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    A Hollywood Agent’s Secluded Home in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley Lists for $3.5 Million

    A rambling residence hidden down a long, gated driveway that passes over a wooden bridge in L.A.’s largely unsung Woodland Hills suburb near the eastern edge of the San Fernando Valley has come to market for a buck under $3.5 million. Elizabeth Benichou of Douglas Elliman and Dustin Benichou of Devorah B. Homes share the listing.

    Tax records show the seller as Rick Greenstein, a prominent Hollywood agent and a senior partner at Gersh, who represents a who’s who of comedians, including Dave Chappelle, Jamie Foxx, John Oliver, Drew Carey, and Kevin Nealon. The recently married Tinseltown power broker is looking to more than double his money on the secluded property he scooped up in 2019 for $1.55 million.

    Vaulted ceilings and a vintage brick fireplace are highlights in the family room.

    Hillary Campbell

    RELATED: Inside a Sprawling Encino Compound With 4 Completely Different Places to Live

    The home dates to 1937, when it was built in the Craftsman style, and a 2010 renovation and expansion brought the cottage to a comfortable 4,177 square feet. Stone-walled steps swoop up through a custom-lit, park-like setting from the motor court to an inviting, trellis-covered porch, and throughout the three-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath home are four fireplaces, a combination of cherry, beechwood, and light oak floorboards, stained glass windows and doors, and period lighting fixtures. 

    There’s a small office off to one side of the step-down living and dining room, while the other side of the rectangular space connects to a skylight-topped solarium that spills onto a terrace alongside a waterfall-fed koi pond stocked with 30-year-old koi that have been cared for by the same aquarist for their entire lives. Greenstein is willing to let the fish remain if the new owner commits to their care.

    Waterfalls tumble down the verdant hillside into a koi pond in the backyard.

    Hillary CampbellHillary Campbell

    RELATED: Christina Ricci Has Hung a $2.2 Million Price Tag on Her Former Los Angeles Home

    At the opposite end of the home, atop a two-car garage, is the well-equipped center-island kitchen and a nearby breakfast room with a walk-in wine cellar. Just off the kitchen, a bar area connects to a light-filled family room capacious enough to accommodate a raised platform with a baby grand piano.

    The terraced gardens across the 0.6-acre property are drought-tolerant with a variety of exotic plants that bloom at various times throughout the year. Along with the plunge pool-sized koi pond, there’s a built-in grill, an alfresco dining terrace under a canopy of trees, and a trellis-covered deck that wraps around the family room. Under strands of overhead lights, a brick terrace has a fire pit, and a decked area has a spa. Set higher up on the hillside is a discrete dog run and, even higher, a pavilion outfitted as a gym that’s set in the treetops.

    Tax records show that Greenstein and his wife recently acquired a pair of small, adjacent units in a distinguished prewar cooperative apartment house in New York City’s Gramercy Park neighborhood.

    Click here for more photos of Rick Greenstein’s Woodland Hills property.

    Hillary Campbell

    Authors

    Mark David

    Mark David got his start writing about real estate with the saucy cult-favorite blog The Real Estalker, on which he obsessively tracked the secretive world of celebrity property transactions. A much…

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    Designer and TV Host Gray Benko Sold Her Colorful South Carolina Cottage in Just 3 Days

    A little over five years ago, Gray Benko forked over $875,000 for a centuries-old home in the charming South Carolina community of Summerville, about 25 miles from downtown Charleston. In late December, the photographer-turned-interior designer and reality TV star, who has been separated from her husband and Happy to Be Home With the Benkos co-star since April 2023, hoisted the property back up for sale at $1.8 million. Now records show a buyer has stepped up to the plate after only three days on the market, with the historic residence now under contract to be sold for $1.8 million.

    Built in the early 1800s and known as Whiteholm, the classic Lowcountry cottage offers six bedrooms and four baths in a little more than 4,000 square feet of two-level living space. Customized during the Benkos’ tenure and featured in numerous design magazines and the couple’s Magnolia Network series, the white wood-sided structure boasts colorfully hued interiors sporting the original wavy glass windows, heart pine wood floors, 12-foot ceilings, several fireplaces, and detailed millwork and wainscoting.

    A sage-hued staircase in the entrance hallway is lined with an assemblage of portraits culled from antique malls and Etsy.

    Jon Javier/Virtual Realty

    RELATED: Elizabeth Arden’s Former South Carolina Summer Home Can Be Yours for $3.3 Million

    An entrance hallway boasting a classic sage green staircase lined with a portrait gallery and wildflower wallpaper designed by Gray flows on one side to a spacious fireside living room with an arched ceiling and a bookcase chock full of color-coordinated novels. A yellow-trimmed dining room on the opposite side connects to a powder blue den. Other main-level highlights include a teal-hued kitchen outfitted with a brick accent wall, an eat-in island, stainless appliances, and a butler’s pantry. French doors open to a deck, while a nearby breakfast nook painted lilac comes with a built-in banquette.

    A primary wing on the bottom floor that was part of a 1990s addition features two walk-in closets with built-in shelving and a bath spotlighted by dual vanities, a vintage clawfoot soaking tub, and a custom-tiled shower. Five additional bedrooms can be found upstairs, including one with a fireplace and another with an en-suite bath. A step-down area that’s currently being used as a bedroom could also easily be converted into an office or a reading nook.

    A freeform pool serves as the centerpiece of the historic home’s oak-laced backyard.

    Jon Javier/Virtual Realty

    Outdoors, the grounds span an acre and host live oak trees draped in Spanish moss and a freeform pool surrounded by a sundeck. There’s also a detached two-car garage, as well as a covered carport that could accommodate a workshop per the listing, which is held by Taylor Charpia and Garrett Linderman of Taylor Charpia Real Estate.

    Often compared with home-makeover gurus Chip and Joanna Gaines, Gray and Mike Benko have been separated since April 2023, according to TMZ. Their Magnolia Network show focusing on the transformation of historic homes has continued to air, with Gray handling design and Mike tackling painting and woodwork. Her father Joe Highsmith, a general contractor affectionately referred to as “Grumpy,” has also appeared in the series.

    Click here for more photos of the historic South Carolina home.

    Jon Javier/Virtual Realty

    Authors

    Wendy Bowman

    Wendy Bowman is a real estate writer at Robb Report. Before that, she was a freelancer for Modern Luxury and several other media outlets, where she primarily covered luxury properties for…

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    The Beverly Hills Home of the Late CEO of Hasbro Lists for $27 Million

    A little more than three years after he died from cancer at age 58, the Beverly Hills home of longtime Hasbro chairman and CEO Brian Goldner has popped up for sale, asking $27 million. The listing is held by Antonio Bruno of Sotheby’s International Realty-Beverly Hills Brokerage and Tomer Fridman of Christie’s International Real Estate.

    Records show Goldner—best known as a visionary who transformed the Rhode Island-based maker of toys and games into an entertainment company with its own TV and movie studio during his lengthy 16-year tenure—and his wife Barbara paid around $18 million for the 1980s residence in 2020, shortly before he passed away in October 2021. Subsequently reimagined and renovated by noted Obama White House designer Michael S. Smith, the traditional-style home features five bedrooms and eight baths in almost 7,500 square feet of sumptuous living space spanning two levels.

    The fireside living room opens to a pergola-shaded patio via steel-framed French doors.

    Tyler Hogan for Sotheby’s International Realty

    RELATED: Fashion Mogul Julie Wainwright Just Sold Her Modern Beverly Hills Home for $10.7 Million

    Fully walled and gated and fronted by a manicured lawn, the estate is spread across a nearly half-acre parcel of land in the sought-after Flats neighborhood. A sage-hued front door leads into the mansard-roofed white brick and stucco structure, which is introduced by a double-height entry foyer sporting a curving iron-railed staircase topped by a sky-lit ceiling.

    Other highlights include a living room warmed by a veined-marble fireplace and a gourmet kitchen, which is outfitted with a central island, a high-end Caliber range, and an accompanying breakfast nook. There’s also a glamorous formal dining room lined with silver and white scenic wallpaper, plus a wood-paneled office and a massive primary suite that comes with a fireplace, a separate office, and dual baths.

    An open-air guesthouse/cabana next to the pool has been converted into a gym.

    Tyler Hogan for Sotheby’s International Realty

    RELATED: A Dutch Media Mogul’s Chateau-Style Home in Beverly Hills Is Up for Grabs at $32 Million

    Outdoors, the hedge-lined backyard is showcased by a pool with a spa and Baja shelf, as well as a built-in barbecue nestled alongside a pergola-shaded lounge area with a fireplace. Also on the premises is a guesthouse/cabana that’s currently being used as a gym, plus an attached two-car garage.

    As first reported by Mansion Gobal, the Goldner family is moving out of California. A clinical social worker, Barbara Goldner also owns property in Rhode Island.

    Click here for more photos of the late Hasbro CEO’s Beverly Hills home.

    Tyler Hogan for Sotheby’s International Realty

    Authors

    Wendy Bowman

    Wendy Bowman is a real estate writer at Robb Report. Before that, she was a freelancer for Modern Luxury and several other media outlets, where she primarily covered luxury properties for…

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    David Spade’s Former Malibu Home Is Up for Rent at $59,000 Per Month

    Richard Saghian has long been active on the SoCal real estate scene, where he’s known for investing in ultra-luxe properties. Back in 2022, the founder and CEO of the apparel juggernaut Fashion Nova famously doled out $141 million at auction for The One megamansion in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles. Less than a year later, though he already owned an oceanfront residence in Malibu, he splashed out another $40 million in an all-cash deal for a larger home along ritzy Carbon Beach. Now he’s hoisted his first Malibu home, this one on coveted La Costa Beach, on the rental market, asking a hefty $59,000 per month.

    With four bedrooms and an equal number of baths spread across almost 3,800 square feet of fully furnished living space on two levels, the coastal spread offers more than enough room for any like-minded billionaire to relax in complete comfort and style. Saghian purchased the property from Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos and his wife Nicole Avant in spring 2021 for a speck over $14.7 million in cash, which is $4.5 million more than the couple paid comedian and actor David Spade for the place in 2013.

    The glass-lined living and dining area steps up to a cozy family room.

    Tyler Hogan

    RELATED: ‘Dumb and Dumber’ Producer Brad Krevoy Lists His Ocean-View Malibu Estate for $8.5 Million

    Saghian’s newly listed rental is secured from bustling Pacific Coast Highway behind a two-car garage and a gated entry that opens into a brick courtyard accented by a stone Buddha fountain and flowering bougainvillea plants. There’s also a dark-bottom plunge pool and a cabana that’s equipped with a seated bar. Originally built in 1996, the Mediterranean-influenced villa underwent an extensive renovation during Spade’s ownership, complete with dark hardwood floors, high ceilings, and multiple sets of arched glass French doors spilling out to an expansive oceanside deck ideal for alfresco lounging and entertaining.

    The quarter-acre property is centered around a brick courtyard hosting a dark-bottom plunge pool.

    Marc Angeles

    RELATED: Inside a $10 Million Malibu Beach House That Feels Like You’re Floating on the Ocean

    Main-level highlights include a combined living and dining area with a fireplace and steps leading up to a cozy family room, as well as an adjacent kitchen outfitted with top-tier Viking appliances and a breakfast bar. A sky-lit staircase heads upstairs, where a fireside primary suite boasts a balcony, a separate den/office, and a spa-inspired bath spotlighted by a large oval soaking tub.

    The rental listing, which includes a onetime $118,000 security deposit, is held by Branden Williams and Rayni Williams of The Beverly Hills Estates and Stuart Vetterick of Westside Estate Agency.

    Click here for more photos of the La Costa Beach residence.

    Marc Angeles

    Authors

    Wendy Bowman

    Wendy Bowman is a real estate writer at Robb Report. Before that, she was a freelancer for Modern Luxury and several other media outlets, where she primarily covered luxury properties for…

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    Lionel Messi Places a $232 Million Value on His Real-Estate Portfolio in Spain

    Lionel Messi is ending the year by making an interesting move—but it has nothing to do with soccer.

    The athlete has listed his real-estate properties in Spain on a small Spanish stock exchange, valuing them at $232 million, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. The company, Edificio Rostower Socimi, is being listed on the digital-only Portfolio Stock Exchange as a real-estate investment trust. It owns seven hotels, commercial real estate for shops and offices, and houses.

    Messi’s decision to list Rostower happened swiftly, Bloomberg noted, as the company became a real-estate investment trust (REIT) in mid-December. The share price was set at just less than $60 on Monday. In Spain, REITs receive a special tax rate lower than that of other companies, and investors usually list them to meet legal requirements for that tax regime rather than to raise money.

    While Messi was born in Argentina and plays for a soccer team based in Miami, he spent most of his life in Spain, Bloomberg wrote. He moved to the country when he was just 12 years old to play for FC Barcelona’s youth teams. Since then, he’s become one of the most well-known athletes in the world, and his memorabilia regularly sells for a pretty penny on the auction block. Earlier this year, for example, a napkin outlining his first FC Barcelona contract was expected to fetch more than $380,000. And a set of his World Cup jerseys came with an estimate of more than $10 million in 2023.

    When it comes to his Spanish real-estate holdings, Messi acts as the chairman of Rostower’s board, Bloomberg reported. Over the past couple of years, the company has posted losses. Still, its $232 million valuation is quite substantial.

    Outside of Spain, Messi has a number of other real-estate holdings, too. Just last year, he shelled out $10.8 million on a waterfront mansion in South Florida. That added to his footprint in the Sunshine State, where he also owns at least three multimillion-dollar condos in a Miami suburb.

    He may be one of the most prolific on the soccer pitch, but Messi is also making his name known on the real-estate market, both stateside and in Spain. When he eventually decides to retire from pro sports, he’ll have his pick of where to spend his time.

    Authors

    Tori Latham

    Tori Latham is a digital staff writer at Robb Report. She was previously a copy editor at The Atlantic, and has written for publications including The Cut and The Hollywood Reporter. When not…

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    Bono Is Behind the Recent Purchase of a $7 Million Home in Los Angeles

    Last year, the Hollywood Reporter cited an unidentified source who claimed that Bono is one of the investors behind a spec-built avant-garde mansion that sits at the end of a swooping drive on a high knoll in the foothills just above L.A.’s Sunset Boulevard. The main part of the residence includes a distinctive triangular section that hovers over the lower floor and is visible as one drives north on Fairfax Avenue.

    Robb Report cannot confirm the music industry icon’s involvement in the by-any-standard spectacular residence, but records reveal that the legendary frontman and international activist, who closed a residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas earlier this year, is involved in the purchase of a nearby home that recently traded for $7 million. Records show that Paul Hewson, Bono’s real name, is the managing agent behind the LLC that acquired the hillside home.

    Images of the snazzy pad have largely been scrubbed from the internet. However, property records and archived listings show the home was built almost 25 years ago and has since undergone a sleek, contemporary makeover. Interior spaces include a double-height entrance gallery, a three-story travertine-clad wall alongside a wood and glass staircase, and an open-plan chef’s kitchen with a Moroccan tile backsplash. In the light-filled combination living and dining room, an automated wall of glass slides open to a glass-railed balcony with knee-buckling views.

    RELATED: This Hollywood Hills Home Above L.A.’s Sunset Strip Was Custom-Designed For Absolute Privacy

    There’s a fireplace and a private balcony in the top-floor primary suite, along with a swanky walk-in closet and a spacious bathroom. And on the lower floor, a glass-encased wine display case is nipped under the stairs next to a TV lounge that is warmed by a linear fireplace. Another vast bank of glass slides open at the touch of a button to another sun-splashed terrace, this one with an infinity-edge pool and spa that cantilevers over the hillside and a remote controlled outdoor television that rises on a hydraulic lift so that it can be viewed from the spa or while relaxing on the poolside loungers.

    It’s not clear if the property was acquired for personal use or as an investment, but Bono and his high school sweetheart wife Ali Hewson are known to have several other homes across the world, including a substantial estate with a tennis court and a swimming pool perched above Killiney Beach outside of Dublin, Ireland; a seafront villa in the South of France; and a penthouse in one of the towers at the elegant San Remo apartment house on New York’s Central Park West, which they scooped up back in 2003 for around its $14.5 million asking price from late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.

    Authors

    Mark David

    Mark David got his start writing about real estate with the saucy cult-favorite blog The Real Estalker, on which he obsessively tracked the secretive world of celebrity property transactions. A much…

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