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    Rob Lowe Just Sold His Epic Montecito Estate for a Cool $45 Million

    It took a few years, but Rob Lowe has finally managed to offload his majestic Montecito estate for an equally majestic price, as was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. The $45.5 million, off-market deal is one of the priciest to ever close in the celeb-studded seaside enclave, and it’s perhaps the largest since 2001, when Oprah Winfrey paid $50 million for her world-famous (and ever-expanding) compound, the so-called “Promised Land” estate.
    The new owners of Lowe’s former residence are healthcare-focused private equity executive Jack McGinley and his wife Julie, who have long been based mainly on the East Coast. But the couple are not new to Montecito, or to record-smashing sale prices, for that matter. Way back in 2012, the couple agreed to pay somewhere around $50 million for a different but no less sumptuous estate that happens to sit right next door to Oprah’s house. But for publicly unknown reasons, that deal collapsed and the mansion, long owned by now-deceased professional sports tycoon Ed Snider, was eventually sold in 2017 for a relatively paltry $35 million to cosmetics mogul Jamie Kern Lima. (The McGinleys instead paid $27.5 million for a smaller Montecito estate; records show that property was quietly sold last month for $27 million to an as-yet-unidentified buyer.)
    Although Lowe initially floated the property on the market for an even $47 million back in 2018, the final sales price is actually well above the $42.5 million that the Parks and Recreation star last asked for the property, which he custom built for his family.

    Known as Oakview, the 10,000 sq. ft. structure is sited on a 3.4-acre lot in a neighborhood filled to the brim with other megamansions, though the Lowe estate is certainly one of the bigger ones around. The East Coast-style construction was inspired by the antebellum architecture that graces the Virginian countryside, and is clad in white clapboard and accented with striking black shutters. Inside, the place was completely tailored for the Lowes by a small army of designers, among them acclaimed architect Don Nulty, who worked in tandem with Feng Shui expert David Cho, while the interiors were done up by designers David Phoenix and Kyle Irwin. The impeccably manicured, park-like grounds were dreamt up by Mark Rios.
    Four Doric columns stand guard in front of a Greek Revival-style portico that features a black coffered door. Inside, the styling follows the same grandiosity as the exterior—albeit with a modern twist. Pure white walls, handsome hardwood floors, bespoke architectural details and recessed lighting can be found throughout the space. The formal living room boasts an oversized traditional-style fireplace with an elaborate, all-white mantle, two eye-catching chandeliers, a series of three motorized pocket glass doors that lead out to the patio and delicate handcrafted moldings. The room is generously spacious and bathed in natural light, thanks to the glass doors.

    The kitchen is luxuriously roomy and offers an oversized island that works overtime as a kitchen prep area, breakfast bar. and a place to house the dishwasher and a proofing oven. The room is lit with a smattering of recessed lights, and by three pendulum lanterns that hang over the island. The kitchen also offers a tongue-and-groove coffered ceiling, plenty of cabinetry, Carrara marble countertops and chef’s grade appliances—including an industrial-sized gas range. Adjoining the breakfast bar, there’s a casual dining area located underneath a modern chandelier.
    On more posh occasions, meals can be taken in the mansion’s formal dining area, a regal space that boasts tastefully coffered walls, custom crown molding, fancy bronze wall sconces and a show-stopping chandelier. For large events, there’s also a secondary catering kitchen located in the basement, connected to the dining room via an old-fashioned dumbwaiter.

    Conveniently, each of the house’s guest and family rooms have their own ensuite bathroom. Several of the upstairs bedrooms have French doors that open up to a huge shared veranda with ocean views, plus ample seating and billiard and ping pong tables. The elegantly subdued master suite is stunning, with an obligatory fireplace, a private balcony, plus plenty of built-in shelving for the avid book collector. There are dual marble bathrooms, and a boutique-style closet/dressing room. Outdoors, an approximately 800-square-foot Greek Revival-style poolside cabana has one bedroom and bathroom, and there’s also a standalone two-bedroom, two-bath guest cottage.
    The grounds of the property are just as magnificent as one would expect, with verdantly lush gardens multiple ancient oaks. Lavender-lined paths lead to all of the luxe al fresco amenities, including a 55-foot swimming pool and a sunken tennis court.
    Check out more photos of the property below: More

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    Home of the Week: Country Music Superstar Alan Jackson Lists His Nashville Estate for $23 Million

    With its $23 million asking price, you can’t say that country singer Alan Jackson is letting his sprawling Tennessee mansion go for a song.
    If it sells for anywhere close to asking, it’ll be one of the most expensive pads ever sold in both the state and in the celebrity-rich enclave of Franklin, just a line dance away from Nashville, aka Music City USA.
    But the massive hilltop estate is certainly not short of curb appeal. Set on 4.3 private acres and surrounded by 120 more of dense woodland, Sweetbriar sprawls over 22,000 square feet, features five bedrooms, seven-and-a-half bathrooms and can garage up to 15 cars.
    Country Music Hall of Famer Jackson—he’s sold more than 75 million records worldwide—and his author wife Denise, originally bought the spread in 2009 for $795,000. They commissioned architect-to-the-country-stars Ron Farris to design the imposing stone residence in a style that Farris describes on his website as “New England Country.”
    The grand entryway and staircase fit for Scarlett O’Hara.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties

    Part of the home’s considerable attraction is its security and privacy. It’s part of the upscale Laurelbrooke community with a 24/7 guarded gate, while the heavily-wooded Jackson estate has its own set of imposing barriers.
    A winding driveway climbs up to a large motorcourt in front of the main house. Inside the foyer, with its rich inlaid wood flooring, is a sweeping wood-and-wrought-iron staircase in front of a towering two-story window.
    Decorated in a very traditional and elegant style, the interior is heavy on beautiful wood floors, paneling and arched windows.
    The kitchen.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties

    There’s a formal reception room with large fireplace, formal dining room with seating for 10, formal sitting room and what listing agent Rick French of French King Fine Properties describes as “grand public rooms.”
    Less stuffy is the wood-walled TV room with its belly-up bar and the 10-seat movie room.
    The formal reception room.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties

    Upstairs, the expansive primary suite features a cloister-ceilinged bedroom with doors leading out to a terrace. There are also dual bathrooms, one with a huge, marble-edged soaking tub with tall French doors that open on to a balcony.
    Outside there’s a pool and pool house, a large expanse of manicured lawn, a paved area around a firepit and a vast, covered, poolside loggia with stone arches and stone fireplace.
    When you want to gaze out on to those surrounding woodlands – of which
    The music room.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties

    Jackson is said to own another 84 in the area—the main house also includes a sizable roof-top deck with multiple tables and sun loungers.
    For car lovers, the home’s twin, stone-faced garage buildings will no doubt be a considerable draw. Inside there’s room for around 15 cars in heated and air-conditioned luxury.
    The formal sitting room.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties

    Jackson is well-known for his motoring passion. No one knows for sure how many cars he owns, but his eclectic collection is said to include everything from a 1929 Bentley Le Mans and a 1928 Stutz Black Hawk Boattail Speedster to an array of 1970s American muscle cars, an Amphicar and a 1977 Ford Bronco.
    Pride of place in the collection however, goes to a refrigerator-white 1955 Ford Thunderbird convertible—the car Jackson bought when he was 15 and took his wife out in on their first date. Seems he later sold the car for a down payment their first home. Denise Jackson surprised him by buying the car back for his birthday.
    The formal dining room.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties

    Before building the Laurelbrooke estate, the Jacksons lived in an 18,600-square-foot, custom-built antebellum mansion on 135 acres in Franklin, also called Sweetbriar, which was supposedly modeled after Tara in Gone With the Wind.
    After first listing that home for $38 million, they sold it to Copart salvage car auction founder, Willis Johnson, for $28 million in 2010.
    There’s no word on where the Jacksons and their three daughters plan to move to when they sell. Just don’t expect it to be too far away from the Grand Old Opry.
    The primary bedroom suite.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties

    The ensuite bathroom.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties

    The secluded pool.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties

    The patio.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties

    The patio at night.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties

    Sweetbriar is surrounded by forest.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties More

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    Marc Anthony Lists Florida Waterfront Home For $27 Million

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    LOCATION: 300 Costanera Road, Coral Gables, Florida
    SQUARE FOOTAGE: 20,546
    BEDROOMS & BATHROOMS: 12 bedrooms & 15 bathrooms
    PRICE: $27,000,000
    Singer Marc Anthony has just listed his Florida waterfront home for $27 million. He purchased the Mediterranean style home back in 2018 for $19 million from Bacardi heiress Hilda Bacardi.

    Located at 300 Costanera Road in Coral Gables, the home features approximately 20,546 square feet of living space with 12 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, foyer with staircase, elevator, formal living & dining rooms, gourmet kitchen with double islands, breakfast room, family room, 4-car garage and more.
    Outdoor features include a gated porte-cochere, motor court, terraces, kitchen/BBQ, swimming pool with spa and a dock. More

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    LeBron James Buys Katharine Hepburn’s Former Beverly Hills Compound for $36.8 Million

    Although the deal was extensively reported in July, it’s only today—fittingly, near the end of a fantastic Lakers season—that LeBron James has finally closed on his $36.8 million residential upgrade in the 90210, a multi-structure compound packing fantastic views and a storied, only-in-Hollywood pedigree.
    Built in the 1930s, the colorful Mediterranean-esque villa was owned for years by Charles Boyer, an Oscar-nominated leading man actor of that era who starred in a number of black-and-white classics, among them Conquest and Algiers.
    In the late ’40s, Boyer and RKO Pictures, one of the big five Hollywood studios at that time, terminated the actor’s contract. As part of an unusual settlement negotiation, the studio agreed to buy out Boyer’s interest in his 2.5-acre estate; because RKO was owned at that time by Howard Hughes, the reclusive billionaire became the technical owner of the Boyer residence, though he never lived there. Instead, Hughes leased the palatial property to his ex-flame and longtime confidante Katharine Hepburn, who occupied the mansion during the height of her career.

    At some point after Hepburn moved out, the property fell into the hands of non-famous owners, where it remained until 1986, when soap opera pioneer Lee Phillip Bell and her business partner husband William J. Bell (The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful) bought it for $2.9 million, as per tax records. The couple significantly upgraded and restored the tired lady to her former Golden Age glory during their many years of ownership, and they expensively landscaped the grounds with mature trees and formal gardens.
    Bill Bell died in 1995, though Lee Bell continued residing at her beloved 90210 home until her own death this past March. Back in June, her lovingly maintained estate crash-landed on the market for the first time in decades with a $39 million asking price—the $36.8 million James paid represents a 6 percent discount.
    Secured by a celebrity-worthy collection of cameras and one of LA’s most massive driveway gates in existence, the compound is accessed via a epic long brick driveway flanked on either side by mature cypresses. The driveway eventually dead-ends at a commodious motorcourt that’s accented by a stone fountain and ringed by a dozen mature palm trees.

    The lavish interiors include a sunlight-flooded living room with a vaulted ceiling and exposed ceiling beams, an ethereal dining room set beneath a huge skylight—perfect for gazing up at the heavens while enjoying a chef-catered meal—and a carpeted library with built-in bookcases for real books. The cozy movie theater includes a fireplace for sophisticated ambiance, one of seven in the main mansion.
    Elsewhere on the property are two detached guesthouses, multiple al fresco dining and entertaining areas, and a lighted tennis court with viewing pavilion. At the far rear of the complex, soaring views of the entire LA skyline take center stage as they sweep over Benedict Canyon to the Pacific Ocean and Catalina. The oval swimming pool—a gorgeous remnant of the property’s Golden Hollywood history—adjoins a poolhouse and is watched over by a giant gold Buddha.
    James also continues to own two separate mansions in LA’s posh Brentwood neighborhood. The first was scooped up for $21 million in 2015 and has remained vacant for most of the time since. The second estate, the NBA superstar’s current main residence, is sited on plum hillltop and was purchased for $23 million in 2017.
    Jeff Hyland and Rick Hilton of Hilton & Hyland held the listing.
    Check out more photos below: More

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    Pierce Brosnan Is Selling His James Bond-Inspired Malibu Home for $100 Million

    A former 007 is taking on what could be one of his trickiest assignments yet—selling his Malibu beach house.
    Pierce Brosnan, perhaps best known for playing the titular role in four James Bond movies, is unloading his Broad Beach mansion for no less than $100 million. The Irish actor and his wife, filmmaker Keely Brosnan, commissioned the home after the success of his fourth Bond film, Die Another Day. The mansion’s Southeast Asian aesthetic is in fact inspired by Brosnan’s time shooting the movie in Thailand, according to The Wall Street Journal. 

    Of course, bringing the nearly 12,500-square-foot home to life was no small feat. Prior to building the house, the Brosnans lived in a ranch-style residence on the same plot of land, but it proved to be too small for them. The current residence took about a decade to complete.
    The great room.  Compass

    They had some help, though—architects Ralph and Ross Anderson designed the resort-like property, and it was subsequently built by Albino Construction. The finished product sits on more than an acre of land with access to 117 feet of beachfront. The Brosnans dubbed it “Orchid House,” because, well, the landscaping includes plenty of orchids. (Plus palm trees and gardenias.)
    Broad Beach  Compass

    Between the main house and the guest house, the home has five beds and 14 baths. The primary motif here is teak, which is ideal in oceanfront communities as the wood weathers the moisture well: The floors are wide-plank teak and the entry gates and cabinetry are made of the same material. Another architectural standout is the green clay tile roof, which was directly inspired by the temples in Thailand.
    There’s a separate guest house on the property, plus a two-car garage.  Compass

    Ocean views are also a priority—it’s so close, after all—so many of the interior spaces have large glass windows and doors that look out onto the crashing Pacific. The great room opens up to the beachside deck, and the adjacent kitchen, which has two islands and two stoves, also has a view of the water.
    There’s a fire pit on the property for entertaining.  Compass

    Two bedroom suites also occupy this main level, but it’s the primary bedroom upstairs that’s the real showstopper. The space takes up 4,000 square feet all on its own, and includes two bathrooms, a private deck and a large sitting area. Also upstairs is a private office and an additional guest room.
    The saltwater pool.  Compass

    The amenities fit out the lower level, including a soundproof movie theater with tiered seating and a bar—great for mixing a martini and putting on your favorite Bond flick, naturally—and a gym, music room and spa with two soaking tubs.

    One of hte outdoor dining areas.  Photo: Courtesy of Compass

    Outside there’s the beach, obviously, but the Brosnans also installed a saltwater pool with a waterfall, plus two glass-enclosed areas for outdoor dining. The nearby guest house has two levels, so guests can enjoy a gorgeous view from their upstairs perch—or the whole building can be repurposed into a pool house. Also on the grounds is a two-car garage, which may be worth expanding for larger gatherings in the future.
    The view from one of the decks.  Photo: Courtesy of Compass

    That $100 million asking price is right in line for Malibu. Last year Whatsapp founder Jan Koum shelled out nine figures on a 14,000-square-foot home in the area. And Orchid House isn’t even the most expensive Malibu home on the market—that distinction belongs to a seven-bed, 10-bath property off Pacific Coast Highway that’s hoping for $125 million.
    As for the Brosnans? They’ve decamped to Hawaii, according to The Wall Street Journal. So they’re still not too far from the beach. More

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    Pierce Brosnan Lists Beachfront Estate In Malibu, California For $100 Million

    Rear Exterior

    LOCATION: 31118 Broad Beach Road, Malibu, California
    SQUARE FOOTAGE: 13,000
    BEDROOMS & BATHROOMS: 5 bedrooms & 5+ bathrooms
    PRICE: $100,000,000
    Actor Pierce Brosnan has listed his nearly 1.2 acre Thai-inspired beachfront estate in Malibu, California for a whopping $100 million.

    Located at 31118 Broad Beach Road, it was built in 2000 and boasts a main house and 2-story pool/guest house. There is approximately 13,000 square feet of living space with 5 bedrooms, 5+ bathrooms, open concept living/dining room, gourmet kitchen, wet bars, home theater, wine cellar, gym, 2-car garage and more.
    Outdoor features include a gated entrance, motor court, decks/terraces, fire pit and a saltwater swimming pool. More

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    Inside John Legend and Chrissy Teigen’s New $17.5 Million Beverly Hills Mansion

    With their third bundle of joy due to arrive in March, high-profile celebrity power couple John Legend and Chrissy Teigen have bid adieu to their 90210 “starter” house—once owned by Rihanna—and upgraded to a more roomy, $17.5 million home elsewhere in the mountains above Beverly Hills, in a neighborhood known as Beverly Hills Post Office. The Wall Street Journal first reported the deal.
    Built new this year and sheathed in metal and glass, the hard-edged contemporary mansion contains 10,700 square feet of living space, with 6 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms. Developed by local contractor JB Builders, the nearly one-acre estate offers a prairie-sized motorcourt, perfect for hosting large events.

    Inside, the home boasts a collection of bespoke materials, with exotic wood and marble trim, wide-plank oak wood floors and a soaring glass atrium that floods the massive great room with light. Naturally, the house is equipped with a slew of designer goodies—Toto toilets, Miele kitchen appliances, LED mirrors, Crestron smart home technology, and a five tankless water heaters.
    Realtor.com

    From the residence, disappearing walls of glass lead out to a backyard with a 100-foot saltwater swimming pool and lush views across Benedict Canyon, down to the Century City skyline. There’s also a petite pool house, plus a 500-square-foot media room with top-notch acoustics for a theater-quality movie experience.
    Amid a frenzied media blitz, Teigen and Legend hoisted their former Beverly Hills home onto the market last month with a $23.95 million ask. Despite that aggressive price point, the couple almost immediately received an offer and the house is currently in escrow to be sold, according to the MLS. For the moment, the growing family is quarantining in a leased mansion—also designed in the contemporary architectural style—down in the Beverly Hills Flats neighborhood.
    Sally Forster Jones of Compass held the listing; Marshall Peck of Douglas Elliman repped Legend and Teigen.
    Check out more photos of the property below:
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    Home of the Week: Derek Jeter’s Tampa Mansion, Currently Rented by Tom Brady, Just Listed for $29 Million

    There’s no eviction notice yet, but if baseball legend Derek Jeter finds a buyer for his sprawling waterfront mansion in Tampa, Fla. any time soon, his tenants may be rushing to find new digs.
    Which is slightly awkward when your renters are Tom Brady and his supermodel wife, Gisele Bündchen.
    The Bradys moved into Jeter’s almost 22,000-square-foot estate in April, after the former New England Patriots star inked a two-year, $50-million deal to play quarterback with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

    The good news is that the “For Sale” signs going up in the front yard won’t be a too much of a shock to the renters.
    “Tom and Derek negotiated terms in the lease agreement so we could list, market and, obviously with proper notice, show the property,” listing agent Stephen Gay, of Tampa-based realtors Smith & Associates told Robb Report.
    And no, the Bradys haven’t shown any interest in buying the compound, which according to Gay, is “the most impressive home to ever hit the market in the Tampa Bay area.”
    Derek Jeter’s just listed his Tampa home for $29 million.  Photo: Uneek Image

    Jeter’s company Kered Connors LLC reportedly paid a total of $7.7 million to acquire three adjoining waterfront lots on Tampa’s Davis Islands between 2005 and 2006. The roughly 1.3-mile, man-made island is minutes from downtown Tampa and is one of the city’s prime residential neighborhoods.
    Jeter spent four years constructing the huge, custom-built home on the 1.25-acre lot—by far the biggest on Davis Islands—completing the project in 2011.
    “The attention to detail, the quality of the finishes, the materials used in the construction are just exceptional. Really, no expense was spared in building this home,” says Gay.
    The billiards room and bar.  Photo: Uneek Image

    The construction wasn’t without its controversy. Jeter fought for, and won, permission to build an eight-foot privacy fence around the property—six-feet is the norm—earning it the nickname among locals as “The Great Wall of Jeter.”
    Built from hand-carved, gray Connecticut granite and limestone, the two-story main house features seven bedrooms, eight full bathrooms and eight half-baths.
    The dining room.  Photo: Uneek Image

    Imposing hardwood doors lead into the vast, open foyer with 24-foot-high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows offering stunning, west-facing views across Tampa’s Hillsborough Bay. Everywhere you look are high-end finishes and fine detailing; from hand-polished Venetian plaster, solid hardwood millwork and marble mosaic tiles, to tailored silk drapes.

    Directly off the “grand salon” foyer is the expansive clubroom with its full-service bar, billiards table and multiple TVs. The room’s glass corner wall slides open and leads out on to the huge, 9,000-square-foot, made-for-entertaining waterfront patio with its 80-foot, saltwater lap pool and large outdoor kitchen.
    The great room.  Photo: Uneek Image

    The home’s gourmet kitchen was also designed with large-scale, professionally-catered gatherings in mind. It comes with two huge Sub-Zero fridges, a Wolf range, four dishwashers, a walk-in pantry, a butler’s pantry, and two marble-topped islands.
    Upstairs, the master suite features a spa-like bath with a truly enormous steam shower, dual walk-in custom closets and a bedroom complete with fireplace and balcony with views over the water.
    The living room.  Photo: Uneek Image

    Other special features of the home include a wine cellar, a wood-paneled office, movie theater and a professional-grade gym (naturally), plus a guest suite and au pair wing. Outside, two air-conditioned garages can accommodate up to six cars.
    According to Gay, one of the estate’s selling points is its 345 feet of open bay frontage, a rarity, along with a deep-water dock and two boat lifts.
    The master bathroom.  Photo: Uneek Image

    One of the reasons the Bradys might not be stepping up to buy the property is that proximity to the water. Shortly after moving in, Brady told Howard Stern on Sirius XM that he was not happy at the number of boaters constantly circling around outside, hoping to catch a glimpse of the power couple.
    The Bradys put their former Massachusetts home on the market in 2019. 
    As for Jeter and his wife Hannah, home is currently a 19-floor 5,200-square-foot palace-in-the-sky at the new Grove at Grand Bay skyscraper in Miami. The couple moved there following Jeter’s purchase of the Miami Marlins Major League Baseball team in 2017. He’s currently CEO and co-owner.
    The private dock.  Photo: Uneek Image

    As for the Tampa home, Stephen Gay says there’s already been considerable interest. “We’ve had a ton of calls, but I suspect many are fans of the Bradys who just want to get a look inside.”

    Just don’t expect any Open House stagings any time soon.
    The pool deck and bay beyond.  Photo: Uneek Image

    The driveway leads to two air-conditioned garages.  Photo: Uneek Image

    The home sits on 1.25 acres.  Photo: Uneek Image More