Luxe Living

The ‘Piano Man’ is ‘Movin Out!’ Singer Billy Joel has sold his nearly 9,000 square foot Mediterranean Revival style mansion on Miami Beach’s swanky La Gorce Island for just under $14,000,000. Property records show the buyer is the deep-pocketed Italian billionaire shoe and handbag mogul Diego Della Valle, who founded and still owns a controlling interest in the Italian luxury leather goods brand Tods.

Joel paid $13.5M in 2006 for the 8,880-square-foot Mediterranean-style home, set on a .67-acre slice of waterfront on the luxe, celeb-studded island of La Gorce.

The home boasts expansive open areas with breathtaking views of the bay. Home amenities include a luxurious bar with wine cellar, gourmet chefs kitchen, formal living and dining room, office and sumptuous master suite, all of which showcase the finest details and finishes. A must have in Miami, the home has 165 feet of water frontage and room for new owner Valle’s yacht.

Live like a real life action hero in Bruce Willis‘ newly listed $22 million-dollar Beverly Hills mansion. According to the Real Estalker, Willis and new-ish wife Emma Hemming are decamping from this West Coast oasis in favor of their chic condo in New York City.

Property records we peeped show that Willis paid $9 million for the estate way back in June 2004, when he bought the pad from movie industry titan Alan Ladd Jr.

The 1928 Spanish-style residence sits on about an acre acre of land in a prime section of lower Beverly Hills and has 11 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms spread out over 10,379 square feet of interior space. Outside, a large pool and the surrounding areas are an entertainer’s paradise.

Jessica Simpson may want two kids, but she definitely doesn’t want two houses. After buying Ozzy and Sharon Osbournes’ stunning Hidden Hills estate, she’s listed her longtime Beverly Hills home for $7,995,000!

Simpson purchased the 5-bedroom, 6 bathroom, 5,500 square-foot estate on December 16, 2005, right after she announced to the world that she and husband Nick Lachey were divorcing. She originally paid $5,275,000.

Simpson’s, fiance Eric Johnson and baby girl Maxwell have been living as one happy family in the home for the past few years, but now they’re ready to sell the estate off and nest in their new Hidden Hills home.

Built in 1991, the custom home is evocative of the stylish real estate found in the Hamptons and is located in one of the most private, guarded celebrity enclaves. The property is walled and gated, with a stone courtyard that leads to a koi pond.

Inside, high ceilings punctuate the formal living room and dining room. A family-friendly, restaurant-style gourmet kitchen leads to the breakfast room then out to the stone courtyard. The media/family room opens out to the serene, private and secure park-like grounds and swimming pool.

The home also has quite the Hollywood pedigree. Prior to Simpson and her family living here, Paul Hogan, Tom and Kathy Freston, Ellen DeGeneres, and Rick Yorn all called this gorgeous property home.

You might not know his name, but if you’re a music fan you most likely have purchased something from him. Irving Azoff is one of the most influential people in the music business, with a recent article in Billboard naming him as THE #1 most powerful.

Azoff got his start managing musicians and his former clients list looks like a who’s who of the music world, with names such as:  Christina Aguilera, Journey, Jewel, the Eagles, Bush, REO Speedwagon, Seal, Van Halen, Neil Diamond, New Kids on the Block, Steely Dan and New Edition.

After managing all these luminaries, Azoff also served as CEO of Ticketmaster Entertainment and Executive Chairman of Live Nation Entertainment. So, even if you weren’t buying music from any of these artists you have likely been to a concert that required buying tickets through one of these other companies.

One can assume that Mr. Azoff has been well compensated for his work over the years and this $16m mansion proves it. The home is located in the increasingly swanky Holmby Hills area, on a massive 1.5 manicured acres. The sleek, modern styled villa is situated behind a gate and designed for privacy. It features 5 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms with high ceilings and large windows throughout.

The chef’s kitchen is stunning and includes all of the high-end appliances that you would expect. After dinner, retire to the master wing that features a large master bedroom, his and her baths and a study that overlooks the grounds.

The home is rich with amenities including formal dining and breakfast rooms, library, family room with bar, covered outdoor patio, full-sized gym, pool, spa, pool house and guest house.

Images via the MLS.

36 days after listing his palatial Encino mansion for $5,495,000, ‘King of Queens’ actor Kevin James has sold the spread for $55,000 more than the asking price. He must of priced it just right, because the home flew off the market at record speed. The incredible 11,291 square-foot home on Bertella Drive in Encino, CA has 5 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms. Property records show that James purchased the home on August 14, 2003 for $3,200,000. Looks like he made a tidy $2 million+ profit on the sale!

‘King of Queens’ star Kevin James is selling his palatial Encino mansion for $5,495,000. Just listed, the incredible 11,291 square-foot home on Bertella Drive in Encino, CA has 5 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms. Property records show that James purchased the home on August 14, 2003 for $3,200,000.

For Allen Iverson, the undersized but uber-talented former NBA All Star, it’s been a rough few months dealing with a recent divorce, losing a child custody battle, and a foreclosure on his Atlanta mansion. One could say that AI has left as many homes behind as he did defenders with his legendary cross over, which makes even the great Michael Jordan look bad.

Two of his former homes have recently hit the market. One is a beautiful home in the Villanova, PA area, and the other is listed here, which is an amazing property in Gladwyne, PA.

The Gladwyne property is gorgeous, but has a bit of an infamous reputation (like Allen Iverson’s play on the basketball court). It’s the same location where he hid out in 2002 after allegedly threatening two men with a handgun in a Philadelphia apartment, while searching for his wayward wife.

Considered one of the finest estates in the Philadelphia suburbs, his Gladwyne mansion is in cherry condition and recently renovated. The 1.91 acre lot is on an exclusive street in a prime area and features completely manicured grounds as you make your way up the private driveway. Visitors will be greeted by a voluminous, two-story reception hall that would be reminiscent of a basketball court if it weren’t for the custom finishes and marble floors.

There’s an elegant living room with a fireplace that features palladium windows and custom wood floors while the formal dining room is perfect for low key evenings or more formal dinners.

Any chef would be impressed with the kitchen, featuring wood-mode cabinetry, butler’s pantry, an expansive center island, and granite counters throughout, while being connected to a spacious breakfast room with views of the pool.

The family room features another fireplace and has additional custom wood floors that seem to bring the home together, while also offering French doors that lead to the deck and backyard.

You’ll find beautiful, custom, vaulted ceilings in the renovated library, which would be a perfect place to lose yourself in a book or review game tapes for your next NBA opponent.

On the 2nd floor is a luxurious master suite with a sitting room, walk-in custom closets and marble bathroom. Throughout the floor you will find four additional large bedrooms with bathrooms.

Despite the posh set-up throughout the rest of the house, it’s perhaps the lower level that will provide the most enjoyment, with features such as a home theater, exercise room, playroom and finally a wine cellar and tasting room. NBA All Star or not, it would be hard to miss a shot at this amazing property.

Bob Costas — the famous voice of of NBC Sports television since the early ’80s — has just purchased a mansion on the California coast for $4.7 million! According to public records, Bob and his wife closed on the property on October 9, 2012, and paid $4,700,000. The Newport stunner has four bedrooms, five-and-a-half bathrooms, and clocks in at 4,534 square feet.

The Costas’ sprawling new residence is situated on a 28,249-square-foot private corner lot within the exclusive guard-gated community of Crystal Cove. The gorgeous interiors of the home are complimented by the breathtaking grounds, complete with salt-water pool and spa, cabana with fireplace, pool house with kitchen, bocce ball court, expansive rear lawn, built-in BBQ, and well-manicured lawns surrounding brick patios. No detail has been overlooked inside the home either, with custom lighting fixtures throughout, gorgeous hardwood floors, crown moldings, and beautiful built-ins. The gourmet kitchen features dark stone countertops, crisp white cabinetry, and stainless steel appliances — including a Thermador range, SubZero refrigerator, and a wine fridge. Additional amenities include an upstairs bonus room, office, and a separate guest casita with living room, bedroom, and bath. And the sportscaster really scored with his new real estate acquisition since this distinctive home was offered fully furnished!

Costas has made his fortune over the years as the ongoing face of sports and has been the prime-time host of a record NINE Olympic games! He and his wife also own an $11 million condo in New York City and another home in Clayton, Missouri.

Here’s a good one from the real estate rumor mill: according to reports, Beyoncé has plunked down close to $6 million on an opulent Houston, Texas, mansion for mom, Tina Knowles. If you haven’t stayed close to the Knowles’ family drama in the past few years, you may not have heard that Tina split from long-time husband (and former Beyoncé manager) Matthew Knowles after she found out that he fathered a love child with another woman during an 18-month-long affair. There’s no forgiving and forgetting in that family, so the duo split for keeps, and Tina’s now a ‘single lady.’

Lucky for mama, Beyoncé knows that a change can do a woman good, and a new house means a serious change of scenery.

The home, which was listed as a short sale, is the epitome of resort-style living. Nestled in a very private location in affluent Houston, the estate is built with striking Italian and French architecture and looks out onto views of lush gardens and sculpted granite.

Throughout the property, you’ll find state-of-the-art lighting, audio, security, and HVAC systems. The entryway is punctuated with suspended staircases, and just beyond, you’ll find a mirrored elevator, granite floors with marble, interior cast stone columns, malachite inlays, wide walnut and cherry floors, soaring seamless-glass windows, gold-plated fixtures and more.

That definitely sounds like a home fit for a ‘diva.’

Professional basketball player Kenyon Martin is selling his extravagant Arlington, Texas, mansion for $5 million! The most expensive single-family home in the entire city of Arlington, K-Mart’s house has every possible amenity you can think of: pecan orchards, a tricked-out workout room, private pond, full outdoor kitchen, basketball court, 10-car garage, bronze dolphin fountains, two elevators, and a resort-style pool with two water slides and a diving board.

We’re not done yet.

The house is situated on 8.4 lush acres and also features beautiful white marble floors, a gourmet, state-of-the-art kitchen with stainless steel appliances, a media room, multiple wet bars, and let’s not forget the game room with a four-lane bowling alley.

And it’s no surprise that this ballin’ estate has seven fireplaces throughout the property, a two-bedroom guest house, and huge master suite, too.

Not too shabby, Kenyon.

Ginger Levine of Dave Perry Miller holds the listing.