zen zone.
According to the Sun, “… the home was ultimately taken back by the lender, Eastern Savings Bank, in lieu of it going through foreclosure with the previous owner.” A California couple bought the home with cash. The percentage of foreclosure re-sales in Spring Valley in November is 65.8%. and foreclosure re-sales for Las Vegas is 64.7%.
While we associate Jackson with his Neverland Ranch, he actually spent a lot of time in Las Vegas and was reportedly on the verge of buying a Las Vegas estate he dubbed “Wonderland,” prior to his shocking death.
Justin Timberlake recently made a posh purchase in Tribeca, paying $4.689 million (down from $6.75 million, what a steal!) for the fifth floor of the Pearline Soap Factory lofts on Washington Street. Sounds like a good deal, except the penthouse apartment right above Timberlake’s (with the EXACT same layout) reportedly sold for just $4.1 million. Oops — $589,000 down the drain, but if anyone can handle it, JT can.
The Pearline Soap company used the building, on 414 Washington Street, as its factory headquarters in the late 1800s according to the NY Condo Blog. The building followed the trend of so many former factories and warehouses in the area and was converted into seven fancy-pants condominiums.
And we do mean fancy: Brazilian teak floors, twelve triple-pane windows, and a Control 4 System which is something that dims lights, closes the blinds, heats the house, and turns on jazz, according to the listing site. Jazz and Justin Timberlake? Sounds like a cool-cat match.
Photos of model units below are courtesy Pearline Lofts:
This season of The Bachelor follows Jake “The Pilot” Pavelka on his grand search for love and a wife. But, if you need to know only one thing about The Bachelor this season, know this: Jake is really, really boring. The women are, of course, fascinating to watch, but Jake is about as exciting as dry toast, IMHO.
And, as opposed to Jake’s boring personality, the Tuscan-style house where Jake entertains his many lady friends is simply AMAZING. The Bachelor house is located at 2351 Kanan Rd, Agoura Hills, CA 91301 and it has six bedrooms, nine bathrooms, a four-car garage, gourmet kitchen, an infinity pool with a swim-up barbecue and bar, and a detached 4,000 square foot studio/office area.
The pool where the ladies seem to spend much of their time:
And the living room where there are so many fights:
While globe-hopping CNN anchor Anderson Cooper covers the tragedy in Haiti, he makes his own personal headlines back in the states. Go figure. Curbed is reporting (via NY Post) that the silver fox is the secret buyer of a historic Greenwich Village firehouse. What fun!
Located at 64 West 3rd Street in Greenwich Village, Cooper reportedly purchased the Beaux Arts-style building for $4.3 million last September from the New York Board of Fire Underwriters. Even though it has not served as an active firehouse since 2006, it still has its original spiral staircases, brass fire poles, and the walls are covered with murals saluting the fire patrol’s history.
No word on what Cooper plans to do with the 8,240 square feet of space (there’s also a two-story former stable in the back), but workers are already doing some demolition. Cooper also owns a penthouse duplex on West 38th Street.
This week has has some spectacular Juicy Celebrity Real Estate News including the Brangelina Compound, a George Bush teardown, a Detroit Lion in a lion's den of trouble, and Christina Aguilera selling her home. All of these great stories are provided by Zillow.com.
Pitt’s most recent purchase is a home that was built in 1920 and is rather small with only two bedrooms on 0.25-acres. Turns out Pitt got quite the deal – the home was originally listed for $2 million.
Pitt’s other properties, which are all adjacent to each other, include:
The 6,500 square foot home, built in 1960, is located in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles; it has 5 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms. There is also a “private screening room” which seats 18, plus a gym, pool, 12-person spa and fireplace.
She bought the home in 2003 for $5 million after it was remodeled by designer Steve Hermann.
The former first family apparently wants to expand their present yard. Realtors familiar with the home, which was listed last year for $1.6 million, say it is not all that desirable for building anyhow, since a creek runs along the northern edge, and it really needed to be scraped.
Neighbors of the Bushes in Preston Hollow include Mark Cuban (owner of NBA’s Dallas Mavericks), H. Ross Perot (billionaire and former Independent candidate for president), and Tom Hicks (co-owner of NHL’s Dallas Stars and Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers).
According to The Detroit News, Elliss has filed bankruptcy, his savings are gone and he is relying on area churches and friends to help him land in a safe place. Evidently, Elliss made some poor investment choices and had liabilities that included mortgage debts on two homes (one in Utah and one in the Detroit area), an office building, delinquent taxes, credit card charges, legal fees and tuition at a Christian school. The married father of 11 had this to say about his predicament:
“The Lions did a good job, they put on financial programs that we had to attend talking about investing and saving money, gave statistics on how many of us would be broke,” Elliss said. “Guys were saying, ‘It’s not going to be me, I’m too smart for that.’ And here I am, one of those guys.”
Here’s a data point that is shocking: A recent Sports Illustrated article “How (and Why) Athletes Go Broke” reported that 78 percent of former NFL players will either file for bankruptcy or experience financial distress within two year of retirement and within five years of retirement, an estimated 60% of former NBA players are broke.
We have some really juicy Celebrity News this week courtesy of Zillow.com including a Madonna Farm in the Hamptons, Walter Cronkite's Co-op, a Falcon and a Porsche, and Nora Jone fighting over some windows!
Earlier this year Madonna purchased a town home (actually two) on E 81st on New York’s Upper East Side. The two-entry Georgian mansion reportedly sold for $40 million and is one of the most expensive sales on the Upper East Side. The four story town-home will require a number of renovations and security upgrades before Madonna moves in, but it’s already quite a gem with 13 bedrooms, 14 bathrooms, a two-car garage, 3,000 sq ft garden, nine fireplaces, wine cellar with a grotto, and an elevator. All this in Manhattan.
Now, Madonna has reportedly purchased Kelly Klein’s (Calvin Klein’s ex-wife) 26-acre Wild Ocean Farm in the Bridgehampton area of Long Island. Wild Ocean Farm is zoned for agriculture and was purchased for nearly $10 million. The property is currently used as a show-horse training center and will be kept as such when Madge takes over.
The New York City co-op of “the most trusted man in America” — the late Walter Cronkite — is now on the market for $2.995 million.
Cronkite’s United Nations Plaza apartment is being listed by Joanna Simon, Cronkite’s companion in his later years and the sister of singer Carly Simon, according to Curbed.com.
Cronkite’s Turtle Bay-area apartment is a south and west-facing unit and is “currently configured as a grand living/dining room, eat-in kitchen, double-size master bedroom suite with his and her baths, library or 2nd bedroom with full bath, third bedroom (or maid’s room) with full bath plus an additional powder room. There is extremely generous closet space throughout. The unobstructed river views through floor to ceiling windows are unsurpassed in the building. With the purchase of this apartment also comes the right to buy an additional staff/guest suite on the 7th floor.”
The New York Observer offers some interesting background on what led Cronkite to the purchase of the UN Plaza place and how he and Simon “began to keep company” after the deaths of both of their longtime spouses.
For $3,600,000 not only do you get sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean from the rooftop deck of a house located two blocks to the beach, but if you close on the home with a full-price offer, you will get a 2010 Porsche 911 Convertible.
Pretty sweet, if you need a car that is worth approximately $88,000. Kicking in the Porsche is none other than Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez whose Manhattan Beach, CA house has been on the market for over a year. The beach house was completely remodeled in 2004, and from the sounds of it, the rooftop deck is the place to hang out. It has 1,700 sq ft with three separate sections and includes lounge chairs, a built-in grill, sound system and a bed (photo above).
Oh, and if you do offer full price, you can slip the Porsche into one of the bays of the 4-car garage.
Gonzalez listed the home back in October 2008 for $3,999,999, but hasn’t been able to move it. Maybe the Porsche will do the trick, although in a CNN article, National Association of Realtors Vice President Elizabeth Blakeslee warns against “gimmicks” to sell a house:
“In my 18 years as a Realtor, I have never known anyone who has actually received whatever it was, the trip or the car,” said Blakeslee, “It’s generally negotiated away during the process of the buying or selling negotiations.”
Hell hath no fury like dealing with an historic board or preservation society. Just ask singer Norah Jones who wants to install windows in a windowless wall of her townhouse in the Cobble Hill area of Brooklyn (photo above).
According to Curbed, which has dubbed this WindowGate, Jones is backtracking from putting 10 windows into the side of her Amity Street townhouse to 7 windows. And The Brooklyn Paper goes deeper, reporting that the “kerfuffle over the windows into Jones’s home began in late November, when preservationists discovered that Jones’s plan for renovations to her backyard — which had already been approved — had been secretly amended to now include the 10 new windows punched through the side façade.
What’s the big deal over adding windows to a home you own? For anyone who has dealt with preservationists (like Steve Jobs who wanted to tear down his house in Woodside, CA), the windows would introduce a “radical change in the aesthetic of Cobble Hill.” Evidently, most of these rowhomes were built between 1827 and 1845 in the Greek Revival style with a premium on preserving privacy.
All lot of juicy Celebrity Real Estate News stories have happened in 2009 and this is our top 3 picks for 2009. Celebrity Real Estate News courtesy of Zillow.com has been our Real Estate Round Up listeners and our weekly newsletter favorite topics for 2009.
If you’re a regular listener to our show, you know how much I love our celebrity real estate and all the accompanying eye candy. This week I have the results of the third annual Celebrity Neighbor Survey. The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive, asks more than 2,000 U.S. Adults who they would most like to be their neighbor, and who they wouldn’t want to share a fence with.
This year, the Obama family was voted the most desirable celebrity neighbor(s) for 2010. Ellen DeGeneres and Portia DeRossi, and Sarah Palin tied for second place. However, not all ‘celebrities’ make good neighbors. “Octomom” Nadya Suleman was named the least desirable neighbor of 2009, followed closely by Jon and Kate Gosselin.
In light of recent news, adults appear to be indecisive about whether or not professional golfer Tiger Woods would make a good neighbor. Three percent of adults found him to be a desirable neighbor for 2010, while only slightly more (4%) thought he was the worst neighbor of 2009. The same confusion surrounds Sarah Palin, who last year was ranked number one on the most desirable list. This year, while 12% thought Palin to be a desirable neighbor for 2010, 11% voted her as the worst neighbor of 2009 – ranking her near the top of both lists simultaneously.
File this one under real estate oddities. In one of the more bizarre real estate stories comes “The Brangelina,” a home built in Edmond, OK, that was done as a tribute to the domestic bliss of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
It is a 4,000 sq ft, $500,000 house built near Pitt’s birthplace in Oklahoma City. The clincher of this story is the creation of a life-size sculpture of Pitt and Jolie in a passionate embrace titled “Brangelina Forever” This statue reportedly contains crushed glass from the wine glasses Pitt and Jolie drank from during their first meeting on the set of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. The sculpture is being attached to the ceiling of the home’s master bedroom “… to inspire a ’sexual healing’ for the room’s occupants.” Want to buy the home? It comes with a proviso that the owner “…must offer honorary ownership to Pitt and Jolie and put them up every time they come to town to visit Pitt’s grandmother.”
Years ago, Monroe’s deeply devoted former husband, baseball great Joe DiMaggio, purchased two crypts near Marilyn: one directly above and another kitty-corner to Monroe’s. But when DiMaggio and Monroe divorced in 1954, DiMaggio sold the two crypts to a friend of his, Richard Posner. Posner didn’t realize the purchase he made would be as lucrative as it is since Monroe’s celebrity status wasn’t fully realized at that point; she died of an overdose in 1962.
When Posner died in 1986, he had a wish that his wife, Elsie, fulfilled:
“He said, ‘If I croak, if you don’t put me upside down over Marilyn, I’ll haunt you the rest of my life.’ “
So there lies Posner for the past 23 years — lying face down above Marilyn, his wish fulfilled. However, that will soon change. Elsie would like to sell the crypt where her husband is entombed and move him to the crypt next door — the one reserved for her — and sell his crypt on eBay for a starting bid of $500,000. Bidding ends on Aug. 24 at noon and so far, 18 bids have come in with the top bid $4.5 million.
Elsie doesn’t need space on “the wall” since her wish is to be cremated. Bidding ended at 4.6 million for the highly sought after crypt but the supposed buyer from Japan backed out due to “paying problems”. No further update at this time.
Some great juicy Celebrity News this week right before the holidays. We have a Buc’s Beach Mansion, a penthouse apartment in New York City and a Fashion Designer’s $17.9Mil tear down in Southhampton.
Fashion Designer Tory Burch Lists Southampton Teardown for $17.9 Million
By: Diane Tuman, Zillow Content Manager | December 16, 2009
(Photo courtesy Sotheby’s)
Fashion designer Tory Burch has listed her oceanfront Southampton, NY estate for $17.9 million; it is located somewhere on Meadow Lane.
Even though there is an existing home and pool on the 4.5-acre property, plans call for the construction of a 7-bed, 9-bath, 7,100 sq ft beach house. It is being designed by architect Daniel Romualdez.
According to Hamptons Curbed, Burch will take a loss on the property after buying the home from her ex-husband for $22.5 million in July 2008. Burch has reportedly purchased the Howard Gittis home around the corner at 500 Ox Pasture Road, Southampton, NY.
Dominick Dunne’s NYC Apartment Listed for $1,250,000
By: Diane Tuman, Zillow Content Manager | December 15, 2009
Vanity Fair fans will be the most curious around the recent news that the New York City penthouse apartment of the late investigative journalist Dominick Dunne is listed for $1,250,000.
Dunne’s Turtle Bay-area penthouse apartment has one bedroom and one bathroom and includes French doors that open to a wrap terrace, a small study, and a living room with wood-burning fireplace.
After the tragic murder of his daughter, Dominique in 1982, Dunne became absorbed in covering crimes that had an element of celebrity; he covered the trials of O.J. Simpson, Claus von Bulow, Michael Skakel, William Kennedy Smith, and the Menendez brothers for Vanity Fair. Dunne was also from a family of celebrities. Dominique was an actress, son Griffin is an actor and director, his late brother was the novelist John Gregory Dunne and his sister-in-law is Joan Didion, the National Book Award winner in 2005 for “The Year of Magical Thinking.”
Dunne died this past August after losing a two-year battle to bladder cancer.
NFL Tampa Bay Bucs’ Owner Glazer Sells Palm Beach Mansion for $24 Million
By: Diane Tuman, Zillow Content Manager | December 11, 2009
“Le Bellucia,” an amazing $25+ million listing in Palm Beach, was on the market for less than 30 days and sold for just a few million short of the asking price. Is the luxury market back? At least it is in Palm Beach.
This sale is the priciest in Palm Beach this year and the lucky seller is NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer (pictured) — also a partial owner of soccer team Manchester United — who sold 1200 S Ocean Blvd., Palm Beach, FL for $24 million.
Originally listed for $27.5 million, it has 3.8 acres along the oceanfront and has nearly 12,000 sq ft of living space. Real estate investor Jeff Greene is reportedly the buyer.
Interestingly, Glazer purchased Le Bellucia in 2000 for $14 million, but he never lived in it — mainly because he was planning on a thorough renovation that never happened. The oceanfront home contains 9 bedrooms, 9.5 bathrooms home, and has stone and hardwood floors, outdoor terraces and an oversized swimming pool.
The home was originally built by Willey J. Kingsley, a physician and capitalist in Rome, N.Y., and named it “Beautiful Lucy” after his wife, Lucy. It was built by celebrated American resort architect Addison Mizner.
We have some really juicy Celebrity Real Estate News this week compliments of Zillow.com. There is a Tree House, a Halle Berry home, a famous author and “The Brangelian House” which is just creepy.
“The Brangelina” House Built in Edmond, OK
By: Diane Tuman, Zillow Content Manager | December 8, 2009
File this one under real estate oddities. In one of the more bizarre real estate stories comes “The Brangelina,” a home built in Edmond, OK, that was done as a tribute to the domestic bliss of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
It is a 4,000 sq ft, $500,000 house built near Pitt’s birthplace in Oklahoma City. We’re not quite sure of the exact location of this home (it’s reportedly in the Thornbrooke neighborhood of Edmond), but the clincher of this story is the creation of a life-size sculpture of Pitt and Jolie in a passionate embrace titled “Brangelina Forever” (linking to TMZ since we’re a G-rated site). This statue reportedly contains crushed glass from the wine glasses Pitt and Jolie drank from during their first meeting on the set of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. And we all know what happened there.
But, wait — that’s not the end of it. The sculpture is being attached to the ceiling of the home’s master bedroom “… to inspire a ’sexual healing’ for the room’s occupants.”
Behind the creation and conception of The Brangelina is Los Angeles artist Xvala, artist Daniel Edwards, and filmaker Dave Smith. It was done as a documentary titled “Domestic Bliss: The Daniel Edwards/XVALA Project.”
Want to buy the home? It comes with a proviso that the owner “…must offer honorary ownership to Pitt and Jolie and put them up every time they come to town to visit Pitt’s grandmother.”
This project started two years ago before rumors of a Brangelina breakup started dominating the news.
Author Tom Clancy Buys $12.6 Million Ritz-Carlton Penthouse in Baltimore
By: Diane Tuman, Zillow Content Manager | December 9, 2009
Novelist Tom Clancy, who has made a nice living writing military/espionage thrillers with the fictional Jack Ryan as the hero (”The Hunt for the Red October,” “Patriot Games”), has taken his literary earnings and purchased a Ritz-Carlton penthouse in Baltimore for $12.6 million. Clancy was born in Annapolis, so his roots are deep as a Marylander.
Actually, Clancy’s penthouse is made up of three separate penthouses, comprising nearly 12,000-square feet. It contains 4 bedrooms, 6 1/2 bathrooms, 3 semi-private elevators, a theater, and six balconies with views of the Inner Harbor.
Clancy seems to have started a trend in super-sizing penthouses at Baltimore’s Ritz-Carlton, with other buyers interested in the “buy two, turn them into one” strategy, but the Ritz-Carlton folks says it is a challenge to reconfigure spaces to accommodate new plumbing and electrical work. The Ritz completed construction in Baltimore in May 2008, helping to inject vitality and status along the waterfront.
Interested in a condo at the Ritz-Carlton on the Inner Harbor in Baltimore? There are more than a handful of condos for sale and many with a price tag under $1 million.
Hollywood Hills Celeb “Tree House” Listed for $3,695,000
By: Diane Tuman, Zillow Content Manager | December 4, 2009
Once owned by comedian/talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and later, by the late actor Heath Ledger, it’s known just as the “Tree House” and it’s for sale for $3,695,000, according to Luxist.
Located in Hollywood Hills, it’s a cozy, private two-bed, two-bath hideaway that was sold in June 2008 for $2.5 million. The listing description says:
Celeb Sanctuary. Very special Shangri-La remodel with exceptional privacy. Stunning forest-like view from tremendous deck with amazing outdoor screening room and other areas of added living space. So close to everything yet feels as though you are on an enchanting zen retreat. Handsomely redone kitchen and baths. Certainly worthy of its “star” history.
Photos courtesy Prudential California Realty. See more photos of the Tree House
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Halle Berry’s Beverly Hills Home Listed for $5 Million
By: Diane Tuman, Zillow Content Manager | December 3, 2009
While this quaint and rustic Old World Mediterranean home looks like it should be located in Europe, it’s actually Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry’s Beverly Hills home and it’s listed for $5 million.
Berry purchased the home in 2001 for $2,275,000. It was built in 1948 and has two bedrooms and two baths and features private gardens, al fresco dining and seating area, a fire pit and stone spa set in a lush canyon setting. The listing description states:
The vibe is majestic, yet casual, with vaulted heavy wood-beamed ceilings, wide-planked wood floors, detailed custom-made ironwork, stone-carved fireplaces, a dramatic staircase, banks of French doors/windows & a master suite tube carved out of stone. Gourmet cook’s kitchen. State of the art Crestron system. For your entertainment/creative clientele.
No word why Berry is selling.
Prominent NYC Real Estate Developer Elie Hirschfeld Selling his East Hamptons Home for $25 Million
By: Sarah Greenleaf, PR Intern | December 7, 2009
Prominent New York City real estate developer Elie Hirschfeld, president of Hirschfeld Properties (developers of New York City’s Grand Sutton, the Hotel Pennsylvania, the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Park Avenue Court, the Gotham and Exchange Tower) is selling his own oceanfront East Hamptons home for $25 million.
The Hirschfeld home is located on the prominent Lily Pond Lane (just down the road from Grey Gardens) and occupies 1.2 acres with 200 feet of oceanfront. It has 8 bedrooms, 7.5 baths, 5 fireplaces, heated pool, a sun/game room, large living salon, library, formal dining room and gourmet kitchen.
Not sure if the sale of the East Hampton home is tied to the dissolution of Elie and Susan Hirschfeld’s estate after some headline-grabbing accusations, but here are some photos of the Hirshfeld property:
There is just too much good stuff going in on Celebrity Real Estate News. This week with the launch of New Moon last night at midnight, this Twilight home is a MUST see!
Twilight New Moon fans! Are you looking to expand your Twibrary? For a shy $3.3 million you can own the on-screen family home of Twilight vampire Edward Cullen in Vancouver, BC.
For millions of fans with OCD (Obsessive Cullen Disorder — the term used to describe anyone who is overly obsessed with Robert Pattinson/Edward Cullen) the multi-million dollar price tag is but a nominal fee to pay to be one step closer to the vampires.
So, what home amenities do vampires like? If the Cullen home is any indication, they have an affinity for 20-foot ceilings, Koi ponds, granite countertops, modern architecture, and lots of trees.
We have a bunch of juicy celebrity news for this weeks compliments of Zillow.com. We have the richest man in the world, a housewife, a rocker, and a 49′er!
Each fall as part of Microsoft’s charitable giving campaign, people at the company donate products, services and experiences for their fellow employees to bid on. The item that typically fetches the highest bid is a tour of Gates’ Lake Washington home for the winner and a small group of friends, guided by Gates, with appetizers at the end.
Last year, in the middle of the economic meltdown, the winning bid was $8,600. This year, with things starting to rebound, the bidding rose to $35,000. No word on who was willing to pay that much, but presumably it wasn’t a junior tester.
“Real Housewife” Tamra Barney Selling OC Home as Short Sale
It pains me to write this, but it appears some of the “Real Housewives” are, indeed, just like the rest of us. They foreclose on their homes (shout out to Lisa Wu Hartwell and Sheree Whitfield of Atlanta, and Jeana Keough in the OC) attempt to sell their home in a down market (Danielle, that’s you, Jersey girl) and face eviction when they don’t pay the bills ( tsk tsk, Lynn Curtin).
The latest Real Housewife drama centers around Real Housewife of Orange County drama queen Tamra Barney. The reality TV diva (and self proclaimed “hottest housewife in Orange County”) listed her home located at 3 Pointe Cir, Ladera Ranch, CA 92694 for sale last November for $1.6 million with the intention of selling the property and pouncing on one of the many bargains in the OC area. Barney said more privacy was another motivation to move. She and her husband are raising four kids and feel their current neighborhood, Ladera Ranch, offers little in the way of security against folks wanting to occasionally gaze at a celebrity’s home
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Unfortunately, the original plan to sell for a gain failed. Barney reduced the price of the home nearly 30% to $1,149,000 and the home is now in escrow under contract as a short sale. The family purchased the property in September 2005 for $1.3 million. Tamra Barney is a real estate agent and listed the property herself. According to the listing description, the Tuscan-style 5-bedroom, 5.5-bathroom home boasts many semi-luxurious amenities such as a gourmet kitchen, saltwater pool, and a spa with waterfall.
Metallica Guitarist Puts Home On Market for $8,995,000
The Wall Street Journal reports, “The listing price is just under $9 million, down nearly 30% from the $12.5 million asking price in 2005. Mr. Hammett, 46, paid $2.56 million for the gated, Georgian-style home in 1993.”
The home also has a music studio (of course) and a basement billiard room complete with bar.
Hammett has been a member of the band since 1983 and is credited with developing many of the band’s most recognizable riffs, including the one in “Enter Sandman.”
[Hammett] lives in San Francisco along with a large collection of old Hollywood movie memorabilia, his two dogs Darla and Hoku, plus cats . . . Oh, and for the record, Kirk plays his guitar at least 361 days a year.
Joe Montana Selling Sonoma Retreat for $49 Million
It’s a price that reflects his former team’s name — coincidence or intentional? Former San Francisco 49er quarterback great Joe Montana and his wife, Jennifer, have put their wine country home — that extends into both Napa and Sonoma counties — on the market for $49 million.
Located outside of Calistoga, CA, “Village Montana” is a 9,700 sq ft Tuscan villa-style estate, which was inspired by the Montana’s love of Italy. It sits on 500 acres of lush, wine country land, with creeks, wide-open views and even a private pond stocked with fish. The grounds also include an equestrian center, a full-sized basketball court, skeet shooting range, gym, pool and spa.
Nevertheless, the Montanas have listed their property for the a sum that will be a record for the county — if they get it. According to the Press-Democrat
A sale even in the ballpark of the asking $49 million price would be a record for the county. The most expensive home sales recorded on the county’s Multiple Listing Service were two properties that went for $15 million each in 2001, according to Rick Laws of Coldwell Banker in Santa Rosa.
Looks like Greg Norman is selling more of his property…this one is amazing. We also have some juicy info on Lakers’ Lamar Odom’s Beach Home and Lisa Marie Presley has her house for sale.
Greg Norman’s Jupiter Island Home Listed for $60 Million
Today, we’re focusing on Norman’s Jupiter Island home located at 382 S Beach Rd, Hobe Sound, FL, which is also for sale — for a handsome sum of $60 million.
Called “Tranquility,” the estate is on 8.04 acres on Jupiter Island, FL, with 172 feet of oceanfront and 370 feet on the Intracoastal Waterway. The property includes six buildings, which includes garage space for 17 cars.
Norman’s life is anything but tranquil these days. After splitting with his wife of 25 years in 2006, Norman married tennis star Chris Evert in 2008. In an October surprise announcement, Norman and Evert split after just 15 months of marriage. The reasons for their split range from huge egos to never making a home together. Norman kept his Jupiter Island estate and Evert kept her Boca Raton estate.
No — Lamar’s not being traded, so there’s nothing to worry about, Laker fans. Described as a place to entertain his fellow Lakers, forward Lamar Odom has listed his Manhattan Beach home for $2,399,000. Located at 1639 5th St, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266, Odom’s Mediterranean-style home has 5 beds, 5 baths, a family room with custom-made bar, three stone fireplaces and swimming pool with spa. When Odom and his Laker buddies visit, they can see views of downtown LA.
Since Odom married reality TV star Khloe Kardashian in September, the Manhattan Beach bachelor pad is no longer necessary. And, for a man whose salary is $33 million over four years, a home with a Zestimate of $2,239,500 looks like a drop in the bucket to us mere mortals.
Singer/songwriter Lisa Marie Presley, whose birthright is as the only child of rock ‘n roll’s most famous performer, Elvis, has listed her Hidden Hills, CA home, located at 24895 Long Valley Rd, Hidden Hills, CA 91302, for $8,995,000.
According to Realestalker, Presley is relocating to London with fourth husband Michael Lockwood (previous husbands include Danny Keough, Nicolas Cage, and Michael Jackson).
According to public records, Presley purchased the home in 1993 for $2.6 million. It has 8,000 sq ft of living space, 5 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, and sits on 3.14 acres. There are also separate guest quarters (where Keough reportedly lives with two of their four children, according to Realestalker) and a free-form pool, spa and waterfall.
The “Obama factor” didn’t pan out as planned, so the owners of 5040 S Greenwood Ave, Chicago IL 60615 yesterday were forced to officially set a price and put the home in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). It is listed for sale for $1,849,000. This comes after the owners tried a unique route of selling it unpriced and using word-of-mouth marketing and great media exposure since the home is right next door to President Barack Obama’s Chicago home.
It’s not that the house didn’t get any attention. Inquiries came in from Singapore, Saudia Arabia, London, New York, and California and the 5040 Greenwood Web site generated over 100,000 page views, but only a few formal offers were made — all unacceptable.
The Grimshaws purchased the home in 1973 for $40,000. Homes comparable to the Grimshaw’s in the Kenwoodneighborhood sell for about $1 million to $2 million.
Actor/screenwriter/director James Franco is selling his Spanish-style Hollywood Hills, CA villa for $3,695,000.
Located at 8222 Marmont Ln Los Angeles, CA 90069, the home was built in 1923 and contains 3 bedrooms and 3 baths. The home also boasts city views, a 19th century marble bathtub, as well as a swimming pool, patios and a guest house. The views of the interior show a home that is simple sophistication, with white walls and natural wood beams.
Franco won a Golden Globe for Best Actor for his performance as James Dean in the bio-pic of the same name. He is also known for his performance as the new Green Goblin in the Spider-Man series and was nominated for a Golden Globe for his drug pusher role in Pineapple Express, but it was his performance in the cult television hit Freaks and Geeks that garnered him most of his fan base.
Golfer Greg Norman Lists Colorado Ranch for $55 Million
Golf star Greg Norman and former tennis star Chris Evert left their longtime spouses for each other in 2006 and then, 15 months later, Norman and Evert split, leaving a wake of speculation as to why — among them, a disagreement on where they should live together.
Coincidentally or not, Norman’s ginormous Colorado ranch is on the market for $55 million. Located in the White River National Forest at 11808 County Road 8, Meeker, CO 81641, the Seven Lakes Ranch is spread over 11,600 acres and is a premier trophy ranch full of mountains, lakes and rivers. Set up for private big-game hunting and gold medal fly fishing, it also has a sporting clays course, renovated dance hall, horse barn, main staff office, ranch house and maintenance shop. The property also includes Seven Lakes Lodge parcel, Pollard Ranch (working horse ranch, shooting course, high desert) and Dry Creek (hunting).
The main lodge consists of 13,907 square feet and includes an executive guest cabin, fitness center and spa, sportsman’s lodge, and equestrian facilities.
Cast your eyes on one of America’s largest, most ornate residences that just happens to be for sale. Le Rêve is described as a modern-day chateau complete with formal gardens, fountains, and statues on 72 acres of land just north of Atlanta. Think of it as Versailles in the Deep South. The living space adds up to 47,000 sq ft.
Le Rêve is located at 2015 Trammell Rd, Cumming, GA, 30041, about 45 minutes north of Atlanta, and was built for businessman Hubert Humphrey (no relation to the former VP) and his wife, Norma in 2004 (completed in 2007) by Atlanta architect Norman Askins. Humphrey founded World Leadership Group, which is a marketing and mortgage brokerage company that shuttered its doors in 2008 due to the mortgage crisis. Prior to striking it rich, Humphrey was a freight train conductor for 17 years.
As you can see in the photo above, the 72 acres of the estate are elaborate, consisting of formal gardens, statues, fountains, a golf course, a lake and a great lawn that is four times the size of a football field.
Outdoor grounds:
9-hole golf course (two holes are modeled after Augusta National’s 11th and 12th greens).
a 4 ½ acre lake
horseback riding trails
Venetian-shaped elliptical swimming pools fed by natural creeks
an amphitheatre carved into a grotto
a lawn tennis court
formal French gardens with an English maze
flower garden
orchard
Indoor:
82 rooms
6 guest suites
billiards room
27-seat movie theatre styled after Moorish style of Atlanta’s landmark Fox Theatre
model train room
virtual golf room
massage room
arcade
corporate business suite with conference facilities
two-lane bowling alley
1950s style diner
10 fireplaces
12 full and 11 half bathrooms
ballroom, with terrazzo floors and crystal and bronze chandeliers
10-car garage
security guard houses and high-tech security, electronics and utilities systems
This home has been on the market since last year and according to high-end real estate agents and brokers who deal with luxury properties, “It’s just being in the right place with the right people, ” said Rosina Seydel, an agent with Atlanta Fine Homes.
When a house goes up for sale by a pro athlete, gossip is sure to happen. So, when Cleveland Browns quarterback Brady Quinn’s house went on the market yesterday, he stated all the reasons why:
House is too big
Sick of 30-minute commute to training facility
Too much upkeep for a single guy
Or, maybe the Browns and Quinn both know a trade is coming before next week’s trading deadline? Both the Browns and Quinn flatly deny a trade. Quinn was lifted in favor of Derek Anderson at halftime of the Browns’ 34-3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3, relegating Quinn to a backup role at QB.
Meanwhile, Quinn’s home at 32288 Regency Ct, Avon Lake, OH 44012 went on the market for $775,000. We’ll have to wait until Tuesday’s trading deadline to see if Quinn and the Browns soured on each other or if Quinn really doesn’t like the commute and owning a house too big.
Toni Braxton just can’t get a break. After undergoing a very public bankruptcy in the late 90s and heart problems that developed after the birth of her second child, Braxton is facing possible foreclosure, according to TMZ.
Allegedly she owes $12,500 on her Century City, CA mansion. Toni is best known for her song “Un-Break My Heart” and for her unique, low vocals.
Last year, Braxton was a contestant on “Dancing With the Stars” and made it to the 5th round. She has won six Grammys and is a spokesperson for the American Heart Association.
Nicolas Cage’s Haunted House in New Orleans for Sale
Actor Nicolas Cage has never shied away from huge real estate investments. He just sold his Midtown penthouse in New York, is looking for back-up offers on his Bel Air Tudor, has his Las Vegas home on the market for $9,490,000, and is looking to sell two gorgeous New Orleans properties — one which is claimed to be a haunted house.
Since it’s nearing Halloween and haunted places are on everyone’s mind, we’ll focus on his New Orleans properties — one in the French Quarter and one in the Garden District.
Cage’s French Quarter house at 1140 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70116 is for sale for $3,550,000 (photo above). Known as the “LaLaurie Mansion,” it is considered the most haunted house in New Orleans. During an interview with David Letterman last year, Cage was quoted as saying the mansion is:
“…a very notorious house, a very famous house, meaning it is allegedly the most severely haunted house in the United States of America. “Some people have beach-front property, I have ghost-front property.”
Is the house really haunted? Or, does the LaLaurie story make for good urban legend? Cage’s problems with his homes aren’t because of some spiritual encounter, but more to do with the government. Cage owes the IRS more than $6.6 million in income taxes.
>> Take a look at photos of “Cage’s haunted house.”
Cage’s New Orleans Garden District house is for sale for $3.45 million and is located at 2523 Prytania St, New Orleans, LA 70130 (aerial view below).
Into haunted places? See our list of Famous Scary Homes.
Update (10/9/09): More than 30 people showed up to watch Al Capone’s Wisconsin hideout auctioned off in a sheriff’s sale on the Sawyer County courthouse steps on Thursday, but only one bidder came forward: The Chippewa Valley Bank — the same bank that foreclosed on it in 2008. The bank purchased it for $2.6 million, which is the price the bank set as a minimum. It plans to sell it on the real estate market.
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Original post: When the heat was on, Chicago gangster Al Capone allegedly stole away to a Wisconsin cabin to avoid his enemies and the authorities. If you’re a Scarface fan, you can have a piece of history: Al Capone’s Wisconsin hideout is now on the auction block, according to “Wausau Family in CNN’s iReport, and will go to the highest bidder in front of the Sawyer County courthouse tomorrow. The starting bid is $2.6 million.
Guy Houston was the owner of Capone hideout until he foreclosed on the property last April. Once the Chippewa Valley Bank took over, an ad to auction the property was placed in the Chicago Tribune, driving intense interest and national publicity.
Houston’s family bought the property in the 1950s and turned it into a tourist attraction called “The Hideout,” but he could not sustain the costs to keep the place running. Capone’s Wisconsin lodge is located at 12101 W County RD CC, Couderay, WI, but details about the property on Zillow are scant.
Many theories abound as to whether Capone ever stayed in the lodge, although his family owned it in the 1920s. The property is quite unique, sitting on 407 acres and overlooking Blueberry Lake. The main home has walls 18 inches thick, a hand-cut stone fireplace and custom-made spiral staircases created in Chicago. More details from Wausau Family:
It also has a stone gun tower (photo above), where machine gun-armed guards watched out for the authorities. There is also a caretaker’s cottage and a bunkhouse. A barn on the estate is supposed to have housed chickens, so the gangster could have fresh eggs. There is even a jail house on the grounds (photo below), a very small single cell surrounded by a brick wall. It was later turned into a restaurant and tourist attraction.
And if you’re really into Scarface, Al Capone’s Chicago home is still on the market for $450,000.
This week we I have some juicy celebrity real estate news courtesy of our friends at Zillow.com.
2008’s Highest Paid CEO Has Hamptons House on Market
By: Diane Tuman, Zillow Content Manager | September 4, 2009
The Blackstone Group founder and CEO, Stephen Schwarzman, who is reported to be the highest-paid CEO in the U.S. last year, has put his East Hampton, NY home on the market for $7.2 million.
Cove Hollow Farm is located at 52 Ruxton Rd, East Hampton, NY 11937, sits on 2.10 acres and is a modest 3,250 sq ft, with 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, a pool/poolhouse and Har-Tru tennis court. According to the Wall Street Journal, Schwarzman is selling this home as he prepares to move into a “…9.9-acre estate in nearby Water Mill, NY, which he bought for $34 million in 2005. He also owns a 20,000-square-foot triplex apartment at 740 Park Ave, New York, NY, for which he paid $38 million in 2001, and a 13,000-square-foot estate in Palm Beach, FL, he bought in 2003 for $20.5 million.
While financial investment vehicles are imploding all around us, Schwarzman’s Blackstone group, a private equity firm, is thriving. Schwarzman received a compensation of $702 million in 2008 and second was Oracle founder Larry Ellison at $543 million.
According to Bloomberg News, Schwarzman bought the Ruxton Road property in 1996 for $2.3 million and paid $30,412 in property taxes on it in 2008. If you look how Schwarzman’s home stacks up against homes around it, his East Hampton home is valued higher than 89% of the nearby homes. It just goes to show you what kind of wealth exists in the Hamptons.
Due Day for Annie Liebovitz
By: Diane Tuman, Zillow Content Manager | September 8, 2009
Annie Liebovitz is supposed to pay Art Capital the $24 million she owes the lender by today, Sept. 8, or risk losing her three brownstones in Manhattan’s West Village as well as a 228-acre property in Rhinebeck, NY, part of which once belonged to the Astor family, plus rights to her negatives and intellectual property, according to CNN.
Together, her real estate and photographs are worth nearly $100 million.
A judge last week gave Liebovitz until Oct. 1 to respond to Art Capital’s lawsuit, according to Bloomberg News. Liebovitz’ real estate could easily pay off the $24 million owed, and perhaps they could settle out of court. But, Liebovitz’s troubles continue to mount.
According to the NY Times, Liebovitz is also involved in a dispute between Getty Images and Art Capital that detailed Art Capital’s efforts to sell the Leibovitz archive for $50 million and there’s another suit by an Italian photographer, Paolo Pizzetti, who claims Liebovitz used his images without authorization or compensation in an ad campaign for Lavazza coffee.
Ben Stiller To Sell His $12.5 Million LA Compound
By: Whitney Tyner, Zillow PR Specialist | September 9, 2009
Funnyman Ben Stiller may have a crude sense of humor, but his taste in real estate is nothing to laugh at. The actor and his wife, Christine Taylor, have recently put their Los Angeles-area compound on the market for $12.5 million. The property is located in the Outpost Estates neighborhood of LA, at 2427 Castilian Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068.
Since purchasing the home in 1999, Stiller has assembled three properties to create the Spanish-style compound with a total of 10 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms. Here’s the breakdown of the 3-for-1 Stiller property:
The principal parcel and main house — a 6-bedroom (and 6-bath), 5,334-square-foot, Spanish-style house on a 0.29-acre (12,628-square-foot) lot.
A 5-bedroom (and 5-bath), 4,062-square-foot house that was built in 1930 and that sits on a 0.28-acre (12,197-square-foot) lot.
Another adjacent 0.29-acre (12,628-square-foot) lot that was vacant, and on which Stiller constructed a 1-bedroom, 1,161-square-foot guest house in 2003.
The photos of the meticulously-maintained compound (courtesy of Luxist) are spectacular, boasting a pool, gorgeous gardens, and an outdoor dining area.
The Stiller family isn’t wasting any time before jumping into their next real estate investment. The New York Observer believes the power couple has purchased a $10 million co-op duplex on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
Why the cross-country move? Stiller grew up in the Upper West Side in the 1970’s, and the co-op is in the same building where Stiller’s famous parents also live.
Bernie Madoff’s Homes On the Market
By: Diane Tuman, Zillow Content Manager | September 10, 2009
One-by-one, the homes of convicted Ponzi-schemer Bernie Madoff are all on the market.
Under the direction of U.S. Marshals, each of Madoff’s homes that were seized are now listed with the proceeds to be split among Madoff’s victims. Collectively, these homes are being listed for just over $27 million, while Madoff is said to taken his victims for $65 million.
Here’s a look at the Madoff homes:
1. Madoff’sMontauk home:
216 Old Montauk Hwy, Montauk, NY 11954 For sale: $8,750,000 (Corcoran Group) Marketing teaser: “Montauk oceanfront home for the ages…” Fun facts: Madoff’s 3,000 sq ft home is set very close to ocean’s edge (see Bird’s Eye View), and has 182 feet of beachfront. It has 20-foot-high vaulted ceilings, a living room with a pebble-stone fireplace, and a swimming pool.
2. Madoff’sPalm Beach home:
410 N Lake Way, Palm Beach FL 33480 For sale: $8.5 million (Corcoran Group) Marketing teaser: “Palm Beach Classic Island home” Fun facts: According to Bloomberg News, this property has had its share of scandals. It was once owned by Herbert and Roxanne Pulitzer, whose 1982 divorce trial scandalized local residents with details of drug use and adultery at the estate. The property has a private dock on the shore of Lake Worth. It was built in 1973, is 6,475 sq ft, has five bedrooms and seven bathrooms and was bought in 1994 for $3.8 million under Ruth Madoff’s name. Local teenagers toilet-papered it shortly after Madoff’s arrest because they lost their trust funds through Madoff.
3. Madoff’s Manhattan home:
133 E 64th St, New York, NY 10065 For sale: $9.9 million (Sotheby’s International) Fun facts: It has a wraparound terrace with 360-degree views of Manhattan and is fully furnished with a $40,000 Steinway piano, a $35,000 Persian rug and $20,000 tea tables. And, according to Fox News, it’s where “… Bernard Madoff broke down and confessed to his massive fraud, frantically wrote checks for millions of dollars as the scheme unraveled and appeared in a bathrobe to greet the FBI agents who arrested him.”
Starting bid on eBay: $500,000 (presently up to $4.6 million)
When Marilyn Monroe was laid to rest in crypt #24 at Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park, the real estate around her became instantly valuable. Even Playboy king Hugh Hefner has claimed a space next to her.
Years ago, Monroe’s deeply devoted former husband, baseball great Joe DiMaggio, purchased two crypts near Marilyn: one directly above and another kitty-corner to Monroe’s. But when DiMaggio and Monroe divorced in 1954, DiMaggio sold the two crypts to a friend of his, Richard Posner. Posner didn’t realize the purchase he made would be as lucrative as it is since Monroe’s celebrity status wasn’t fully realized at that point; she died of an overdose in 1962.
When Posner died in 1986, he had a wish that his wife, Elsie, fulfilled:
“He said, ‘If I croak, if you don’t put me upside down over Marilyn, I’ll haunt you the rest of my life.’ “
So there lies Posner for the past 23 years — lying face down above Marilyn, his wish fulfilled. However, that will soon change. Elsie would like to sell the crypt where her husband is entombed and move him to the crypt next door — the one reserved for her — and sell his crypt on eBay for a starting bid of $500,000. Bidding ends on Aug. 24 at noon and so far, 18 bids have come in with the top bid $4.5 million.
The women of The Real Housewives have a hard time facing the responsibilities of real life. Lynne Curtin, Orange County housewife, and her husband, Frank, owe their landlord more than $12,000 for a security deposit, utilities, and other fees on their rental home in Laguna Beach, CA.
TMZ reports that the couple could be evicted if they can’t come up with the cash before Thursday. The landlord also claims the Curtins have been delinquent on their utilities — which have now been shut off.
Lynne joins the ranks of other Real Housewives who have trouble paying their bills. Atlanta’s Sheree Whitfield and Lisa Wu Hartwell have both lost homes to foreclosure. Orange County housewife Jeana Keough owns four homes, all with notices of default.
Alan Jackson, American country music icon, has put his Franklin, TN colonial mansion located at 1301 Moran Rd, Franklin, TN 37069 on the market for a whopping $38 million. The property, know to insiders as Sweetbriar, sits on 135-acres with six bedrooms, seven full baths, five fireplaces, a 20-car garage and a gymnasium. As if that wasn’t enough, the property also includes a stocked lake with a boat house, three ponds, a 20-car garage, separate gym, and a two-bedroom log cabin. The property is bordered on two sides by the Harpeth River.
Jackson resided at Sweetbriar for over 16 years with his high school sweetheart, Denise, and their three daughters; Mattie, Alexandra Jane, and Dani Grace. According to Alan, the home is a very special place to the family.
“We love it here, and there are a lot of memories because the girls have grown up at this house,” he says. “But we like living in Florida, and we probably will do that when the girls are not living with us anymore, so it makes sense to sell it if we’re not gonna live in Nashville that much anymore.”
With a listing price of $38,000,000, the property is over 100 times the median list price for homes in Franklin, TN ($339,900). Needless to say, the mansion is the highest priced residential property for sale in the greater Nashville area.
On Tuesday, Miami Heat superstar Dwayne Wade tweeted that his Pinecrest, FL home located at 9330 SW 59th Pl, Pinecrest Postal Store, FL is on the market for $3.3 million, calling the home a “real bargain.” The Zestimate on the property is $3,975,5000.
Don’t misinterpret this as a sign that Wade wants to leave the Heat, says the Miami Herald. Sources say that Wade would like to make a long-term commitment to Miami, he just needs a g$$d reason to stay.
RealEstalker has reported that the Nashville home of former Tennessee Titans QB Steve McNair, who police say was shot to death by his mistress in a tragic murder-suicide last week, is on the market and is listed for sale for $3 million.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the McNairs put the home on the market in the past few months because they were looking to buy a different one — not due to marital problems.
Public records show the McNairs purchased the home for $1,599,000 in 2004. It has 14,263 square feet of living space, 26 rooms, 9 bedrooms, 9.5 bathrooms, and is on 1.33 acres. It was built in 1998.
McNair retired from football in 2008 after playing 13 seasons as quarterback — mostly with the Tennessee Titans and two years with the Baltimore Ravens. He is the all-time leading passer for the Titans and led them to the playoffs four times, and the Ravens once. He played in Super Bowl XXXIV with the Titans.
Actor Charlie Sheen of “Two and a Half Men” and wife, Brooke Mueller Sheen, have listed their 1927 Mediterranean-style home in Los Feliz, CA for sale for $3,697,000. The gated villa, located at 2549 N Catalina St, Los Angeles, CA 90027, has undergone massive renovations over the past year, according to the Los Angeles Times. The 4,179 sq ft property has four bedrooms and 4 1/2 bathrooms. The Sheen’s, however, have five children and do not feel the property has enough space to accommodate the kiddos. In March, Charlie and Brooke announced the birth of twin boys. Sheen also has three daughters from previous relationships, Sam and Lola (with ex-wife Denise Richards), and Cassandra.
Sheen is nominated for an Emmy for his work in “Two and a Half Men” and reportedly earns around $800,000 per episode —enough to foot the bill for a hefty monthly mortgage payment.
Maybe if a buyer waits long enough, A-Rod’s Coral Gables home will just be given away — just pay the $161,000/year in taxes.
For a third time since listing it for sale in October of 2008, Yankee superstar Alex Rodriguez has dropped the price on his Coral Gables home, according to the South Florida Business Journal. A-Rod’s house is located at 181 E Sunrise, Ave, Coral Gables, FL.
This latest drop went from $11 million to $9,999,999.
Here’s the timeline:
Purchased home in December 2004 for $12 million
Listed it for sale in October 2008 for $14,876,000
Dropped price in February 2009 to $12.3 million
Dropped price in June 2009 to $11,000,000
Dropped price in July 2009 to $9,999,999
Since A-Rod’s divorce was finalized in February, he has been romantically linked to Madonna and now, Kate Hudson.
According to reports out of Atlanta, former heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield has avoided foreclosure — again. His sprawling, 54,000-sq ft home, located on Evander Holyfield Way in Fairburn, GA, was to be auctioned off today, July 7.
The article states Holyfield has worked out a deal with mortgage holder JP Morgan Chase and he has until August 4 to pay the debt. Holyfield is reportedly working on several projects — including a comeback fight.
Rapper Bow Wow Sells Duluth, GA Home to Atlanta Braves Pitcher
Shad Gregory Moss, better known by his stage name Bow Wow (formerly Lil’ Bow Wow), recently sold his Duluth, GA home for $850,000. The lucky buyer? Atlanta Braves pitcher Kenshin Kawakami.
The property is located at 2315 Sugarloaf Club Drive, Duluth, GA and is pimped out with a home theater system, swimming pool, new kitchen, and $350,00 in unnamed upgrades. The 22 year old rapper, actor, and music producer purchased the home in March 2006 for $950,000. One year later, he attempted to make a quick profit by listing the home for sale at $1.5 million, according to Big Time Listings.
Bow Wow was born in Columbus, Ohio, and began his music career at the young age of 13.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House on Market for $15 Million
The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Ennis House, which has been used in movies such as “Blade Runner,” “House on Haunted Hill,” as well as TV shows like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Twin Peaks, ” is listed for sale for $15 million, according to Curbed LA.
Ennis House Foundation is a non-profit that owns the house, and has done considerable work stabilizing and restoring it after the 1994 Northridge earthquake and the 2004-2005 winter floods, but now the foundation has decided to sell to a private owner “…with the vision and resources to give this beloved Los Angeles landmark the level of care it needs and deserves.” Christies Great Estates has the Ennis House listing.
The Ennis House is located at 2607 Glendower Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027 and was built for Mabel and Charles Ennis in 1924 and is constructed of concrete block. It is one of four textile block houses Frank Lloyd Wright designed. The others are:
You see, the final result is going to stand on that hill a hundred years or more. Long after we are gone it will be pointed out as the Ennis House and pilgrimages will be made to it by lovers of the beautiful – from everywhere.
Bill Gates, the world’s richest man, has reportedly purchased Irma Lake Lodge, a famous Wyoming ranch once owned by William “Buffalo Bill” Cody, who may have been one of the earliest successful entrepreneurs. After serving in the U.S. Army, Cody was hired to hunt bison and scout Indians and then he started his famous “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West” show where Annie Oakley and Sitting Bull performed among other notable characters of the Old West.
Cody established Irma Lake Lodge as his own personal hunting retreat. It is a 492-acre property named after Cody’s youngest daughter, Irma, and is located about 20 miles outside of Cody, WY. The lodge is virtually secluded and surrounded by wilderness and forest lands since it sits next to Shoshone National Forest and nearby Washakie Wilderness. It is approximately 50 miles from Yellowstone National Park.
The final purchase price is unknown at this time, although it was originally listed at $12 million several years ago and has received several price cuts — coming all the way down to a listing price of $8.9 million before Gates bought the ranch.
Only two people have owned the ranch since Cody: the William R. Coe family, who purchased it from Cody in 1911 and owned it for 75 years, and then Minnesota’s Roger Hollander. And now, another famous Bill takes over.
Joan Rivers Selling Upper East Side Penthouse for $25 Million
Located in Manhattan’s Upper East Side “in one of the East Sixties grandest limestone mansions,” is entertainer Joan Rivers’ penthouse condo, which is listed for $25 million, according to Big Time Listings. Although the condo address is not disclosed, Big Time says the property is located at 1 E. 62nd Street (off Fifth Avenue, in the Lenox Hill sub-neighborhood).
According to the Sotheby’s listing, the “…penthouse aerie (”nest”)” has a doorman (of course), is located steps from Central Park (naturally) and was designed by America’s greatest classical revivalist, Horace Trumbauer in the neo-French Classic style (magnifique!). The 42-foot wide mansion was built for Alice Troth Drexel in 1903. (Yes, those Drexel’s).
So, why is Joan selling? According to the NY Times, she wants to move closer to her daughter, Melissa and grandson who live on the West Coast. Joan recently won the 2009 version of The Celebrity Apprentice, even beating out her daughter.
Was This Most Expensive Real Estate Sale in Dallas — Ever?
Down in the Big D where everything’s big, there was a big sale recently. Our friend Candy Evans at Dallas Dirt reported that an estate in Preston Hollow, located at 5323 Park Lane, Dallas, TX, was just sold for the priciest Dallas real estate transaction in history — possibly for about $30 million.
Candy says it was originally listed for $45 million last year, but was recently lowered to just under $40 million and then her sources say it was sold for “$30 million-ish.” The buyer is Kelcey Warren, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Energy Transfer Partners, L. P. (ETP) and the seller is Larry Lacerte, founder and CEO of Exponent HR, a Web-based technology solution for human resource and payroll administration. Interestingly, Warren’s agent was Rosie Waters (of Allie Beth Allman and Associates), who is married to football legend Charlie Waters, who works for… Energy Transfer Partners!
If the Preston Hollow neighborhood sounds familiar, it’s where former President George W. Bush and Laura live after life at the White House.
Look at the aerial below and try to identify some of the unique outdoor amenities on this 9-acre estate:
racquetball court
exercise room and locker rooms adjacent to a near Olympic-sized natatorium
bowling alley
wine cellar with tasting room
an Orangery conservatory
Interlocking Koi ponds loaded with about a million dollars worth of Koi
This week we have another great edition of Celebrity Real Estate News. Unfortunately, none of the top stories are in South Walton…but they are still great stories!
Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong recently used Twitter to announce the arrival of his fourth child, but nary a word about a price drop on his magnificent estate in Dripping Springs, TX. Armstrong’s 447-acre property at 560 Deadman’s Hole, Dripping Springs, TX 78620, was just recently reduced to $10.5 million — a $1.5 million price drop from its original $12 million asking price.
According to Statesman.com, Armstrong had the house built in 2003 and it has “…seven miles of hike-and-bike trails, Hill Country views and 1,886 feet of frontage on the Pedernales River, as well as ownership in Dead Man’s Hole, the famous natural swimming pool.” This is where Armstrong wrote “Every Second Counts,” his best-selling memoir about his battle with cancer, explaining that he would challenge himself by jumping from the ledges around Dead Man’s Hole.
The home contains 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, has an infinity-edge pool, fire pits, and is 4,241 square feet. Dripping Springs is located about 25 miles west of Austin, TX.
Armstrong is prepping for the Tour de France, which begins on July. 4. He is in excellent shape and we are excited to watch him race!
Actor Stephen Baldwin, one of the Long Island-raised Baldwin brothers who all went into acting careers, is losing his Old Mountain Road home in Nyack, NY to foreclosure. The Baldwin home will be auctioned off on June 24, according to LoHud.com.
According to public records, Baldwin and his wife, Kennya, paid $515,000 for the circa-1850 home in 1997. He then listed the property for $3.4 million in 2006, with the desire to find a bigger property so he could keep horses, but it did not sell.
LoHud reports that the Baldwins defaulted on paying $824,488.36 to mortgage holder Bankers Trust Co. and county filings show the Baldwins owe National City Bank money for a separate mortgage and may owe tens of thousands in unpaid state and federal taxes on the property.
Dan Marino, the prolific quarterback of the Miami Dolphins from 1983-1999 who frustrated pursuing linebackers with his fast release and strong throwing arm, can’t seem to shake a different kind of problem: selling his home in Weston, FL. Frustrated by the lack of action, he is now sweetening the deal on his 4-acre, 15,000 sq ft home located at 3415 Stallion Lane, Weston, FL 33331 by throwing in $1.5 million worth of furniture and a signed football, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The sprawling Tuscan-style home is neatly tucked into the gate community of Windmill Ranch Estates, which is approximately 25 miles west of Fort Lauderdale. It has 10 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms to accommodate his family of eight, although three kids are in college and one is graduating high school, which means Dan and his wife will have a huge empty nest once all the kids have flown the coop.
The Marinos built the estate in 1998 and first listed it in 2006 for $15.9 million, then dropped the price to $14.5 million in 2007 and now it’s listed at $13.5 million. It looks like many celebrities are having a hard time unloading their properties as A-Rod and Britney can attest.
Sidney Sheldon, who deftly and successfully crossed over mediums as a screenwriter (”The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer”), Broadway author (”Redhead”), television writer (”I Dream of Jeannie,” “Hart to Hart”) and then his biggest success as the author of best-selling novels (”The Other Side of Midnight,” “Are You Afraid of the Dark?”), died in 2007, but the Palm Springs compound where Sheldon crafted his best-selling novels is on the market.
Actually, it’s not only one Sheldon home — but three homes — two adjacent to each other and another across the street — that belong to the Sheldon estate and are now being listed for sale. In addition to Sheldon’s main residence at 425 W. Via Lola, Palm Springs, CA 92262, there are two nearby properties once owned by Sheldon that are also for sale: the “guest house” next door at 467 W Via Lola, which is listed for $1.9 million and another property at 480 W Via Lola, which is listed for $2.2 million. Here are some details:
Built in 1959, this is a Mid-Century Modern California-ranch style house that Sheldon purchased in 1977. He used Arthur Elrod, a famous Palm Springs designer, who was known for designs of large, open, light-filled spaces. Sheldon wrote his best sellers from a casita, which is located in the back. The estate sits at the foot of the San Jacinto Mountains and is said to be one of the largest in the Palm Springs area. Take a look at more photos of the Sheldon compound.
Built in 1948, this property was once owned by Winthrop and Jeanette Rockefeller who used it as a desert getaway from his position as governor of Arkansas. Playwright Moss Hart and his wife, actress Kitty Carlisle, purchased it from the Rockefellers, and then Sheldon bought it in 1992 for $775,000. Combined with the 425 address, this is the third largest acreage of 275 properties in the Old Las Palmas area of Palm Springs. Neighbors included Dinah Shore and Kirk Douglas.
The third and final piece of Sheldon’s Palm Springs real estate collection, this was used as an “overflow” guest house when the first two homes could not quite accommodate all of Sheldon’s family and out-of-town guests. It was called “Running Water estate” and if you watch this video of Running Water, you’ll know why.
Windermere’s Scott Palermo and Jim Sanak are handling the listing locally, in Palm Springs. Jim said the main estate and the one next door at 467 W Via Lola can be sold together or separately.
Most recently, Avalon appeared on American Idol to surprise host Simon Cowell by singing “Venus,” the first of his two #1 hits from 1959 — the year Cowell was born. Avalon’s other #1 hit was “Why.”
Avalon’s home is located on PGA West, a “master-planned country club community” built in 1984 and the site of many PGA, LPGA, and Senior PGA tournaments. PGA West contains six golf courses and Avalon’s is on the 10th fairway of the Jack Nicklaus Tournament course. Avalon is an avid golfer and purchased the home in 2005 for $1,185,000, which is $5,000 more than its present listing price.
Whether you’re a golfer or not, the home looks to be a serene, desert getaway with views of the San Jacinto Mountains. It also has a popular “Quevedo” floorplan, which features open rooms with disappearing walls of glass that open the kitchen and family rooms to the outside. Also, if you like the furnishings you see in the photos, they can be purchased outside of escrow.
Always on the lookout for a real estate bargain, Mariah & Co swooped up the estate this April for $7 million, according RealEstalker. While this celebrity real estate news flash is indeed thrilling Friday fodder, the purchase also put to bed a rumor that I was quite fond of–Mariah’s interest in buying the humongous, over-the-top $125,000,000 Saperstein mansion.
The purchase of the Antelo estate is clearly more affordable and sits on 3 acres, with sprawling views of the city. It has an infinity pool, 6 beds, 7 baths, and is 9,951 sq ft — plenty of room for Mariah’s Hello Kitty collection and glitzy trinkets.
Jobs has been lobbying to tear down the humongous, 17,000 sq ft Jackling House, located at 460 Mountain Home Rd, Woodside, CA, but preservationists have fought against him, citing historic value. As the photos on the post can attest, the home has fallen to neglect and been abandoned (see more creepy photos here).
The lone vote against the teardown was by Woodside Mayor Peter Mason, who is an architect with experience in historic preservation.
“It’s an unfortunate thing that Mr. Jobs doesn’t like the house,” Mason reportedly said at the meeting. “It’s really sad that we’re going to continue to tear down historic resources in this town because they’re old.”
Jobs plans to build a much smaller, modern house — only 6,000 sq ft.
The 46-year-old former reality-TV star owes $650,000 to lender JPMorgan Chase — a debt secured by a mortgage on the nearly $4.2 million mansion that she won in her divorce with ex-husband Carmine Agnello.
Reports say the house is falling to disrepair, with the lawn covered with weeds and leaves — unlike the surrounding manicured lawns of the neighbors — garbage is spilling out of trash cans and loose wires are hanging on the house.
The Malibu home of former NFL player Brian Bosworth (”The Boz”), located at 6375 Meadows Ct, Malibu, CA 90265, is on the market for $8,995,000. And, if the home looks vaguely familiar, it’s because portions of The O.C. were filmed there — basically a soap opera for teens. Evidently, the home was used when Caleb Nichol surprised Julie with the house as a gift. Another O.C. episode showed it as the site of an out-of-control teen party. In the O.C. series, the home was eventually lost to foreclosure.
OK, back to reality. Bosworth had an outspoken and blistering college career with the Oklahoma Sooners and was then drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 1987 to a 10-year, $11 million deal, which was the largest rookie deal ever — at the time. However, he only played three seasons, retiring due to a shoulder injury. Sports Illustrated named him one of the Top Draft Busts of the Modern Era.
Interestingly, Bosworth took up real estate at one point, working for Sotheby’s International and partnering with agent Cathy Bindley, although we couldn’t find any active listings or information on him in relation to Sotheby’s or real estate. According to Switzer Talent Agency, Bosworth is an actor and is available as a speaker. This past March, USA Today reported that Bosworth was arrested for DUI.
It is not uncommon in Cliff May homes to find that every room in the house has a connection to the outdoors. Floor-to-ceiling glass takes the place of walls to bring light and nature in, creating a relationship to the outdoors that is as much a part of the home as the decor.
Bennifer, as their little portmanteau mashup is known, purchased this home from producer Brian Grazer, (“A Beautiful Mind,” “Apollo-13″). According to Luxist, Bennifer got a good deal since Grazer listed it for nearly $27 million in 2007. However, Grazer is the one who really made a nice profit since he bought the home in 1992 for $2.65 million. I took the liberty to outline the parcel in the lower frame because it’s such an oddly-shaped parcel with just enough road frontage to allow a driveway.
Another fun tidbit about the home: it was once owned by old-time movie star Gregory Peck who, with his wife, Greta, posed for an ad in Life magazine for Pabst Blue Ribbon beer from his favorite spot in the house — the den. (See the ad below, on sale here). Maybe Ben and Jen can recreate the scene around a bar in the den with some PBR?
Last August, NBA basketball star Shaquille O’Neal cut the asking price of his Miami mansion, located at 26 Star Island Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139, from $35 million to $29 million. Recently, he made another price adjustment, dropping it by $6.5 million to $22.5 million. Wow — a $12.5 million price drop in a year’s time! Even multi-millionaires are feeling the heat.
The nearly 20,000 sq ft estate is located on the appropriately named Star Island, a manmade island in Biscayne Bay where many of the rich and famous live (or have lived), including Madonna, Sylvestor Stallone, Gloria Estefan, Sean (P. Diddy) Combs, Julio Iglesias, and Rosie O’Donnell, to name a few.
Now that Shaq’s playing for the Phoenix Suns, he wants to unload this mansion, which sits on 2.5 acres, has a tennis court, infinity-edge pool and enough room for the Suns’ starting five with 7 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms. Check out more photos of the Shaq-sized mansion.
For Twitter addicts, here’s Shaq’s tweets. He keeps it real.
The Spanish-style hacienda is walled and gated, providing nearly 3/4 of an acre of privacy for the Hollywood couples that have come and gone. McDermott is quoted by the LA Times as saying the 250-year-old oak tree that sits in the frontyard (photo below) “is truly the centerpiece of the home,” the actor said. “It always made me feel a peace and tranquility in an otherwise hectic life.”
Here’s the listing description by Prudential California Realty:
This is THE home featured in the film House of Sand And Fog. This film garnered three Academy Award nominations including one for Ben Kingsley as Best Actor. This quaint home is sited on a very generous lot of more than an acre. The Living Room, Kitchen, and Master Bedroom all benefit from beautiful ocean views. This property enjoys a location on both a quiet cul-de-sac and corner lot. Two bedrooms and one and a half baths. Schools are very nearby. Development possibilities abound.
The film is about a woman, played by actress Jennifer Connelly, who loses her beloved house to foreclosure, only to see it purchased by a man (Kingsley’s character) who views it as his family’s dream home. Connelly’s character is obsessed with getting her house back. According to LA Times’ Hot Property, the “…film’s tragic plot centered on an ownership dispute. In real life, however, this is a probate sale, and court approval is not needed.” Whew.
“LIBERACE LIVED HERE” says the home description for this home located at 1441 N Kaweah Rd, Palm Springs, CA 92262. It also happens to be for sale for $995,000 and look: there’s not a piano or candelabra in sight!
Ooh, this has to hurt: Actress Scarlett Johansson purchased this Hollywood Hills home in 2007, paying $7 million and now she has listed it for sale for $4,950,000 — a price reduction of $2,050,000 (see 
It looks like 
Joely Fisher, sitcom star of ‘Til Death and the daughter of a celebrated Hollywood couple (Eddie Fisher and Connie Stevens; her half-sister is Carrie Fisher) just sold 
There are many expensive homes for sale in the U.S., but there is one that piqued our curiosity in Aspen. Called the “Stony Creek Ranch,” this 10-acre property is listed for $47 million.
The season premiere of Lost is upon us (yes! finally!) so we will find out exactly what has been going on, right? RIGHT?
American Idol’s Season 3 winner, Fantasia Barrino, is hitting the talk-show circuit to promote her new album and set the record straight on her much-publicized financial drama. The 25-year-old singer owed $65,000 that she borrowed in 2006 to pay back taxes she owed the IRS and as a result, was at risk of losing her home.
In December, we reported that actor/comedian Sinbad was in trouble with the IRS, owing $2.1 million to the state of California, as well as another $8.5 million in delinquent federal taxes and the U.S. Attorney General’s office wanted his house sold to pay the debt, according to The Detroit News.
Between late 2007 and 2008, the late Michael Jackson rented a home in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Las Vegas at 2785 S. Monte Cristo Way, Las Vegas, NV. Today, the Las Vegas Sun is reporting Jackson’s home was sold for $3.1 million, after being listed for $3,950,000.
Justin Timberlake recently made a posh purchase in Tribeca, paying $4.689 million (down from $6.75 million, what a steal!) for the fifth floor of the Pearline Soap Factory lofts on Washington Street. Sounds like a good deal, except the penthouse apartment right above Timberlake’s (with the EXACT same layout) reportedly sold for just $4.1 million. Oops — $589,000 down the drain, but if anyone can handle it, JT can.
This season of The Bachelor follows Jake “The Pilot” Pavelka on his grand search for love and a wife. But, if you need to know only one thing about The Bachelor this season, know this: 
While globe-hopping CNN anchor Anderson Cooper covers the tragedy in Haiti, he makes his own personal headlines back in the states. Go figure. Curbed is reporting (via NY Post) that the silver fox is the secret buyer of a historic Greenwich Village firehouse. What fun!
Is Madonna really a country girl at heart?
The New York City co-op of “the most trusted man in America” — the late Walter Cronkite — is now on the market for $2.995 million.
For $3,600,000 not only do you get sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean from the rooftop deck of a house located two blocks to the beach, but if you close on the home with a full-price offer, you will get a 2010 Porsche 911 Convertible.
Hell hath no fury like dealing with an historic board or preservation society. Just ask singer Norah Jones who wants to install windows in a windowless wall of her townhouse in the Cobble Hill area of Brooklyn (photo above).
Fashion designer Tory Burch has listed her oceanfront Southampton, NY estate for $17.9 million; it is located somewhere on Meadow Lane.
Vanity Fair fans will be the most curious around the recent news that the New York City penthouse apartment of the late investigative journalist Dominick Dunne is listed for $1,250,000.
“Le Bellucia,” an amazing $25+ million listing in Palm Beach, was on the market for less than 30 days and sold for just a few million short of the asking price. Is the luxury market back? At least it is in Palm Beach.
It is a 4,000 sq ft, $500,000 house built near Pitt’s birthplace in Oklahoma City. We’re not quite sure of the exact location of this home (it’s reportedly in the Thornbrooke neighborhood of Edmond), but the clincher of this story is the creation of a life-size sculpture of Pitt and Jolie in a passionate embrace titled “Brangelina Forever” (linking to TMZ since we’re a G-rated site). This statue reportedly contains crushed glass from the wine glasses Pitt and Jolie drank from during their first meeting on the set of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. And we all know what happened there.
Novelist Tom Clancy, who has made a nice living writing military/espionage thrillers with the fictional Jack Ryan as the hero (”The Hunt for the Red October,” “Patriot Games”), has taken his literary earnings and purchased a Ritz-Carlton penthouse in Baltimore for $12.6 million. Clancy was born in Annapolis, so his roots are deep as a Marylander.
Once owned by comedian/talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and later, by the late actor Heath Ledger, it’s known just as the “Tree House” and it’s for sale for $3,695,000, according to Luxist.
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While this quaint and rustic Old World Mediterranean home looks like it should be located in Europe, it’s actually Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry’s Beverly Hills home and it’s listed for $5 million.
Prominent New York City real estate developer Elie Hirschfeld, president of Hirschfeld Properties (developers of New York City’s Grand Sutton, the Hotel Pennsylvania, the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Park Avenue Court, the Gotham and Exchange Tower) is selling his own oceanfront East Hamptons home for $25 million.
It pains me to write this, but it appears some of the “Real Housewives” are, indeed, just like the rest of us. They foreclose on their homes (shout out to Lisa Wu Hartwell and Sheree Whitfield of Atlanta, and Jeana Keough in the OC) attempt to sell their home in a down market (Danielle, that’s you, Jersey girl) and face eviction when they don’t pay the bills ( tsk tsk, Lynn Curtin).
Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett has reduced the price on his 
It’s a price that reflects his former team’s name — coincidence or intentional? Former San Francisco 49er quarterback great Joe Montana and his wife, Jennifer, have put 
Last week, we wrote about golf star 
Singer/songwriter Lisa Marie Presley, whose birthright is as the only child of rock ‘n roll’s most famous performer, Elvis, has listed her Hidden Hills, CA home, located at 24895 Long Valley Rd, Hidden Hills, CA 91302, for $8,995,000.
Golf star Greg Norman and former tennis star Chris Evert left their longtime spouses for each other in 2006 and then, 15 months later, Norman and Evert split, leaving a wake of speculation as to why — among them, a disagreement on where they should live together.
When a house goes up for sale by a pro athlete, gossip is sure to happen. So, when Cleveland Browns quarterback Brady Quinn’s house went on the market yesterday, he stated all the reasons why:
Toni Braxton just can’t get a break. After undergoing a very public bankruptcy in the late 90s and heart problems that developed after the birth of her second child, Braxton is facing possible foreclosure, according to TMZ.
Actor Nicolas Cage has never shied away from huge real estate investments. He just sold his Midtown penthouse in New York, is looking for back-up offers on his Bel Air Tudor, has his Las Vegas home on the market for $9,490,000, and is looking to sell two gorgeous New Orleans properties — one which is claimed to be a haunted house.
Update (10/9/09): More than 30 people showed up to watch Al Capone’s Wisconsin hideout auctioned off in a sheriff’s sale on the Sawyer County courthouse steps on Thursday, but only one bidder came forward: The Chippewa Valley Bank — the same bank that foreclosed on it in 2008. The bank purchased it for $2.6 million, which is the price the bank set as a minimum. It plans to sell it on the real estate market.
The Blackstone Group founder and CEO, Stephen Schwarzman, who is reported to be the highest-paid CEO in the U.S. last year, has put his East Hampton, NY home on the market for $7.2 million.
Funnyman Ben Stiller may have a crude sense of humor, but his taste in real estate is nothing to laugh at. The actor and his wife, Christine Taylor, have recently put their Los Angeles-area compound on the market for $12.5 million. The property is located in the Outpost Estates neighborhood of LA, at 2427 Castilian Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068.
The women of The Real Housewives have a hard time facing the responsibilities of real life. Lynne Curtin, Orange County housewife, and her husband, Frank, owe their landlord more than $12,000 for a security deposit, utilities, and other fees on their rental home in Laguna Beach, CA.
Alan Jackson, American country music icon, has put his Franklin, TN colonial mansion located at 1301 Moran Rd, Franklin, TN 37069 on the market for a whopping $38 million. The property, know to insiders as Sweetbriar, sits on 135-acres with six bedrooms, seven full baths, five fireplaces, a 20-car garage and a gymnasium. As if that wasn’t enough, the property also includes a stocked lake with a boat house, three ponds, a 20-car garage, separate gym, and a two-bedroom log cabin. The property is bordered on two sides by the Harpeth River.
On Tuesday, Miami Heat superstar Dwayne Wade tweeted that his Pinecrest, FL home located at 9330 SW 59th Pl, Pinecrest Postal Store, FL is on the market for $3.3 million, calling the home a “real bargain.” The Zestimate on the property is $3,975,5000.
RealEstalker has reported that the Nashville home of former Tennessee Titans QB Steve McNair, who police say was shot to death by his mistress in a tragic murder-suicide last week, is on the market and is listed for sale for $3 million.
Actor Charlie Sheen of “Two and a Half Men” and wife, Brooke Mueller Sheen, have listed their 1927 Mediterranean-style home in Los Feliz, CA for sale for $3,697,000. The gated villa, located at 2549 N Catalina St, Los Angeles, CA 90027, has undergone massive renovations over the past year, according to the Los Angeles Times. The 4,179 sq ft property has four bedrooms and 4 1/2 bathrooms. The Sheen’s, however, have five children and do not feel the property has enough space to accommodate the kiddos. In March, Charlie and Brooke announced the birth of twin boys. Sheen also has three daughters from previous relationships, Sam and Lola (with ex-wife Denise Richards), and Cassandra.
Maybe if a buyer waits long enough, A-Rod’s Coral Gables home will just be given away — just pay the $161,000/year in taxes.
According to reports out of Atlanta, former heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield has avoided foreclosure — again. His sprawling, 54,000-sq ft home, located on Evander Holyfield Way in Fairburn, GA, was to be auctioned off today, July 7.
The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Ennis House, which has been used in movies such as “Blade Runner,” “House on Haunted Hill,” as well as TV shows like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Twin Peaks, ” is listed for sale for $15 million, according to Curbed LA.
Bill Gates, the world’s richest man, has reportedly purchased Irma Lake Lodge, a famous Wyoming ranch once owned by William “Buffalo Bill” Cody, who may have been one of the earliest successful entrepreneurs. After serving in the U.S. Army, Cody was hired to hunt bison and scout Indians and then he started his famous “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West” show where Annie Oakley and Sitting Bull performed among other notable characters of the Old West.
According to the Sotheby’s listing, the “…penthouse aerie (”nest”)” has a doorman (of course), is located steps from Central Park (naturally) and was designed by America’s greatest classical revivalist, Horace Trumbauer in the neo-French Classic style (magnifique!). The 42-foot wide mansion was built for Alice Troth Drexel in 1903. (Yes, those Drexel’s).
Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong recently used Twitter to announce the arrival of his fourth child, but nary a word about a price drop on his magnificent estate in Dripping Springs, TX. Armstrong’s 447-acre property at 560 Deadman’s Hole, Dripping Springs, TX 78620, was just recently reduced to $10.5 million — a $1.5 million price drop from its original $12 million asking price.
Actor Stephen Baldwin, one of the Long Island-raised Baldwin brothers who all went into acting careers, is losing his Old Mountain Road home in Nyack, NY to foreclosure. The Baldwin home will be auctioned off on June 24, according to LoHud.com.
Dan Marino, the prolific quarterback of the Miami Dolphins from 1983-1999 who frustrated pursuing linebackers with his fast release and strong throwing arm, can’t seem to shake a different kind of problem: selling his home in Weston, FL. Frustrated by the lack of action, he is now sweetening the deal on his 4-acre, 15,000 sq ft home located at 3415 Stallion Lane, Weston, FL 33331 by throwing in $1.5 million worth of furniture and a signed football, according to the Wall Street Journal.
