Photo Courtesy of Elisabeth Halsted Real Estate
The nice thing about celebrity real estate is that it's never-ending. There will always be someone famous dropping millions on a new luxury house that they'll probably only live in for a couple years before throwing it back on the market — or those like Katy Perry won't even move in before selling. While some people don't care whether an actress moved in down the street, many others find the prospect of a famous neighbor pretty exciting. Here's some of the most recent properties purchased and put on the market by the rich and famous, from Rod Stewart and Joaquin Phoenix to Taylor Swift and Claire Danes. Photo Courtesy of Campins Real Estate
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Buys in Miami
Dwayne Johnson is one of those rare stars that started out in professional wrestling and made it in the acting realm. While he's still called "The Rock," a lot of people now associate him first with acting and wrestling second, which is a pretty big feat and a testament to his star power. Huffington Post reported that Johnson bought a $3.4 million 13,352-square-foot mansion in Miami, Florida from Vernon Carey (former Miami Dolphins tackle). The large gated home has six bedrooms, 6.5 baths, pool, and a home theater. Johnson can be seen in Pain & Gain, opposite Mark Wahlberg and Anthony Mackie, in theaters now.
Taylor Swift Buys Rhode Island Home
Pop megastar Taylor Swift certainly isn't hurting for cash, as she reportedly just bought a new home (her fourth!) for $17M in Rhode Island. According to NY Daily News, Swift paid in cash for the five bedroom mansion, talking the asking price down from $20M. Boasting 700 feet of waterfront views, the home has over 11,000 square feet of living space and sits on five acres. No stranger to the market, Swift recently flipped a Cape Cod residence she bought near her then-boyfriend Conor Kennedy, making a $1M profit.
Photo Courtesy of Realtor.com
Chris Tucker Sells Tarzana Home
Actor Chris Tucker has been proving to be quite the real estate force, flipping his Tarzana, CA home for $1M more than he bought it for. According to Huffington Post, the Silver Linings Playbook star sold his 6,300-square-foot home for $2.1M on March 27, gaining him a nice profit from the $1.1M he bought it for back in 1996. Located in Los Angeles' Mulholland Park gated community, the house has five bedrooms, three fireplaces, a kitchen with three ovens, a bar and breakfast nook, a pool and a spa. The master bedroom features a sitting room, walk-in closets, and a balcony overlooking Los Angeles and the community's golf course.
Joaquin Phoenix Buys Neighbor's House
Trulia reported that on March 29 Joaquin Phoenix bought his neighbor's house for $1.39 million, a modest purchase compared to his Hollywood peers. His existing home (which he bought in 2006 for $4.8M) is found at the top of the Hollywood Hills at Mulholland and Laurel Canyon and was seen in I'm Still Here, Phoenix's fake documentary about his supposed retirement from acting to pursue rapping. With three bedrooms and bathrooms, the new house is 2,511 square feet featuring an outdoor fireplace and waterfall, an eat-in kitchen that opens into a family room, as well as a large patio with canyon and city views.Photo Courtesy of Curbed
Vince Vaughn Moves to La Cañada
LA Times reported that Vince Vaughn has bought a new home in the quiet and affluent area of La Cañada Flintridge. Bought for $3.9 million, the 5,563-square-foot house rests on three-quarters of an acre, has a swimming pool and sports court, as well as five bedrooms and six bathrooms. Vaughn's new Colonial-style home may not be found in an area people typically associate with the rich and famous, but La Cañada has been home to plenty of celebrities (including Kevin Costner, Ron Howard and three top animators for Walt Disney) looking for a quieter life. The Los Angeles city was also one of the filming locations for Vince Vaughn's 2003 film Old School, perhaps setting up his future purchase.
Photo Courtesy of Arana Investments
Larry David Lists Pacific Palisades Estate
Abrasive funnyman Larry David has listed his Pacific Palisades compound home for $14.99 million, which consists of three separate parcels that he began assembling in the mid-1990s with his then-wife Laurie. According to Realtor.com, the 10,000-square-foot home was first built in 1951 and is a mixture of traditional and modern design, showcased by the wood beamed ceilings, stone fireplaces, and a fully-equipped gym. With ocean, coastline and canyon views, the estate has a total of seven bedrooms, ten bathrooms, a living room, family room, dining room and a kitchen, all with fireplaces. There's also an office and a playroom.
Photo Courtesy of Elisabeth Halsted RE
Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann Buy Malibu Bungalow
Curbed reported that director Judd Apatow and his wife, actress Leslie Mann, have just bought a bungalow in Malibu for $10.825 million. The 1930s beachfront home, which previously belonged to Pretty Woman producer Laura Ziskin, is the fourth property bought by the couple in recent years — in 2012 they bought land in Santa Monica for $8.6M, 2009 saw the purchase of a Brentwood mansion for $18.25M, and in 2005 Apatow bought a Beverly Hills home for $1.65M. Their new property is located on Malibu's infamous "Billionaire's Beach" and features a private courtyard and glass wall overlooking the ocean. The house itself is 2,550 square feet and has four bedrooms, a master suite with a wood-burning fireplace, and a guesthouse.
Photo Courtesy of Douglas Elliman RE
Claire Danes Buys Manhattan Townhouse
According to Curbed, actress Claire Danes and her husband, actor Hugh Dancy, paid $6.87 million for a four-story townhouse in Manhattan's West Village neighborhood. The home was apparently previously owned by psychiatrist David Shaffer, known for being married to Vogue boss Anna Wintour. The four-bedroom home looks to have a very comfortable presence, featuring an open kitchen, a master bedroom that spans an entire floor, tons of bookshelves, wood floors, and an outdoor garden.
Photo Courtesy of Realtor.com
Matt Damon Puts Miami House on Market
Matt Damon bought the waterfront Miami house (overlooking 170 feet of Biscayne Bay) back in 2005, combining it with the parcel next door, and has now put it on the market for $20M. Huffington Post writes that the 12,705-square-foot Mediterranean mansion, found on North Bay Road, features seven bedrooms, nine full bathrooms, a two-bedroom guest house, a home theater, office, huge master bedroom suite, spa, and a private terrace. It’s been reported that Damon is selling the home so he can make the move to Los Angeles, having already bought a home next door to Ben Affleck in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
Rod Stewart Buys $7.2M Essex Mansion
The Daily Mail has reported that rock star Rod Stewart has recently purchased an 18th century mansion called Durrington House in the heart of Essex for €4.65 million (around $7.2M). Located near Epping Forest, the English residence includes a rose garden, croquet lawn, guest cottages, and overlooks a lake set in 46 acres of pastures and woodland. Dating back to 1712, the home has ten bedrooms (which should be more than enough room for Stewart's eight kids should they all visit) and is now just one of his many properties — including a seven-bedroom home in Essex and the 28,000-square-foot mansion in Beverly Hills he lives in with his wife Penny Lancaster and their two young kids. Photo Courtesy of LAMERICA