Luxe Living

2012 brought us oodles and oodles of celebrity real estate news and tidbits. From salacious to snooze-worthy, if it was happening in celebrity real estate, you could read about it on Trulia Luxe Living.

This year in celebrity real estate wasn’t positive for everyone. Some stars were actually losing money on their big ticket real estate items. Let’s take a look at some of the losers:

Goldie Hawn & Kurt Russell in Malibu

The longtime Hollywood lovebirds aren’t loving the $5 million-dollar price cut they had to make on their Bali-style Malibu mansion. For many years, Goldie and Kurt put their Malibu beach house on the summer rental market with an asking price of $95,000 per month. In the summer of 2011, the longtime duo  not only lowered their monthly asking price to $80,000 per month, they also placed the beachfront property on the open market with an asking price of $14,749,000. Two scorching summers and many months passed and no buyer stepped up to the plate. It’s still lingering on the market.

Matthew Perry in the Hollywood Hills

Matthew Perry has been trying to “unfriend” this home for the better part of a year.  After hitting the market in October 2011, Perry took it off the market and then relisted the home for $5,295,000 – a price reduction of $400,000. It’s still waiting for a buyer to come in and make an offer.

Kimora Lee Simmons in Beverly Hills

The usually fabulous Kimora Lee Simmons, faced a not-so-fabulous situation when it came time to unload her relatively modest Beverly Hills estate for $4,650,000. The Style Network star of her own reality show, “Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane” purchased the “country home” around the height of the market in 2007 and is now taking a dose of a different kind of reality – that of a down real estate economy. Like many sellers in today’s struggling market, Kimora sold at a loss and was forced to slash 21 percent of her original $5.9 million buying price.

Meg Ryan in Bel Air

In 2008, Ryan had her Bel Air home listed for an optimistic $19,500,000. With no buyers at that price, the asking fell to $14,200,000 and was eventually converted to a $40,000-a-month lease. Ms. Ryan tried her luck again in the real estate game in April 2012 by listing her 6 bedroom, 7 bathroom, 6,877 square foot home for a new, improved and much lower asking price of $11,400,000. It eventually sold for $11,000,000.

Hulk Hogan in Bellaire, Florida

Maybe Hogan doesn’t know best after all, at least when it comes to real estate. Former Wrestlemania super-star, Hulk Hogan (real name: Terry Bollea) sold his 17,145 square foot Tudor-style mansion in Bellaire, FL for $6.2 million. The property has been on and off the market since 2006 and was originally listed for $25 million, then discounted to $9.24 million in July 2011.

Lauren Conrad in the Hollywood Hills

Lauren purchased the home for a very star-like sum of $2,360,000 in early 2008. Her neighbors weren’t big fans of Conrad or the caravans of tour buses that rolled by the home on a regular basis, so Lauren fled for a another residence higher in the hills (naturally), and rented the home out for a while, before putting it on the market for $2.25M. It eventually sold for $2M and Conrad lost almost $400,000 on the deal.

Reese Witherspoon in Ojai, California

Reese Witherspoon is trying to let go of her Tennessee-style Ojai, CA estate. She listed it with a bang, asking for a cool $10 million. Within weeks, Witherspoon lowered the price to a more realistic asking price of $8.9M. It’s still awaiting a buyer.

Since we’re not all doom and gloom over here, there’s one beacon of hope in the celebrity real estate game this year:

Ellen Degeneres & Portia de Rossi 

The married duo sold the Malibu beach home that they purchased from Brad Pitt  for $12M in December 2011. They sold the home in June 2012 for $13M to cosmetics entrepreneur Victoria Jackson. That’s a nice profit after less than a year of ownership. Oh, and they also sold their other monster estate to Ryan Seacrest for $37M. Not too shabby, ladies.

Funnyman Chris Hardwick, famous in the 1990′s for his stint as the host of MTV’s “Singled Out” and decades as a comedian, has just paid $2,050,000 for a Hollywood Hills estate. According to public records and reporting by the Los Angeles Times, Hardwick closed on the property on November 8, 2012. The hilltop Los Angeles home has four-bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms spread out over 4,205 square feet.

The home is a private, gated 1923 Tudor home. Hardwick bought the home directly from the designer, who, according to listing information, spent 3 years renovating the home. The changes were inspired by the Florentine villa “Torre di Bellosguardo.” Sitting on a 11,500 square-foot lot, the home has landscaped grounds, stone walls and stairs leading to a terraced garden. As expected from a house in the Hollywood Hills, Hardwick’s new place has spectacular canyon and head-on panoramic Downtown-to-Long-Beach views. Inside the home, details abound, including Venetian plaster walls and hand forged wrought iron balconies throughout. The master bath has an original reglazed clawfoot tub, steam shower, dual vanities and Grohe fixtures. In the kitchen, you’ll find vaulted ceilings, marble countertops, Viking stainless appliances, 100 year old reclaimed wood cabinetry and mosaic Italian tiles. An original log cabin on ground floor now serves as a studio. The property has room for a pool too!

Images via the MLS.

Tongues are wagging at the news that the young, adorable Hollywood “It Couple” Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield have scooped up a Beverly Hills mansion to call their West Coast home base. According to the very in-the-know Real Estalker, the inseparable duo of Emma and Andrew just plopped down $2.5 million for a gated 3,862-square-foot, four-bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom home once owned by the late actor and comedian Dudley Moore.

Property records aren’t clear on whose name appears on the title, so for now, we’ll have to live with the mystery. What we do know is that their new home is in an excellent Beverly Hills neighborhood. And perfect for an in-demand Hollywood actor and actress, the new home is private and gated.

The traditional-style home features a double-height living room with wood-beamed ceilings and a brick fireplace. The master suite features French doors that open to the backyard and pool. Additionally, the beautiful master bathroom has french windows. Down the hall, two bedrooms are connected with a Jack-and-Jill bathroom, and the guest suite features yet another bathroom. The kitchen comes complete with a Viking stove, stainless appliances, and breakfast room with a fireplace. Rounding out the property, the formal dining room has French doors that lead to the backyard, pool, and decks for entertaining.

Images via the MLS.

As a comedian, actor, voice-over artist and author, Tim Allen has been entertaining audiences for years. But he’ll always have a place in everyone’s heart as the bumbling, yet lovable Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor in one of the greatest sitcom hits of the 1990′s - Home Improvement. It’s safe to say the royalties of that show, plus his work in major motion pictures, continue to pay off for Allen much more than any hosting gig for Tool Time ever could have. Case in point: the recent purchase of a rustic $1.4 million Los Angeles retreat just off legendary Mulholland Drive.

It’s doubtful you’ll encounter the partially obscured face of Wilson just across the fence from this property, but we think the Taylor family would still feel at home in this serene ranch-style retreat in the Hollywood hills. The 2,604 square foot home includes 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and custom Vermont pine floors with wood finishes throughout. The open floor plan, which connects the living room, dining room and den, features French doors and a wall of windows that open onto stunning views of the canyon.

The chef’s kitchen features an expansive stone island that seats ten and the requisite Viking range. Additional amenities include a stone fireplace in the living room, a built-in, high-definition television and sound systems throughout the house.

Once outside, it’s hard to imagine Al uttering the words, “I don’t think so, Tim,” as you gaze at the canyon from the full-length deck in the yard that features a fire pit, water feature and luxurious outdoor shower. Sorry Al, I’m siding with Tim on this one.

Selling his beautiful Bel Air abode has been no laughing matter for the multi-talented, Oscar-nominated actor, writer, directer and all around funnyman, Albert Brooks. Originally listed in March of this year, Brooks is asking $6,995,000 for the secluded home.

The home has a show business history, having been owned by Merv Griffin before being purchased by Brooks for $3,650,000 in 1992, following his critically acclaimed star performance alongside the legendary Meryl Streep, in Defending Your Life. And anyone can see why a Hollywood star would be interested in such an exclusive, tucked away retreat.

Located on over 2 acres, featuring mature trees and lots of privacy, the property is accessed via a gated private drive. The 5,000 square foot home including 4 bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms, is entered through the dramatic living room, which features wood-paneled ceilings over 20 feet high, skylights and massive glass walls that blur the distinction between the spacious home and the well manicured property surrounding it.

Outside there is a tennis court and a large grassy area that could play host to any number of events, either birthday parties or warm summer evening cocktail parties. But the highlight is the pristine infinity pool that looks out over a perfect Los Angeles view.

‘America’s Favorite Dad,’ Alan Thicke, is selling his Toluca Lake home for $3,824,500. Made famous by playing the lovable and pragmatic Jason Seaver on “Growing Pains,” Thicke has parlayed his success into additional gigs as a comedian, game and talk show host. Now, he and his third wife Tanya are likely looking to do the opposite of “Growing” – they’re downsizing. This for-sale home is a whopping 6 bedrooms, 5.75 bathrooms and 8,656 square feet on one whole acre.

Thicke’s Toluca Lake estate is very private and secure with extensive grounds, a championship North/South lighted tennis court, an outdoor entertaining area, poolside kitchen, covered eating area, swimmer’s pool and expansive lawns. Inside, a large center island cook’s kitchen with breakfast bar opens off the family Great Room with full bar, fireplace and casual dining area. The home also features a formal living/media room with carved wood beamed ceilings and fireplace and dining area. A true master retreat comes complete with a spa tub, sauna, balcony views, fireplace, study and room-sized walk-in closet. The home has five additional bedrooms and six additional baths, a guest suite with full kitchen and large private office and even a gym.

Thicke also owns another sprawling estate in Carpenteria, California.

Matthew Perry is back on the small screen in a new show “Go On,” and he must be taking that title to heart when it comes to his real estate dealings. After trying to unsuccessfully sell his modern hilltop mansion, Perry has decided to “Go On” and give it another shot. Today, he has relisted the home for $5,295,000 – a price reduction of $400,000. Perry listed the home at the higher price in October 2011 and got no takers. According to Perry’s listing agent, the property has been leased by an unknown party in the interim.

A serial seller who had 3 homes on the market at one time late last year, Perry is serious about high-priced real estate and his portfolio shows us that he definitely has a “type” when it comes to his homes – modern, contemporary with views to boot. This relisted home on Carmen Crest Drive is another beautiful property with floor-to-ceiling glass walls to highlight show-stopping city views. Situated on a cul-de-sac, this sleek and sophisticated architectural home makes a bold yet refined statement. Gleaming white terrazzo floors and disappearing walls of glass open onto the patio and pool and look out over the city of Los Angeles. Exceptional views encompass the city lights and landmarks as well as dramatic canyon views of protected hillsides. The home features 3-bedrooms, 3.5-bathrooms, a chic gourmet kitchen, indoor and outdoor fireplaces and a home theater.

Here’s hoping that the second time around, the real estate market is a ‘Friend’ to Perry and he can sell this stunning home.

This ain’t no laughing matter – comedic actor Ben Stiller and wife Christine Taylor have just hoisted their massive Manhattan duplex onto the market at a slight loss. The longtime couple purchased the 5-bedroom, 5½-bath apartment on August 21, 2008 for $10,000,000. Today, it came onto the market with a $9,600,000, as first reported by The Real Estalker.

It doesn’t take a mathematician to figure out that if the Stiller/Taylor family gets their full asking price for the New York duplex, they’ll be taking a hard-to-stomach loss of $400,000. That’s not a lot of money to most Hollywood A-listers, but when you factor in the expansive renovations and upgrades made to the apartment in the time that they’ve owned it, the total loss could potentially balloon to the seven-figure mark. But who knows, the low-ish listing price could also be a super-savvy move on behalf of the Stillers. In the current market, many listings come to market at an attractive price, attract multiple offers and often sell for well above the initial listing price. Only time will tell whether or not this sale all turn out to be a real-life ‘Tower Heist’- aka a relative bargain for the future owner.

What will $9.6M big ones buy you from Ben and Christine? The listing dubs it as “The MOST beautiful duplex on Riverside Drive.” The spectacular two-story, 5-bedroom, 5½-bath apartment showcases glorious river views, every amenity, and impeccable design in a pre-War full-service building on the corner of Riverside Drive and West 84th Street. The upper floor features an enormous sun-flooded living room; a large eat-in cook’s kitchen with banquette, Viking professional oven, two dishwashers, and a large Sub-Zero refrigerator.

The lower level has private quarters with river views, including the master suite and three other large bedrooms. Each level can be accessed by elevator separately, but the duplex is connected internally by a stairwell.

Seinfeld alum and former fancy-footed ‘Dancing with the Stars’ contestant John O’Hurley is selling in Beverly Hills for $6.5M. The up-for-grabs abode is a gated Mediterranean compound that features a stunning main residence, guest house and 6-car motorcourt.

The private compound is surrounded by mature landscaping and the main house has 5 bedrooms, 9 baths, a gorgeous entry, high-volume living room, dining room and indoor-outdoor balcony/patios. Interior features include fancy silk wall coverings, French doors, a Chef’s Kitchen with 3 sub-zero refrigerators, a much-needed wine cellar and superb sound system.

Casual and formal dining rooms open to patio dining for sunny mornings and starry nights. The key to marital bliss in the O’Hurley house? A stunning master suite spans an entire floor with living area, surrounding outdoor balconies, above-the-treetops canyon views, outstanding his/hers baths and walk-in closets.

Elsewhere in the 5,400 square foot home, a media room with wet bar area opens to a spectacular outdoor entertaining area for casual dining with a luxurious pool, spa and lush greenery.

O’Hurley purchased the home on December 20, 2004 for $3,050,000. He married his wife Lisa in August of that year.

According to People magazine, O’Hurley tried selling the home in August of 2007 for $6.2M.  His longtime real estate agent, Kathleen Wrightof Coldwell Banker, holds the listing.

It’s always nice to have a Paul Hogan sighting. As we reported in February, Hogan and his long-time wife, Linda Kozlowski, who met on the set of one of the most classic movies of the 1980′s, put their palatial Malibu home on the market. We are happy to report that not only have they sold that home, but they have purchased a new place, also in Malibu. It’s quite the amazing place for a simple guy from the Outback.

The sunny 5 bedroom and 6 bathroom estate, is perfectly located in a prime spot of Malibu and covers over an acre. Perfect for parties, the 6,382 square foot estate features spectacular ocean views, vaulted ceilings and custom oak flooring. The kitchen alone is unlike anything aboriginal, with top of the line appliances and a eat-in breakfast area. In addition to all the bedrooms and bathrooms, the home includes a library, offices and a billiard room. There is also a guesthouse and plenty of garage space.

It goes to show that if you are smart, you can make the benefits of a hit 80′s movie go very, very far. And if you are lucky, you really can find lasting love in Hollywood.