Luxe Living

Kat Von D, the most famous tatted up chick in America, is selling her gothic Los Angeles Mansion for $2.5 million. Kat Von D is known as much for her work as a tattoo artist and appearance on the reality show LA Ink as she is for her train wreck of a relationship with Sandra Bullock’s philandering ex, Jesse James.

Jesse James and Kat Von D dated, got engaged, broke up, got re-engaged and then finally broke up after she discovered he had cheated on her with multiple women. Shocked or surprised? Yeah, we aren’t either.

After that relationship, Kat Von D got back into the dating game and is now engaged to uber-famous DJ and music producer Deadmau5. In case you missed it, he proposed to her on Twitter. The duo are set to wed on August 10 in an underwater-themed wedding. Not kidding.

With the wedding just months away, Von D and her fiance are looking for a new home for their fresh start as husband and wife. Very much a reflection of her gothic style, Von D’s for-sale abode is a gated and private artist’s retreat with guest house and dark details. A 1920′s Spanish-style home, the property has 4 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms and a chef’s kitchen with Viking Appliances and a dining room fit for a Medieval castle. Outside, an entertaining area includes a barbecue, fire pit and spa.

Hold the presses! This may be one of the biggest celebrity real estate purchases this year. According to the Palm Beach Daily News, Howard Stern has snapped up an expensive piece of South Florida real estate this week in a private sale. Reportedly, the infamous shock jock isn’t just making headlines for stirring up controversy on the airways, he’s also shocking America by paying an alleged $52 million for the beachfront property in Palm Beach, FL. The estate was sold to Stern by American businessman Martin Trust and his wife, Diana.

Custom built in 1992 on 3.25 waterfront acres on the North End of Palm Beach, the property boasts an impressive 39,094 square feet of living space, including a five-bedroom, 11-bathroom, 18,673-square -oot main house. The estate also features a swimming pool and spa, and well-manicured landscaping.

Stern and his wife, Beth Ostrosky Stern, currently calls New York City home, where he produces and hosts The Howard Stern Show for Sirus Radio. Now, the couple will now be neighbors with fellow radio personality, Rush Limbaugh, and conservative political commentator, Ann Coulter.

Sometimes 2 isn’t better than 1. After more than 2 full years on the market, Christina Aguilera has finally sold the Beverly Hills mansion she purchased from Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne. Originally listed for $13.5 million, Aguliera never officially reduced the asking price on the home, but according to property records, she eventually ended up selling for $11.5 million – a full $2 million less than the diva wanted for her palace. The deal closed on April 29, 2013, and the buyer’s identity is still unknown.

Aguilera has since moved on to another Beverly Hills mansion in the exclusive guard-gated Mulholland Estates community. Her new 11,000-square-foot estate was reportedly purchased from multi-billionaire and global private equity mogul Tom Gores for an even $10 million.

Her just-sold home was the stage for Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne’s reality show “The Osbournes” many years ago and is in the heart of Beverly Hills on Doheny Drive. The estate is gated and extremely private and has 6 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms spread out over 10,000 square feet.

Lauren Conrad has the look of a budding LA real estate mogul as TMZ is reporting she has just purchased her largest property yet, a $3.7 million gem of a home in the exclusive Brentwood neighborhood. LC is best known as playing herself on MTV’s iconic, although short-lived show, “Laguna Beach,” after which she moved onto entirely new levels of drama, hooking-up, and general shenanigans on “The Hills.”

LC’s real estate resume is starting to get pretty long these days as she has parlayed her early reality TV star fame into ventures as a fashion designer and author.

She sold the famous ‘Hills’ home for a loss in September of 2011, leaving not only the home but her friendships with surgically-enhanced Heidi Montag and Audrina Patridge behind.

LC went on to purchase a $1.3 million condo in the exclusive 90210 ZIP code in Beverly Hills. Although the original pictures of the place looked frumpy, one can assume that she put her own personal touch to spruce up the large, multi-story penthouse. She still owns this condo and also owns a four bedroom home in Laguna Beach.

Now Lauren is moving on to bigger and better things. Brentwood is one of the more exclusive areas in a city that is full of exclusive areas. Her newly-remodeled, two-story home is on a quiet street and includes six-bedrooms and five-bathrooms in a massive 4,303 square foot floor plan.

The traditional style home was built in 1959 and features a chef’s kitchen, a master suite, and dark hardwood floors, as well as multiple fireplaces and a massive patio, basketball court and yard for soaking up the LA sunshine.

Images via MLS.

Christina Aguilera has purchased another Beverly Hills mansion in the exclusive guard-gated Mulholland Estates community. According to TMZ, who broke the news yesterday, the 11,000-square-foot estate was reportedly purchased from multi-billionaire and global private equity mogul Tom Gores for an even $10 million.  Previously, the home was leased for $20,000 a month by Adrienne Maloof of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

Located on a double lot in the Mulholland Estates community, this six-bedroom, eight-bathroom Mediterranean mansion features custom, high-quality finishes and fixtures throughout. The master suite upstairs features a fireplace, two walk-in closets, a private office, a large terrace with fireplace, and a spa-like bathroom lined in marble with a steam shower and tub. Five additional en suites include a large family room with built-in cabinetry.

The first floor of the home offers an even larger family room with exposed wood beam ceiling, formal dining room, wood paneled library, and screening room. The gourmet kitchen includes top-of-the-line appliances, a walk-in pantry with refrigerator and breakfast area, and a large center island. The enclosed loggia features wood paneled ceilings, hand painted details, fireplace, and arched glass doors that open to the lush yard. To take in the warm California sun and entertain, the home’s outdoor space includes a saltwater pool and spa, bathhouse, gazebo, and built-in BBQ.

But what of X’tina’s current home (you know, the 10,000-square-foot estate that she and former hubby Jordon Bratman bought from the Prince of Darkness and his wife AKA Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne)? A little birdie told Yo Mama of The Real Estalker that the home is currently in escrow.

In Los Angeles, the residential real estate is one-of-a-kind, so it’s no surprise that Josh Altman, one of the best real estate agents in the area, is exactly that: a shining star in a land of glamorous Hollywood celebrities and big time business moguls.

You likely recognize Josh Altman as one of the stars of Bravo’s “Million Dollar Listing: Los Angeles.” On TV, he wheels and deals and closes big time real estate transactions. Off camera, he’s passionate about giving back to his community, and in his free time, you’ll find him spending time with his family and two rescue dogs, Diego and Lucky.

Fascinated by the man you see on TV? Let’s learn a little more about Josh Altman:

How did you get your start in real estate?
My brother and I bought our first condo together in 2002. We had bought it to live in and got such a good deal that once we moved in and fixed it up a little (just cosmetic things–small touch-ups, nicer furniture), as kind of a joke, we put it on the market. We bought for $400k and sold it for $600k. After that I quit my job and never looked back.

What sale or career milestone are you most proud of?
There have been a lot of milestones and every year is different. The one I’m most proud of is the one I just did. I closed a sale for $20,100,000 in South Beverly Park, a gated community in Beverly Hills. It was the biggest sale of my career (so far) and the biggest sale ever in South Beverly Park.

What is your dream home location?
A beautiful home in the mountains of Aspen, Colorado.

What kind of car do you drive?
I’m currently driving a Fisker Karma. I collect cars, so I also love my 1964 Shelby Cobra and my 1967 Chevelle.

iPhone, Android, or BlackBerry?
iPhone and Blackberry.

What site/app do you check first when you wake up?
The first thing I check every morning is the MLS. Then I love the Real Estalker and Curbed.

What was the last book you read?
“The Wolf of Wall Street” by Jordan Belfort. It’s basically the true story of the movie “Boiler Room.”

Name your favorite guilty pleasure?
Skiing and hanging out with my dogs.

What’s one thing someone would never guess just by looking at you?
I’m a lot nicer than people think.

We had a blast talking with Josh, so we can vouch for that!

Take a peek at some of Josh Altman’s Listings!

• $15,995,000 – Potrero Road, Thousand Oaks, CA
• $9,350,000 –  Caminito Pacifica Trail, San Diego, CA 
• $2,399,000 – North Knoll Drive, Los Angeles, CA

On reality TV, first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a nasty divorce. Just ask “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Adrianne Maloff, who is officially divorcing her plastic surgeon husband Paul Nassif. Allegations of abuse, neglect and all-around nastiness have been flying around in recent headlines, painting the split as anything but amicable. While the two may be seriously at odds at the current moment, they have a family matter they must attend to as they proceed down the road to splitsville. The two must sell their sprawling, opulent and expensive Beverly Hills mansion that was featured extensively on the Bravo show.

Brand new to the market today and listed with fellow “Housewives” co-star Mauricio Umansky of The Agency, Maloof and Nassif’s grand estate is going for $26 million. Larger than life on TV and in the listing photos, the Maloof/Nassif French chateau was designed by famed architect Richard Landry and features stunning eight bedrooms, 11 bathrooms and  amazing attention to detail.

The estate is set on approximately two acres of beautifully manicured grounds. Befitting a Beverly Hills housewife, this home boasts all of the amenities that one could ever desire, including a tennis court, media room, wine cellar, swimming pool, and pool and guest houses. Perfect for a high-profile and monied resident, the home sits inside the legendary gated and guarded Beverly Park community.

Here’s to hoping a buyer comes along and makes this a happy home once again.

Can someone say fresh start? Camille Grammer, the famous-for-being-the-ex-of-Kelsey-Grammer reality TV star is selling her longtime family home in the Serra Retreat area of Malibu for the big money sum of $17.9M.

Anyone with a penchant for trashy TV knows that Camille often had the camera crew from “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” inside the walls of this here mansion and it was often the backdrop for dramatic dinner parties, screaming matches, emotional breakdowns and the like.

Now that Camille and Kelsey have reached a divorce settlement and are officially residents of Splitsville and she’s off with a new beau and he’s already on wife number 4 with a brand new baby, it only makes sense for this long-time “family home” to make it’s way onto the market. The then-married duo purchased the home on May 6, 1998 for $4,500,000 and proceeded to expand and upgrade the home into the spectacular estate you now see.

The gated and private property is approximately 4.77 acres of natural beauty with towering trees, flowering gardens, a lily pond, a lighted tennis court and large private pool with all of the necessary ingredients for entertaining. The property features a grand main residence with gourmet kitchen designed by Wolfgang Puck, a large master suite with spectacular ocean views,  a living room, great room,  library, and Creston engineered home theater room with large projection screen, separate bath and kitchen.  The detached guest house includes a large kitchen, sitting room, several bedrooms, 5 car garage, private patio and rooftop deck.  The expansive property also includes a dressage riding ring and nine stall barn.

Please note: The property is owned through a trust and their divorce settlement is sealed and not available to the public, so it’s not clear whether Camille or Kelsey retained legal ownership after their bitter split. TV cameras show Camille in-residence after the split, but we can’t confirm who’s name is actually on the title.

Camille and Kelsey Grammer also currently have two more marital homes on the market. A $7M vacation estate in Beaver Creek, CO and an $18M Beverly Hills home.

Chris Cortazzo of Coldwell Banker holds the listing

Hat tip to The Real Estalker, who first spotted the listing.

Pro skateboarder Rob Dyrdek has just flip-kicked another pricey property onto the market! Just last month, Drydek took a wild ride down the real estate half pipe, first putting a stunning $2.4M Apollo Drive home on the market and then purchasing a new Los Angeles spread for $2.5M.

Perhaps multiple high-priced Los Angeles properties are too much for one guy to have, because now Dyrdek is selling his home on North Knoll drive for $1.249M. Dyrdek purchased the home on June 3, 2005 for $1,400,000 and then turned it into the main stage for his hilarious reality TV show Rob & Big.  If Dydek can’t get offers over his asking price on this property, it’s likely he’ll lose a little bit of dough.

This Los Angeles home with a reality TV pedigree is a spacious 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath mid-century home with expansive floor-to-ceiling walls of glass, overlooking a stunning city view. This modern Lake Hollywood-neighborhood home offers many features including a private sparkling sun drenched pool area leading into open area living space with 15 foot vaulted ceilings. The kitchen has been upgraded and includes a center island, granite counters, stainless steel appliances and cherry wood cabinets. In the open living room, you’ll find dramatic high ceilings and a two-story smoke stack fireplace. Sliding glass doors from every room throughout the house open to large balconies with stunning views. The second and third bedrooms and laundry area are found on a separate level, perfect for guest quarters, office area or kids rooms. A bonus lower-level-room is perfect for a recreation room, media room, separate den area…or a reality TV production crew.

Laura Kellam of Prudential holds the listing.

Images via the MLS.

Rock & Roll legend Ozzy Osbourne could be your new landlord! The Prince of Darkness and his firecracker wife Sharon are shifting real estate gears and offering up their stunning Hidden Hills home as a $50,000-a-month lease after trying to unsuccessfully sell the home since July 2011. While it’s still listed for sale at $12,999,000, the home just hit the high-end rental market today. The Osbournes purchased the home in the equestrian community of Hidden Hills on August 3, 2007 for $12,388,500. It clocks in at 10,953 square feet and features 6 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms.

You may not be able to understand a word Ozzy says, but you can probably glean that he and Sharon have a penchant for pricey properties. While they filmed their eponymous MTV reality show, “The Osbournes,” Sharon, Ozzy, Kelly and Jack Osbourne lived in this Beverly Hills mansion – currently owned by none other than songstress Christina Aguilera. Perhaps being “The Price of Darkness” comes with a real estate curse, because Aguilera can’t sell this ‘Osbournes’ pad either. It’s been languishing on the market since March 2011 with a $13.5M price tag.

Should you want to temporarily live like an Osbourne, let’s examine what you’ll get for $50,000 clams a month: Located within the exclusive guard-gated community of Hidden Hills, the Osbourne family home is situated on a private knoll and is a sophisticated Cape Cod-inspired estate located atop an intimate cul-de-sac. Recently featured in “Architectural Digest”, the Osbournes’ grand residence rests on 2.25 acre promontory with breathtaking city light and mountain views. Re-imagined by legendary interior designer Martyn Lawrence-Bullard, the magnificent home features the 6 bedrooms, as well as a guest apartment with kitchenette, intricately paneled study with fireplace, porte-cochere with motor court, exquisitely accented formal dining room, dramatic foyer with spiral staircase, floor-to-ceiling windows and an expansive lower level studio/home theater space.

For those of you who tuned in to ‘The Osbournes,” you’ll remember most of the action took place in the kitchen. In this home, it’s no different. A brilliant state-of-the art chef’s kitchen features Wolf appliances, a center-island and cozy breakfast nook.

The family room is highlighted by oversized sliding barn doors, a reclaimed brick fireplace and  beamed vaulted ceilings. The master suite offers a sitting area, stone fireplace, wood paneled walk-in closet and an adjacent office. Expansive rear grounds include  rolling lawns, a spa, barbeque island, outdoor shower, commode and several seating enclaves.

We’re not sure where the Osbourne’s will decamp to, as they sold their $7.9M Malibu home in April of this year, but no doubt they’ll move on to another fabulous estate to get some R&R after a particularly challenging year.