Raphael Stevens

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    Now’s Your Chance to Scoop Up a Kitty Litter Heiress’s California Estate for $88 Million

    Following her husband’s death in 1996, Betty Jo Stephens went on to make a name for herself in the Santa Barbara community that she had shared with her spouse of 61 years. As CEO of Excel Mineral—taking over for her businessman and scientist partner John Stephens, who was widely known for creating the Jonny Cat litter brand—she was a regular fixture in the local political and philanthropic circles, regularly hosting luminaries the likes of President Jimmy Carter and Texas Gov. Ann Richards at her hilltop home in the affluent Hope Ranch enclave. Now, almost six years after Betty passed away at age 86, her longtime dwelling has popped up on the market for the first time in over five decades, asking a substantial $88 million.

    Per The Wall Street Journal, the Stephenses originally purchased two contiguous parcels overlooking the ocean in 1957 and built a house on the site around four years later. They subsequently picked up a third lot right across the street In the 1970s, and then went on to assemble a family compound with access to a private beach.

    Currently owned by the couple’s daughter Joi Stephens—who was raised in the house and is affectionately referred to as a “kitty-litter heiress who lives in the crown jewel of Santa Barbara”—the property is being marketed by Sam Palmer and Blair Chang of The Agency as “a vast canvas for the creation of an unparalleled estate, allowing for a grand 20,000-square-foot main house and two 7,500-square-foot guesthouses.”

    Betty Jo Stephens visits with former President Jimmy Carter.

    Courtesy of Joi Stephens

    Tucked away behind a gated driveway, amid 11 acres of land offering up sweeping ocean, canyon and mountain views, the existing home on the site is fronted by a koi pond, spacious motorcourt and two-car garage, and features four bedrooms and five baths in 7,500 square feet of living space that was last updated in the early 2000s.

    In addition to a living room anchored by a two-way fireplace and French doors spilling out to a terrace, other highlights include a chandelier-topped dining room, an open-plan kitchen, office space and ocean-facing master suite resting beneath a vaulted wood-beam ceiling. Outdoors, the private and grassy grounds are spotlighted by amenities ranging from an observation deck, to a pool and spa nestled alongside an open-air cabana. The equestrian-zoned property also is an ideal spot for horses and a stable, per the listing.

    WSJ reported that although Stephens has received multiple offers to buy the estate, she and her auctioneer husband Frank Kominski have been splitting their time between Hope Ranch, Palm Beach, Fla., and Boston. The couple has now decided to move because Kaminski Auctions is expanding to South Florida and they have been spending most of their time on the East Coast.

    Click here for more photos of the Stephens house.

    Christopher Amitrano/CS8 Photo More

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    The Groovy L.A. House That Wilt Built Finally Sells to a Crypto Celebrity

    After several years on and off the market, a custom-built Los Angeles spread once owned by the late Lakers basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain has finally traded hands for a bounce under $9.7 million. And though that’s far less than the nearly $19 million current owner Dmitri Novikov originally wanted, it’s still around $3 million more than the Russian-born investor paid TV writers George Meyer and Maria Semple for the place back in early 2008.

    Records indicate the discount-minded buyer who acquired the brutalist-style spread in an off-market deal is well-known crypto entrepreneur Erik Voorhees. The bitcoin pioneer founded BitInstant in 2011, and then went on to launch and serve as CEO of ShapeShift, a cryptocurrency exchange that allows its 1 million-plus users to swap between different cryptocurrencies without having to create an account. Per BitKan, his net worth as of August 2023 was estimated at $30 million.

    The gated property is perched atop a sprawling promontory laced with picturesque gardens. 

    Ryan Lahiff

    As for Voorhees’s new digs, they were built over five decades ago by Chamberlain—affectionately known to his fans as the “Big Dipper”—who purchased a $150,000 plot of land in the rugged mountains above Bel Air and then enlisted noted architect David Tenneson Rich to design an extravagant $1.5 million bachelor pad known as “Ursa Major.” The 1970s premises subsequently underwent an extensive remodel in 2008 at the hands of Novikov, which included sprucing up the kitchen, as well as modifying the lower level with a screening room and guest bedrooms.

    Resting amid a secluded cul-de-sac—on a gated, 2.5-acre hilltop parcel that served as a Nike anti-aircraft missile site during the Cold War—the redwood, glass and stone structure contains five bedrooms and eight bathrooms in almost 9,400 square feet of living space. In addition to the aforementioned screening room, other glitzy amenities include a billiard room, sauna-equipped gym, and walls of glass providing sweeping mountain, ocean and reservoir views.

    A five-story great room boasts a cathedral ceiling, walls of windows, tree-like columns and Bouquet Canyon flagstone.

    Ryan Lahiff

    Guests are greeted by a stone walkway that passes over a water feature before emptying out at the massive 2,000-pound front door. From there, a soaring great room holds court beneath a 40-foot-tall cathedral ceiling, and displays a sunken conversation pit warmed by a wood-burning fireplace sporting a stone chimney. There’s also a sleekly designed gourmet kitchen outfitted with high-end stainless appliances and an accompanying breakfast nook.

    A “floating” staircase heads upstairs, where the master retreat spans the entire second floor; and outdoors, the lushly landscaped grounds hold a large pool that “wraps the house creating an impression that it is floating in a lake,” per the listing. Rounding it all out: numerous spots ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining, plus garages and a motorcourt that can accommodate more than 10 vehicles, and a detached, climate-controlled storage building. 

    There is plenty of outdoor space for entertaining amid the scenic vistas.

    Ryan Lahiff

    Chamberlain played for the L.A. Lakers for five seasons during the ’60s and ’70s, and was an essential part of their ’71-’72 team, which is considered one of the best in NBA history. He was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978, and was later named to the NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. Chamberlain died of heart failure at his Bel Air home in 1999 at age 63. As for Voorhees, he also owns a 1-acre plot of land in the Colorado town of Dillon that he paid $260,000 for way back in late 1985.

    The listing was held by Bobby Syed of Coldwell Banker Realty; Thomas Freedman of Sunset Lending and Realty repped the buyer.

    Click here for more photos of Wilt Chamberlain’s house.

    Ryan Lahiff More

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    The ‘Saw’ Franchise Creator Is Cutting Out of His $4.7 Million Hollywood Hills Home

    James Wan is best known for directing the Saw and The Conjuring horror film mega-franchises, and more recently the non-spooky blockbuster hit Aquaman, but it appears the prolific Malaysian-born filmmaker is angling for a different role in his latest venture: real estate seller. Wan is currently seeking a buyer able to pony up $4.7 million for his revamped midcentury modern in the hills above West Hollywood, tucked away near the top of the Doheny Estates neighborhood and abutting the much better-known Bird Streets enclave.

    Records indicate Wan bought the house way back in 2007, paying $3.2 million; for much of the past 10 years, the property has been leased out. The relatively petite structure packs three bedrooms and four bathrooms into 2,951 square feet of living space. Constructed in 1960, the single-story house has since been thoroughly modernized and privatized, shielded from public view by gates and tall hedges. Covered in neutral tan stucco that’s been paired with brown accent trim and a gray shingled roof, the place boasts a long, wide driveway leading to a two-car garage for convenient off-street parking

    Built in 1960, the midcentury ranch-style house has been updated and now sports contemporary interiors and walls of glass.

    Google Earth

    Ash gray hardwood flooring, stark white walls, recessed lighting, and a distinct indoor/outdoor flow define the home’s interior theme. Like many open-plan houses, the living room, dining area, and kitchen all share a single, wall-free space. A sliding glass door provides stunning views of the surrounding hills and also has convenient access to the backyard’s patio lounge area. The dining area, separated from the living room and kitchen via a pair of funky pass-throughs, is demarcated by a radiant modern chandelier; the sleekly modern kitchen offers a breakfast bar, custom cabinetry and plenty of countertop space, plus up-to-date stainless appliances.

    Though not especially roomy, the master suite has enough space for a wee sitting area in the bedroom. Woven bamboo shades provide privacy from the front yard-facing windows, and there’s a walk-in closet and master bath with separate vanity area.

    Out back, there’s a swath of grassy lawn and an azure-colored swimming pool. Perhaps the most show-stopping element of Wan’s property is a patio dining area that adjoins a koi pond, making for a lovely place to host an intimate al fresco dinner party. There’s also a second, pergola-covered dining area conveniently sited just outside the kitchen.

    Wan’s current home is a nearly $20 million Bel Air estate formerly owned by both Meg Ryan and Diane Keaton.

    Google Earth

    Besides his no-longer-wanted house in the hills above WeHo, Wan also owns a much grander 1930s Mediterranean-style mansion in Bel Air he purchased from HauteLook founder Adam Bernhard for $18.5 million in 2016. That estate boasts an impressive pedigree: Bernhard originally acquired it from actress Meg Ryan, and the lavish property was once also owned by fellow actress and noted architecture aficionado Diane Keaton. More

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    Charlize Theron Is Selling a Spare Los Angeles House for $3.8 Million

    Charlize Theron is lightening her real estate load once again, having chosen to relinquish ownership of one of her Los Angeles properties. Records show the veteran actress—who also owns three other homes in the Southern California area—has stuck a nearly $3.8 million price tag on a Spanish-style residence tucked away in a particularly celeb-packed pocket of the Hollywood Hills.

    Purchased by Theron for exactly $3 million almost two decades ago—a few months after she won a 2004 “Best Actress” Oscar for her portrayal of real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster—the house is described in the listing as “truly exceptional and exciting.” Built in the late 1960s and updated through the years, the modern digs feature three bedrooms and four baths in just over 3,100 square feet of two-level living space boasting hardwood floors and soaring wood-beam ceilings throughout, plus sweeping valley and mountain views from every vantage point.

    Hidden down a lengthy semi-private drive off Mulholland Drive, atop a gated promontory parcel spanning a little over an acre, the white stucco and terra-cotta-roof structure is fronted by a motorcourt and an attached two-car garage. Once inside, highlights include a fireside living room, dining area and family room sitting adjacent to an eat-in kitchen outfitted with high-end stainless appliances.

    A primary bedroom off of the main level has a private terrace, as well as a luxe bath equipped with dual vanities, a window-topped spa tub and large glassy shower, while two downstairs bedrooms each have their own sitting rooms and share a bath. Elsewhere is an office and a media lounge, along with a secluded backyard hosting a lagoon-style pool, an al fresco dining spot and a built-in barbecue station.

    A native of South Africa, the 48-year-old actress first gained notoriety after appearing in the films The Devil’s Advocate, Mighty Joe Young and The Cider House Rules, and went on to win the Academy Award for Monster. Theron has since appeared in numerous movies and TV series, including North Country, Tully, Bombshell, The Italian Job and Atomic Blonde. Under Denver and Delilah Productions, she’s also produced The Burning Plain, Dark Places and Long Shot. More

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    Nick Cannon Drops Millions on a Spacious Suburban L.A. Estate

    With his family growing at a blistering pace, it’s no surprise that Nick Cannon is likewise growing and expanding his real estate holdings. Records show the rapper, comedian, actor and all-around entertainment industry fixture has now forked over $3.1 million for a sizable Los Angeles home, a midcentury ranch-style structure recently given a contemporary refresh.

    Tucked away in the prototypically suburban L.A. enclave of Woodland Hills, deep within the San Fernando Valley, the all-white house sits behind gates on a corner lot in the desirable Walnut Acres neighborhood pocket. Secured behind gates and walls, the home is fronted by a pea gravel motorcourt with space for up to four cars. Around the side of the residence, discreetly hidden from the main entryway, there’s also a two-car garage and plenty of street parking.

    The modern farmhouse-meets-ranch-style house offers a two-car garage set around the corner from the main motorcourt and entryway.

    Google Earth

    Tax records and listing details note the house offers five bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms in about 4,400 square feet of living space. While that’s relatively spacious, it will no doubt still be a tight squeeze for Cannon and his family—the San Diego native famously has 11 young children with six different women.

    Described in the listing as a “contemporary entertainers’ estate,” the mostly single-story house offers a breezy, open floorplan that’s quintessentially SoCal in how it seamlessly blends the outdoor and indoor living spaces. Blonde and faux-distressed hardwood floors lend the place a modern farmhouse vibe and pair well with the long, gallery-like expanses of white walls.

    Highlights include a living room with a minimalist, mantle-free fireplace, a “music room,” a formal dining room and an open kitchen with high-end appliances and a notably large, 60-foot center island. Beyond the island, bi-folding glass doors spill out to a concrete patio that wraps around a rectangular swimming pool.

    There are three guest bedrooms that share two bathrooms, plus a bonus bedroom suite with its own private entrance. Supremely spacious, the master suite is kitted out with a fireplace, vaulted ceiling, spa-style bath, a large closet and a private office area. Views overlook the pancake-flat backyard, which offers grassy lawns for play, a full outdoor kitchen, native landscaping and a built-in banquette abutting a fire-pit.

    As far as we know, the just-acquired Woodland Hills property is Cannon’s only L.A.-area home. Property records indicate he also owns a suburban tract house in the city of Temecula, about two hours by car southeast of Los Angeles, which is known to be occupied by his grandparents. The former Wild ‘n Out host has also long owned a six-bedroom, multimillion-dollar mansion in the affluent New Jersey city of Saddle River.

    Cannon and Mariah Carey once owned this sprawling tennis court estate in the hills of Bel Air.

    Google Earth

    During his eight-year marriage to Mariah Carey, Cannon and the pop music crooner maintained a lavish home in the upper reaches of L.A.’s Bel Air neighborhood. That tennis court estate, which the erstwhile couple acquired in 2009 for $7 million, was sold amid their 2015 divorce for $9 million to its current owners—a local cardiologist and his dentist wife. More

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    Roc Nation’s CEO Drops $15 Million for a ‘CSI’ Creator’s Malibu Home

    After roughly six months on the market amid declining asking prices that began at $18.5 million and ultimately and gradually fell to just under $17 million, CSI creator Anthony Zuiker has managed to sell his oceanfront home in Malibu, records indicate. The Broad Beach-adjacent estate went for about $15.3 million to Jay Brown, the brash Roc Nation co-founder and CEO who oversees the careers of some of music’s most notable talents, among them Jay-Z, Rihanna and Alicia Keys.

    Zuiker, 55, acquired the property about five years ago from NBA superstar Kevin Durant, paying about $12.2 million. But with extravagant homes in many other in many other cities—Las Vegas, Lake Arrowhead and Montecito, just to name a few—the Las Vegas native and his wife Michelle ultimately did not end up using their oceanfront vacation pad as much as they originally anticipated.

    Cleaved to a steep slope along a postcard-ready cove at the end of a private, gated cul-de-sac, the slightly more than 5,100-square-foot contemporary has four bedrooms, six bathrooms and four fireplaces over spread three floors serviced by an elevator. Spare, modern and relaxed with premium-quality finishes, light-filled interior spaces feature wide plank French oak floorboards, vast expanses of art-friendly white walls and vaulted ceilings. Floor-to-ceiling glass panels slide open to unite the house with three levels of decks with ocean, coastline and sunset views.

    Under a massive skylight, the main living room has a minimalist, raised hearth fireplace set into a hand-burnished plaster wall while the adjoining dining room is completely open to an all-white kitchen expensively fitted with designer-grade appliances and Calacatta marble counter tops that waterfall over one end of a center island. The residence’s wide variety of other living and entertaining spaces include a cozy den, a home theater, a library, a lofted massage and exercise studio and a media lounge complete with a full kitchen, showy, glass-fronted wine cellar and direct access to an outdoor dining terrace with a private staircase to the beach.

    In addition to their new Malibu getaway, Brown and his longtime wife Kawanna continue to maintain a spacious, Mediterranean-styled home in the upper reaches of L.A.’s Bel Air neighborhood. They also own a high-floor condo in one of the many high-rise buildings that dot L.A.’s always-bustling Wilshire Corridor area near Century City. More

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    Comedian Tim Dillon Lists Celeb-Pedigreed L.A. House for $5 Million

    For the past two years or so, Tim Dillon has lived in a Los Angeles residence he purchased for $4.6 million from Silicon Valley actor Thomas Middleditch. Now the standup comic and podcaster is flipping the Hollywood Hills estate back up for sale, asking a smidge under $5 million.

    Originally built in the early 1970s—and occupied for two years before Middleditch’s tenure by married Tinseltown stars Claire Forlani and Dougray Scott—the Spanish-style premises have been renovated through the years, and include three bedrooms and two baths in roughly 3,000 square feet of living space. There’s also a separate one-bedroom guest cottage with a steam shower-equipped bath, plus an attached two-car garage.

    Tucked away on a clifftop parcel of land spanning just over a third of an acre, high above Mulholland Drive, the main house is introduced via decorative arches spanning the entire front of the terracotta roof and stucco structure. A wide set of steps leads to the double front doors, which open into single-level interiors boasting French doors overlooking the pool and entertainment areas.

    In addition to living and dining areas, a family room is spotlighted by a vaulted ceiling, an exposed brick wall and a massive fireplace. An all-white kitchen is outfitted with sleek cabinetry, top-tier stainless appliances and an accompanying breakfast nook, while the spacious master retreat comes complete with a wood-burning brick fireplace, walk-in closet and luxe bath holding a large frameless shower. 

    Elsewhere are two additional guest bedrooms—one accessible to an adjacent spa-like tiled bath, and the other with a stone fireplace and French doors that open to a private garden—as well as a fireside den/office and window-lined media room; and outdoors, the terraced grounds host a heated pool surrounded by a sundeck, along with a pathway leading to a secluded hot tub.

    Probably best known for The Tim Dillon Show, which has amassed 1 million weekly listeners, the 39-year-old New York native also maintains a $900,000 house in Austin, Texas, and a $2.6 million home in Southampton, N.Y. More

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    A Striking Ray Kappe-Designed Beverly Hills Home Resurfaces for Sale at $16 Million

    Though it’s particularly eye-catching, and crafted by none other than noted Southern California Institute of Architecture founding director Ray Kappe, Julian Reis has still been trying to offload his Beverly Hills residence for almost a year now with no takers. One of the last homes completed before the modernist master’s death in November 2019 at age 92, the contemporary estate once was offered for as much as $22 million and previously listed for rent at $35,000 per month, but now has returned to the open market with an asking price that’s just a dash less than $16 million.

    If the CEO of SuperOrdinary—a Los Angeles-based incubator he launched to help cosmetic and personal-care brands break into the Chinese marketplace—does get anywhere near the ask, he still can expect a hefty loss. Records show Reis, who also cofounded the global beauty brand Skin Laundry in 2013 with his ex-wife Yen Reis, paid L.A.-based hotelier Bob Ghassemieh $19 million for the place a little more than two years ago, back in winter 2021.

    A sunken living room has floor-to-ceiling walls of glass opening to al fresco lounging and entertaining areas.

    Anthony Barcelo

    Secluded behind a gated driveway and high hedges—on almost three-quarters of an acre set stop a promontory overlooking Benedict Canyon, just minutes from The Beverly Hills Hotel—the architectural wood-and-glass structure features six bedrooms and nine baths in 9,000 square feet of living space boasting concrete, redwood and teak accents throughout. Posh amenities include a glass elevator to all three levels, plenty of wall space for displaying art, a gym, movie theater and climate-controlled wine cellar.

    Visitors are greeted by steps that travel past a water feature before emptying out at the front door. From there, an entrance hallway displaying a floating staircase leads to a sunken living area sporting several lounge spaces and Fleetwood sliding glass doors spilling out to the backyard. A dining area connects to the sleek Bulthaup kitchen, which is outfitted with an eat-in island and hidden appliances.

    A pickleball court is just one of the home’s many outdoor amenities.

    Anthony Barcelo

    Upstairs, the master retreat comes complete with not one but two private balconies overlooking city, canyon and ocean views, as well as dual walk-in closets and a luxe bath; and outdoors, the greenery-encased grounds are spotlighted by a pool and spa flanked by a pool house equipped with a bath and locker room, along with a barbecue station nestled alongside an al fresco dining area, pickleball court and stairs leading to a “secret” pergola. There’s also a detached one-bedroom, one-bath guesthouse, plus a spacious motorcourt and an attached three-car garage out front.

    The listing is held by Bryce Pennelof Douglas Elliman.

    Click here for more photos of the Ray Kappe-designed house.

    Anthony Barcelo More