Estates

Sunday Real Estate Round-Up, 02/13/11

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 13th 2011 at 9:00AM

From the Wall Street Journal:
--Ron Tutor, one of the new owners of Miramax Films, has leased his 19,000-plus square-foot mansion outside Los Angeles for $25,000 a month. It had been listed for $18.9 million last January and was most recently at $12.9 million.
--The price of Maui's Hana Ranch has been cut to $55 million from $65 million, after 2½ years on the market. This working cattle ranch is comprised of approximately 4500 acres. The listing is here.
The Meredith family, of magazine publisher Meredith Corp., is asking $16.9 million for a 10,000-acre Montana ranch. The listing is here.

From the NY Post:
--Fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld is listing his never-lived-in apartment 50 Gramercy Park North for $5.5 million. He paid $6.575 million for the co-op in 2006. The sixth-floor residence has three bedrooms and custom bookcases Lagerfeld designed for his extensive collection.
--The Villa Maria estate in Water Mill, which once housed the Sisters of St. Dominic, is available as a summer rental for $1.5 million. The property is owned by Vince Camuto, one of the founders of Nine West and has 11 bedroom suites, a pool and a tennis court. He bought the former nunnery from the Sisters of St. Dominic for $35 million in 2005.
--Retired Revlon executive Jerry Levin and his wife, Carol, are about to put their condo at 11-15 E. 70th St. on the market for $18 million.
--Socialite Nancy Sale Johnson Rashad, ex-wife of Jets owner Woody Johnson and mother of the late Casey Johnson, has put her triplex at 817 Fifth Ave. back on the market for $21 million. The listing is here.
--David Zarin, president of Zarin Fabrics and stepson of "Real Housewife" Jill Zarin, is listing his prewar home at 12 W. 72nd St. for $1.395 million.The listing is here.
--Gerard Butler toured the $6.2 million, 2,900-square-foot, four-bedroom, three-bathroom penthouse at 46 Mercer St., listed by Prudential Douglas Elliman's Frances Katzen.

From the Daily Mail:
--Billy Joel's third ex-wife Katie Lee has sold the New York townhouse she got as part of her divorce. Joel had paid $5.9 million for the West Village home in 2006. It was renovated and redesigned by Nate Berkus. Lee put it on the market for $12.9 million but sold for $11.65 million.

From Zillow:
--Zillow rounds up the homes of Grammy nominees.

Tags: celebrity real estate, karl lagerfeld, katie, katie lee, miley cyrus, winona ryder

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Jason Richardson Re-Lists His Oakland Home For Less

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 12th 2011 at 7:01PM

Move Trends brought my attention to another in the long list of professional sports slow sellers. We first mentioned Jason Richardson's Oakland home back in 2008. Richardson, also known as J-Rich, is a slam-dunking NBA player who has been bounced around the league a bit. He bought the home in 2007 when he was still playing for the Golden State Warriors but since then he's been a Charlotte Bobcat, a Phoenix Sun and currently plays for the Orlando Magic.

He bought the home for $2.78 million in 2007 according to records on PropertyShark.com. The three-story home on .32 acres is up in the hills and has city views. There are five bedrooms, a game room, kitchen with an adjacent breakfast room and sun-splashed outdoor terraces. The home hit the market in 2008 for $3.1 million but now, the home is on the market for a please-buy-me price of $1.95 million.

Gallery: Jason Richardson in Oakland

Tags: california real estate, jason richardson, oakland, oakland real estate, sports star real estate

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9 Tidal Creek, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 12th 2011 at 1:01PM

Last fall we checked out a home on Tidal Creek in Spring Island, South Carolina. That home is still on the market (with a price cut from $2.75 million to $2.4 million) but today we're checking out the home next door which is also for sale. This home is nicely positioned amid four large live oak trees in Spring Island's three-thousand acres of nature preserve. The lowcountry golf community is 25 minutes from Hilton Head and Beaufort, and 30 minutes by boat from Port Royal Sound and the open Atlantic Ocean.

The 4,700 sq. ft. home on 3.88 acres curves along the arc of its circular driveway. It has a standing seam copper roof, custom steel windows and salvaged antique heart pine beams. The home is backed by the marsh making for privacy and tranquil views and extensive decks, walkways, provide plenty of outdoor space. The grounds also include a three-car garage and 800 sq. ft. guest house. The home itself has a laid-back feel with beamed ceilings, skylights and large windows. A sitting room with a peaked roof offers a particularly nice spot for casual entertaining. This home is listed at $2.995 million.

Gallery: 9 Tidal Creek

Tags: estate of the day, south carolina real estate, spring island, spring island real estate

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La Selva Back On The Market

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 12th 2011 at 12:00AM

One of my favorite properties is back on the market and for a lower price than ever. La Selva is Italian Renaissance mansion in Upper Brookville, New York built for investor Henry Sanderson in 1915. It's a classic American example of the exuberance of wealth. The 40-room villa on 24 acres was used by the Roman Catholic Church as the St. Francis Retreat House and next went to Sylvia Kumar, wife of imprisoned former Computer Associates chief Sanjay Kumar. Sanjay Kumar was ordered by a federal judge to pay back $798 million to shareholders after he pleaded guilty to securities fraud. The home was bought by Sylvia Kumar from St. Francis Monastery for $6.75 million in 2001.

The home has a domed rotunda, a loggia, a winding staircase, a library, two dining rooms, seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms. The home has stone columns and arches, wrought iron doors and delicate Renaissance style paintings. There is a possibility that the land could be subdivided into five acre plots and the property does have a renovated three-bedroom cottage and a walled carriage house with heated garage, five indoor stables, six bedrooms, workshop and two bathrooms. It was first listed at $17 million then went to $14.5 million. Now it's back with a new listing and new listing pictures (finally, furniture!) and a price that skates under $10 million at $9.999 million. Margaret Mateyaschuk and Margaret Trautmann of Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty have the listing.

Gallery: La Selva Tries Again

[via Newsday's Real LI]

Tags: estate of the day, la selva, new york real estate, real estate price cuts, upper brookville

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River Oaks, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 11th 2011 at 1:02PM

As commenter Spectacular Bid pointed out last year on a different home, architect John Staub was one of the top architects for wealthy families in Dallas and Houston in the early to mid 20th century. Today's home in the River Oaks area of Houston shows off a bit of Staub's appeal. This home was designed by the Houston architect in 1933. Staub reversed the front and rear elevations to insure private arrivals. The home has a Tudor/Jacobean style but manages to avoid the slightly Disneyfied appearance that some Tudor aspirants can get. A two-story addition was done by architect P.M. Frost in the 1970s, expanding the interior space while keeping the home's street-side facade.

The reception parlor features carved golden oak wood paneling reportedly rescued by a New Orleans antiquities dealer and re-assembled here. A sky-painted ceiling with cherubs completes the Napoleonic theme. The original entry foyer was designed by Staub and has a wrought iron balustrade and banister. The living room with its bay window alcove and plaster moldings is also a Staub creation. The master bedroom has a fireplace with carved marble mantel and surround. The media room which could also serve as a guest suite has a ceiling-mounted retractable projection screen and projector and a built-in kitchenette with beverage fridge. The grounds include a croquet court, koi pond, sculpted shrubs and marble statuary well positioned in graceful courtyard spaces. This elegant home is listed at $9.5 million with Martha Turner Properties.

Gallery: River Oaks

Tags: estate of the day, houston real estate, john staub, river oaks, texas real estate

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Jamie Moyer Drops The Price Of His Seattle Home

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 10th 2011 at 10:04PM

Last weekend professional baseball pitcher Jamie Moer was in Texas for the Super Bowl and his annual fundraising initiative for The Moyer Foundation his nonprofit which has a mission to provide comfort and support to children enduring a time of profound physical, emotional or financial distress. The Moyer Foundation joined with chef Mario Batali and The Mario Batali Foundation to present "Spaghetti Western", which was held right next to Chef Tim Love's Love Shack restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas. The event raised $145,000.

But today Moyer is on my radar for a real estate price chop. Moyer, who is 48 and still pitching (although currently not active due to elbow surgery) is trying to sell his home in Seattle's Magnolia area. He was traded from the Seattle Mariners to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2006. He put his home on the market in 2009 for $8.9 million. In December 2010 it popped back up on the market for $7.8 million. Moyer is apparently serious about selling, it just had another price cut, to $6.75 million.

The Tudor style home was built in 1933 but has plenty of modern details including a plush wood-paneled home theater/game room and an outdoor kitchen with a pizza oven. The home's nearly 1/2 acre lot includes a pool, pool house and four-car garage. Other details include a family room with French marble floors, fireplace and butlers pantry; a living room with a vaulted ceiling; a library and a large master suite. The listing is with Windemere Real Estate.

Tags: celebrity real estate, jamie moyer, seattle real estate, sports star real estate, washington real estate

Vezelay, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 10th 2011 at 1:01PM

Today Concierge Auctions takes you away to Vezelay, a sprawling equestrian estate in Unionville, Pennsylvania. This home on 51.9 acres goes up for sale on May 10. The property includes a six-stall custom barn and a more than 9,000-square-foot residence. The sale is being conducted in cooperation with Brett Jones and Karen Nader of Brandywine Fine Properties Sotheby's International Realty. The property was originally listed for $6.969 million.

"Vezelay is a true escape, offering rural relaxation, panoramic views, a custom barn and direct access to the Laurels Preserve, a permanently protected natural area," Nader stated. "This property is not just a residence, it's a lifestyle. We look forward to working with Concierge Auctions to find its new owners."

The main home has open, cathedral ceilings leading to a living room with a wood-burning fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the Laurels Preserve. Also on the first floor, the chef's kitchen offers arguably some of the best views of the property, and the master bedroom suite is complete with a sitting room with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and a fireplace. On the second floor of the main home, two bedrooms each offer convenient en-suite bathrooms for guests. The lower level is home to a media room that looks out to the large heated pool. Another bedroom suite includes a walk-in closet and a full bath.

The home was enlarged in 2007 with a two-story addition with additional rooms and amenities. Accessible from the courtyard and the garage or from the main home's interior sunroom and nearby hallway, is the mud room. The addition also has an office and an assistant's office. The office is equipped with two desks and has direct access to a half bathroom between it and a 400-square-foot studio space, which features cathedral ceilings and ample storage below. The second floor of the addition includes a kitchenette, two additional bedrooms and a full bathroom. Two very unique additional spaces include a dollhouse room and a Breyer horse room for children to play.

Outside there is the pool and Jacuzzi spa. Designed by resident Charlotte du Pont Donaldson D'Arcy, the barn has a large tack room, feed room, heated wash stall, main level hay storage, workshop and three oversized garage bays while the second level of the barn has air-conditioned and heated squash court and a small basketball court.

The "live" auction of the Vezelay Estate will be held on May 10. The property is available for preview daily by appointment. For more information call 866-822-0874 or visit www.VezelayAuction.com.

Tags: concierge auctions, estate of the day, pennsylvania real estate, real estate auctions, unionville

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Rent Elvis Presley's Beverly Hills Home

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 10th 2011 at 3:04AM

You can't move into Graceland, but if you'd like to bunk where the King once did you can rent a Beverly Hills home once owned by Elvis and Priscilla Presley. The LA Times reports that the gated compound in the Trousdale Estates in Beverly Hills is listed for lease at $25,000 a month.

The French Regency-style estate was built in 1958 and has city-to-ocean views. The 5,367-square-foot home is on a 1.18-acre promontory. The home was recently remodeled with fresh paint and new flooring and has a new kitchen and laundry room as well as a resurfaced pool and spa. The large living room has floor-to-ceiling windows and walls of glass. Other spaces include a dining room, family room, office and media room. The master suite has a large master bath. The property also has an attached guesthouse and a four-car carport. You'll have to put up with a little graffiti, handwritten tributes to Elvis are scrawled across the property's front gate. The listing is with Jade Mills of Coldwell Banker, Beverly Hills.

Gallery: Rent Elvis Presley's Beverly Hills Home

Tags: beverly hills real estate, celebrity real estate, elvis presley, los angeles real estate

Tehama Grasshopper, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 9th 2011 at 1:02PM

Intriguing architecture doesn't always equate to a quick sale. Fougeron Architecture's Tehama Grasshopper in San Francisco's SoMa area turned heads when it debuted in 2007. It made the cover of Metropolitan Home magazine and was a 2007 American Institute of Architects (AIA) tour home and later received a national AIA Institute Honor Award. The striking 5,000-square-foot loft residence turned a warehouse into a modern confection of concrete, steel, glass, wood and marble. The home has a lightfilled courtyard that connects the building to the new penthouse above and to the sky. The interior courtyard and skylights fill the home with light. It was listed at $4.128 million but can now be had for $3.995 million. Socket Site reports that the unit below, the former Fougeron office is also for sale for $1.5 million.

Gallery: Tehama Grasshopper

Tags: architecture for sale, california real estate, estate of the day, san francisco real estate, tehama grasshopper

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Larry Ellison Buys Porcupine Creek

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 9th 2011 at 11:04AM

One of the homes on our biggest price drops for 2010 list has found its new owner. MyDesert.com confirms that Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison has snapped up Porcupine Creek, a 249-acre golf course estate in Ranch Mirage, California, for $42.9 million. This home originally hit the market for $75 million but last fall it had a price cut to $55 million. Ellison already has ties in the area. In 2009 he bought the nearby Indian Wells Tennis Garden and BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament. Ellison also owns property in Woodside, California, on Malibu's Carbon Beach and last year he purchased the Astor's Beechwood Mansion in Newport, Rhode Island.

Pourcupine Creek was formerly owned by Yellowstone Club founders Tim and Edra Blixseth before an acrimonious divorce got the better of them and their global collection of properties. Porcupine Creek was most recently in the hands of a holding company related to the Yellowstone Club. Blixseth sold the Yellowstone Club last year to CrossHarbor Partners. Porcupine Creek includes a golf club and golf course, a huge 18,400 square-foot main residence, eight guest houses, a pool, spa, gym and an amphitheater. It has hosted many benefits and charity events and in an email to MyDesert Edra Blixseth expressed hope that the estate might serve that function again.

[Thanks, Spec.]

Gallery: Porcupine Creek

Tags: edra blixeth, larry ellison, oracle, porcupine creek

Cole Porter's Berkshire Retreat, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 8th 2011 at 1:01PM

Today's property, a beautiful 40-acre expanse in Massachusetts' tranquil Berkshire Mountains area, was once the home of songwriter Cole Porter. In June 1940 Linda Porter, Cole Porter's wife, chose the estate as the couple's summer residence. The couple also frequently entertained here, offering members of the royal, theatrical, and jet-set society a weekend in the countryside. Cole Porter continued to visit the home until his death in 1964 and completed many of his important numbers in the home.

The land includes formal gardens, woodlands, stone walls, hedgerows, terrace and fountains and two miles of nature trails while still offering easy access to picturesque Williamstown. The main residence has lovely floor-to-ceiling windows, large living and dining rooms, a wood paneled library, eat-in kitchen and four fireplaces. There are five bedrooms including the first floor master suite. The grounds are also home to a pool with a 1940s pool house with changing rooms, a prep kitchen, tennis court, greenhouse and potting shed. There is also a guest cottage with two large suites, a livestock barn that offers an additional 700 square feet of living space, and a carriage barn with a three-bedroom apartment above. This home is listed at $4.495 million with Alton & Westfall.

Gallery: Cole Porter's Berkshire Retreat

[Thanks, Spec.]

Tags: berkshires, cole porter, estate of the day, massachusetts real estate, williamstown

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Central Park West, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 7th 2011 at 1:01PM

Today's home on New York's Central Park West combines a classic exterior built in 1887 by William Noble and architect Edward J. Angell with a blindingly modern interior. The mansion is one of the few remaining single residences on Central Park. Once you get inside the door the space has been completely redone, mostly in the service of art. The opened up light and bright parlor floor and living area have double-height ceilings and gallery-size walls for big pieces. The great room has a dome-shaped skylight that pours light down on a floating staircase. The basement area features a freshwater lap pool and a fitness area. The current owners have a collection of small figures installed behind glass cases in a tranquil white sitting room with park views. The home also has a sedate gray media room, five large bedrooms, a professional kitchen and a zen garden with outdoor dining. The master suite has a bow-front window seat, dressing area, spa bath and terrace. The roof terrace has sweeping park views and an elevator links the floors. This home is listed at $32.5 million with Sotheby's Homes.

Gallery: Central Park West

Tags: estate of the day, new york city real estate, new york real estate

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Oakshire Drive, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 6th 2011 at 1:00PM

Today's sweet little Los Angeles home might be a slice of Old Hollywood. Rumor has it that this four-bedroom Spanish-style villa was once a guest house on the Whitley Heights estate of silent film era icon Rudolph Valentino. That home, later torn down to make way for the Hollywood Freeway, was only few miles away. The homes also share similar Spanish villa architecture, but then again, many beautiful Los Angeles homes from the 1920s have a similar look.

The four-bedroom home is walled and gated. It has a classic living room with vaulted ceilings, exposed and carved wooden beams, a leaded glass window and a raised fireplace. The master bedroom and music room open onto another patio which offers a peaceful retreat with a soaking tub. The charming country kitchen is just the right amount of retro. It opens to one of the outdoor patios that has dining and living spaces. and there is also a built-in barbecue on the patio for entertaining. It's on a double lot and the second lot has been nicely landscaped by designer John Greenlee for southern California's arid and warm climate with natural grasses, succulents and a vegetable garden. This home is currently on the market for $1,295,000. Carol and Jim Shogren and Rodeo Realty's Sunset Strip office are the listing agents. The property website is here.

Gallery: Oakshire Drive

Tags: california real estate, estate of the day, hollywood real estate, los angeles real estate

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Sunday Real Estate Round-Up, 02/06/11

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 6th 2011 at 9:00AM

From Move Trends:
--A home in Encino, California once owned by late singer Al Jolson, Academy Award Winner Don Ameche, actress/singer Ruby Keeler, Matt LeBlanc, Kristie Alley, Katey Sagal and Charlie Sheen and his former wife Denise Richards has failed from the $9.39 million million price it was listed at in 2009 all the way down to $6.95 million.
---Buy a Top 10 Most Expensive Home for Your Valentine

From the NY Post:
--Padma Lakshmi continues to shop for a Manhattan home. She was spotted checking out multiple downtown residences including a $10.995 million five-bedroom condo in the Greenwich building on West 13th Street. The listing is with Paula Del Nunzio of Brown Harris Stevens.
--Internet marketing moguls Loren and JR Ridinger, have their penthouse condo at the Residences at the Ritz-Carlton building at 10 West St. on the market for $7.95 million. But they have rented the 3,600-square-foot duplex residence in the 40-story Battery Park City building to Kim Kardashian and now Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the former chairman of Dubai World, is staying in the three-bedroom unit.
--Scott Lipps, president of One Management, a model management agency, has listed his one-bedroom condo at 505 Greenwich St. for $1.35 million. The listing is with Wilbur Gonzalez and Richard Ball of Prudential Douglas Elliman.
--Musician Zander Bleck is now living in the luxury rental building at 312 11th Ave., where Darryl Strawberry also has an apartment. One-bedrooms in the building start at about $3,200, with higher-floor units going for more than $4,000.
--Hamptons developer Joe Farrell has partnered with Peter Sabbeth of Modern Green Home to create a new firm called Gaia Building, which will help architects and homeowners be more eco-friendly.
--Literary agent Marianne "Mimi" Strong is selling a $299,000 studio apartment she bought for her nephew. The 400-square-foot studio at 160 E. 91st St. is listed by Alta Brockinton of Prudential Douglas Elliman.
--Nest Seekers broker Ryan Serhant, one of the stars of Bravo's "Million Dollar Listing," just moved into a $5,500-a-month 20 Pine St. rental.
--Julianna Margulies was spotted checking out a $11.95 million, 4,300-square-foot condo penthouse at 158 Mercer St. The three-bedroom bathroom home is owned by fashion photographer Raymond Meier. The listing is here.

From AOL Real Estate:
A Bel-Air, California home, designed for movie legend and singer Judy Garland by architect Wallace Neff, is on the market for $5.5 million. The property website is here.

Tags: celebrity real estate, Corbin Bernsen, howie dorough, kyle richards, max weinberg, padma lakshmi

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Glen Campbell Lists His Malibu Home

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 5th 2011 at 10:09PM

Our friends over at our sister blog AOL Real Estate led us to the listing for country singer Glen Campbell's Malibu, California home. Campbell has owned the home since 2006. Some of the listing pictures on the stone Mediterranean home are a little blurry but the four-bedroom home has a charming front turret like structure which contains a sunny home office.

The family room, kitchen, living room, office and media rooms all flow easily outside to the patios and the pool and spa area which is surrounded with stone pavers and plenty of plants. The home's master suite has a his and hers baths and closets and a patio with a view of the Santa Monica Bay and islands. Other details including a home theater with some intriguing wall decor and a kitchen that boasts a center island with curved sides making it look as if a wooden boat has sailed into the the center of the room. The home is listed for $5.95 million with Bryan Harper of Coldwell Banker Malibu.

Gallery: Glen Campbell in Malibu