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    A Best-Selling British Crime Writer Is Selling His English Country Home for $5.5 Million

    British crime novelist Felix Francis is closing the chapter on his English country house.  

    After 16 years, the best-selling author and son of best-selling crime writer Dick Francis is turning the page on his historic pad in Banbury, England. Positioned on the edge of the Cotswolds, the Manor House, as it’s known, dates to 1607. Francis, along with his wife, Debbie, purchased the property in 2007 and spent the better part of a decade renovating it. Now, the couple is asking £4.5 million (roughly $5.49 million) for the updated residence. 

    “Manor House is an extraordinarily beautiful Cotswolds house,” says Nicholas Rudge, head of Savills Banbury, in a press statement. “You can really see how Felix and his family have thoughtfully restored the home while sensitively adding to it.”  

    Best-selling British author Felix Francis is selling his home in Banbury, England.

    Savills

    Nestled on just shy of five acres, the 8,200-square-foot residence sports a ton of period details like exposed timber beams, decorative moldings, open fireplaces, and stone mullion windows. Some of the home’s many rooms include a bespoke Mark Wilkinson kitchen, a snooker room, and a reception hall with a sweeping oak staircase. Of course, there’s also a galleried library with fitted bookcases. Per the listing, Francis penned more than a dozen of his suspenseful stories at the residence.

    The residence dates to the 17th century but has been updated by its current owners.

    Savills

    My wife, Debbie, and I have greatly enjoyed our 16 years in the Manor House,” says Francis. “I have written 16 of the Dick Francis novels here in the expansive office, including my latest, No Reserve, which is published this autumn. The house has been a great inspiration for my writing, but Debbie and I feel that, with our children now having flown the coop, it is time for another family to take over the stewardship of this historic Oxfordshire property.” 

    The compound also includes a detached two-bedroom guest cottage, a heated outdoor swimming pool, and a stone pool house. Considering that many of the Dick Francis thrillers are centered around British horse racing, it’s not too much of a surprise that the estate has interconnecting paddocks and an all-weather riding arena.  

    Click here to see all the photos of Manor House.

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    Cooper Kupp’s Oregon Mansion Hits the Market for $3.5 Million

    Cooper Kupp may be resting his legs this season, but he’s certainly active in the real estate market.

    The Los Angeles Rams wide receiver, currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, just hoisted his four-acre Oregon home on the market, The Wall Street Journal first reported. Listed for $3.5 million, Kupp bought the Wilsonville property sight unseen for a cool $2.5 million back in 2020. The spread, which sits 30 minutes outside of Portland, includes a five-bedroom main house and an almost 2,000-square-foot guest house. The four-car garage is set up as a gym, and Kupp converted a barn into a training facility during the pandemic. 

    “So much blood, sweat and tears went in there. It was really pretty special,” the Super Bowl LVI MVP told the newspaper. The 4,600-square-foot indoor sports complex is equipped with a turf-lined field, retractable basketball hoops at both ends, lighting, speakers, and two oversized bay doors.  

    Cooper Kupp’s Oregon home has an indoor training facility that he used ahead of Super Bowl LVI.

    Justin Jones/Jones Media Shop

    “I did the majority of my off-season prep there in the lead-up to our Super Bowl season,” added Kupp, speaking to Forbes. “We were very intentional in outfitting the barn to make it the best performance center that we could, and I think that work shows. I’m going to miss the early morning work in that barn.” 

    The 5,700-square-foot main house is constructed of brick in a Gothic Revival style and has a huge circular driveway in front. It features hardwood flooring, natural stone accents, enormous windows, and decorative millwork throughout. Highlights include a cozy paneled office with a fireplace, a family room bar with a wine fridge, and a formal dining room decked out with coffered ceilings and chandeliers. Nearby, the kitchen is equipped with a large center island and Miele and Subzero appliances. 

    The Los Angeles Rams player’s compound includes a Gothic Revival-style main house.

    Justin Jones/Jones Media Shop

    The primary suite is situated on the ground floor, complete with a private entry vestibule, its own patio, and an en suite bath. Upstairs, there are four additional bedrooms.

    Kupp, a Washington native, said the reason that he and his wife are selling is because they don’t have as much time to travel to Oregon with their three kids. While we’re not sure where the Rams receiver’s next offseason retreat will be, for now, we suspect he’ll remain cooped up in Los Angeles. 

    Kendra Ratcliff of LUXE Forbes Global Properties has the listing. 

    Click here to see all the photos of 29989 SW 35th Dr. 

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    Artist Zoë Buckman’s N.Y.C. Loft Just Popped Up for Sale Again

    Though it’s been prominently featured in the pages of Architectural Digest, Zoë Buckman has been trying to sell her live/work digs in New York City for a little over a year now with no takers.

    Sited in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Dumbo (short for “Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass”), the loft-style abode was once offered for as much as $5.75 million and previously listed for rent at $19,500 per month, but has now returned to the open market for a smidge under $5 million.

    If the British-born artist and photographer does get anywhere near the asking price, she will just about break even. Records show the ex-wife of Friends actor David Schwimmer paid almost $4.6 million for the place a little over six years ago, back in summer 2017.

    The primary bedroom is accented with an exposed-brick wall.

    Edward Menashy for Evan Joseph Studios

    Tucked away on the fourth floor of Alloy Development’s Brillo-warehouse-turned-residential building 185 Plymouth—and described in the listing as “a dream come true with an ultra-chic, warm and grand personality”—the unit features four bedrooms and three baths in 3,300 square feet of open-concept living space boasting wide-plank hardwood floors, exposed brick walls and high wood-beam ceilings throughout. There’s also a private 115-square-foot terrace with East River and city skyline views.

    Highlights include a key-access elevator that opens into a combined living/dining room sporting a glass curtain wall overlooking a central courtyard laced with birch and red bud trees, along with a galley-style kitchen outfitted with open shelving and top-tier appliances.

    A primary bedroom suite is equipped with a walk-in closet, along with a tiled bath flaunting dual vanities, radiant-heated floors, and a wet room hosting a clawfoot soaking tub and shower; and elsewhere are three additional bedrooms that could easily accommodate a studio, library or media room in the mix, plus an office nook and laundry room.

    A colorfully tiled primary bath is spotlighted by a large wet room with a clawfoot soaking tub and shower.

    Edward Menashy for Evan Joseph Studios

    The unit also comes with access to services and amenities like a 24-hour virtual doorman, bike storage and a fully equipped gym courtesy of a monthly $2,320 fee.

    In an article earlier this year, Buckman told the New York Post she is selling because she needs more separation between where she lives and works. “The loft will forever hold a special place in my heart,” she said, “as it’s where I made my best work to date.”

    Per the news outlet, she currently lives in a home in Brooklyn’s Bed-Stuy neighborhood, and is in the midst of her first solo show since 2019 at New York’s Lyles & King gallery.

    The listing is held by Jessica Campbell of Nest Seekers International.

    Click here for more photos of Zoë Buckman’s New York City loft.

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    A Mortgage Mogul’s Waterfront Estate in South Florida Just Sold for a Record $30 Million

    Just 40 days after it hit the South Florida real estate market with a hefty $33 million ask, a lavish waterfront home in Fort Lauderdale’s gated Harbor Beach enclave already has sold for the still substantial amount of $30 million, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

    Broward County’s priciest real estate transaction so far this year, the deal also set a square footage price record for the area at $3,174 per square foot.

    But it’s not quite the most ever paid for a home in the region nestled between Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. That milestone occurred this past August, when a billionaire self-storage tycoon doled out $32.5 million for a 13,060-square-foot waterfront spec mansion in the Lauderdale Harbours community.

    Though the buyer is currently unknown, records show the seller of the Harbor Beach spread is Ronald Leonhardt Jr., the founder, president and CEO of Ohio-based CrossCountry Mortgage, who paid hotelier Mikhail Avrutin $23 million for the property a little more than two years ago.

    The double-height living area is spotlighted by a massive marble fireplace, walls of glass and an adjacent 200-bottle wine display.

    Daniel Petroni

    Completed on spec in 2021 by Randall Stofft Architects and Sarkela Corp., the mansion rests on a third of an acre, amid 120 feet of water frontage on the eastern side of the Intracoastal Waterway, and offers six bedrooms and nine baths sprawled across almost 9,500 square feet of two-level living space decked out with Duchateau oak floors, Terzani light fixtures, and walls of glass overlooking picturesque water and skyline views.

    Posh amenities range from a glassy wine display that holds 200 bottles and wet bar-equipped game room/lounge, to a roof deck and dock big enough to accommodate a mega-yacht.

    Additional highlights include a living room sporting a soaring marble fireplace, along with a “show” kitchen equipped with Italian cabinetry, an eat-in island, top-tier appliances, a breakfast nook and an additional prep kitchen. There’s also a sumptuous upstairs master retreat boasting a fireside sitting area and balcony, as well as dual closets and baths.

    The master retreat comes complete with two baths, including this one sporting a large oval soaking tub with a view.

    Daniel Petroni

    Outdoors, the grounds host a covered terrace ideal for al fresco entertaining, a barbecue area and lap pool embellished with fire features; and rounding it all out are a Crestron smart-home system, full-home generator and two attached garages with room for four vehicles, plus access to a residents-only beach club that has its own private marina.

    No stranger to the South Florida real estate market, Leonhardt also flipped two neighboring waterfront homes on Miami Beach’s Hibiscus Island in 2021 for an impressive $27 million.

    The listing was held by Chad Carroll of Compass; Brady Thrasher of Re/Max repped the buyer.

    Click here for more photos of the Laguna Drive estate.

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    Elizabeth Perkins Has Her Los Angeles Home on the Market for $2.7 Million

    About a year after Elizabeth Perkins took on the role of desperate, unhappy suburban housewife Celia Hodes in the cult favorite, late 2000s series Weeds, which garnered her three Emmy nominations, the veteran actress purchased her own suburban home in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley that’s just popped up for sale for $2.7 million.  

    Sitting on a corner lot of about one-fifth of an acre and partly concealed by mature trees and a tall hedge, the almost 3,400-square-foot Sherman Oaks home was built in a Spanish Mediterranean Revival style, with chalk-white stucco walls and a red clay tile roof. A secured, grassy courtyard entrance leads to the front door of the five-bedroom and four-bath family-friendly home.

    The living room showcases an elaborately tiled fireplace.

    Todd Goodman / LA Light for Sotheby’s International Realty

    Interior spaces feature dark, rich wood trim and casings, hardwood and travertine flooring, decorative wainscoting, soft arches, and vaulted and coved ceilings, while the home’s two fireplaces, one in the living room and the other in the main bedroom upstairs, have been colorfully tiled in hand-cut and hand-painted ceramic and glass tile work. 

    Complementing the adjoining living and dining rooms at the front of the house, a great room at the back incorporates a family room that spills out to the backyard, a spacious kitchen arranged around a granite-topped island, and an informal dining spot set into a bay window overlooking the pool and backyard.

    One of the smaller bedrooms is on the main floor, making it suitable as a home office or nanny suite, and the primary bedroom is on the second floor and offers a private balcony, a sleek bathroom with an oversized shower, and two walk-in closets.

    A large covered patio overlooks the swimming pool.

    Todd Goodman / LA Light for Sotheby’s International Realty

    A spacious ramada offers plenty of space for relaxing out of the heat of the sun in the backyard, and cumulous plumes of foliage provide privacy from the neighbors. There’s a fire bowl in one corner, and the kidney-shaped pool, surrounded by lawn, is trimmed in flagstone.

    The veteran actress, whose dozens of film and TV credits include Big (1988), The Doctor (1991), Sharp Objects (2018), and, most recently, Minx, and her husband, Argentinian-born cinematographer Julio Macat,” whose handiwork includes the 1990s film franchise Home Alone, purchased the then brand-spanking-new home in 2006 for not quite $1.5 million, according to tax records.

    The listing is held by Michael J. Okun of Sotheby’s International Realty, Sherman Oaks Brokerage.

    Click here for more photos of Elizabeth Perkins’s home.

    Todd Goodman / LA Light for Sotheby’s International Realty More

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    Marilyn Monroe’s Iconic L.A. Home Was Bought by the Billionaire Heiress Next Door

    Earlier this month, news of the pending demolition of Marilyn Monroe’s famed Los Angeles home went viral. Since then, onlookers have wondered who would pay more than $3,000 per square foot — already a very high price for the neighborhood — only to tear down the local landmark.

    The property quietly changed hands in August, when it sold to a mysterious trust (“Glory of the Snow 1031 Trust”) that paid about $8.4 million, in cash, for the place. The trust’s trustee is Andrew Schure, a Philadelphia-based businessman.

    Many speculated that the new owner was a greedy developer, or a high-flying tycoon looking to build a custom dream home on the half-acre lot. But the real story is a little more complex.

    This week, the L.A. tour bus service Esotouric uncovered a very big clue to the owner’s identity. Recent photos reveal the wall and hedge between Monroe’s home and the much larger house immediately next door have been removed, an indicator that the two properties are being linked together to create one large compound.

    The house next door is owned by a notably wealthy heiress named Brinah Milstein, who is married to Roy Bank — a former reality television producer and Philadelphia native. Milstein acquired her current Brentwood home, a 2006-built mansion that spans some 6,000 square feet of living space, in 2016 for about $8.2 million.

    The acquisition of Monroe’s house gives Milstein more than 1-acre of prime Brentwood land.

    Google Earth

    Milstein, 42, is a daughter of the late Carl Milstein, a powerful businessman who was one of Cleveland’s most prominent real estate developers. In the 1970s, he served prison time for bribing a federal housing official; he also founded Associated Estates (AEC), which became one of the largest owners and managers of apartment buildings in Ohio.

    In 2015, AEC was sold for $2.5 billion. Today, some of Brinah Milstein’s siblings are executives at Milstein Asset Management, a single family office with a portfolio of assets and investments worth “billions of dollars.”

    In addition to her two-property, $16.6 million Brentwood compound, records indicate Milstein recently bought an oceanfront vacation home in Newport Beach, Calif., paying $8.2 million.

    Milstein’s $8.2 million vacation home in Newport Beach.

    Google Earth

    It’s still unclear what Milstein and Bank plan to do with the Monroe property once the house is torn down, though it seems destined to became one piece of a larger estate. Clearly, the vacant lot would have more than enough space to accommodate a full-size tennis court, a guesthouse, gardens or garages for additional parking.

    But for folks upset by Milstein’s plans, all hope is not yet lost. Last week, the L.A. city council unanimously voted to consider the house for historic preservation, prompting the building department to revoke Milstein’s demolition permit. Beyond that, immediate neighbors of the Monroe house have told Robb Report that they’ve spoken directly to Milstein, who they claim has already changed her mind about tearing down the iconic home.

    Neighbors say Milstein may have changed her mind about tearing down Monroe’s hacienda.

    Mercer Vine

    Some vocal critics have derided all the hullabaloo about Milstein’s demolition plans. They point out that the Monroe house is just another Spanish-style hacienda, one of thousands in L.A., and that it has been remodeled multiple times since Monroe’s death, leaving the 2,600-square-foot structure an imperfect blend of 1920s throwback and 2000s modernity. Why does it matter that one of Hollywood’s most famous stars lived and died there decades ago, they say.

    But “imperfection is beauty,” Monroe once noted. So maybe her little slice of Brentwood imperfection will stick around to see another year.

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    NBA Star Bradley Beal Is Tossing His Maryland Mansion on the Market for $10 Million

    Bradley Beal isn’t bringing any baggage with him to the Phoenix Suns, and that includes his home in Bethesda, Maryland.  

    The former Washington Wizard, who was traded in June after a decade with the team, has just hoisted his sprawling D.C.-area mansion onto the market for $10 million. According to property records, the NBA All-Star guard shelled out $7.8 million for the palatial spread back in 2019, which he snapped up directly from the developer. The roughly 13,500-square-foot property sits on two acres and comprises six ensuite bedrooms and nine bathrooms.  

    NBA player Bradley Beal is selling his Maryland mansion for $10 million.

    Raul Rivero | riv photo + film

    According to the listing, held by Jill Schwartz and Andres Serafini of RLAH @properties, the trendy pad draws its design cues from South Florida, with an overall contemporary ambiance and chic finishings. Rest assured, there’s no shortage of jaw-dropping spaces. Think textured wallcoverings, abstract wool carpets, dramatic light fixtures, and hand-laid Italian mosaic tile in the foyer. Plus, the place is packed with custom cabinetry, ornate wrought iron railings, and heated tile floors. 

    Formal living and dining rooms are joined by a family room with a wet bar, a home office, and a chef’s kitchen that’s decked out with Viking appliances, plus a giant center island that’s topped with rare natural granite. Among the more unconventional extras, the all-time leading scorer’s abode sports its own fitness center and an arcade room, both of which have floor-to-ceiling walls of glass that look down on an NBA-certified underground half-basketball court.

    The house has an NBA-certified underground half-basketball court.

    Raul Rivero | riv photo + film

    Like the house, the grounds are fit for an athlete. There’s a full-size tennis court with stadium lighting and a heated swimming pool. However, you don’t have to be the active type to enjoy the outdoor areas. There’s also an alfresco kitchen for the culinary-inclined and a fire pit if you just want to kick back and get cozy. 

    Click here to see all the photos of 8913 Holly Leaf Lane. 

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    Kaley Cuoco Is Buying and Selling L.A. Houses

    Kaley Cuoco is shuffling her Los Angeles property portfolio once again. A little over three months after her contemporary mansion in a semi-remote part of Agoura Hills popped up for sale with a $7 million ask, she’s already picked up the keys to a nearly 2-acre spread tucked away in a gated Westlake Village community, on the outskirts of L.A.

    Records show the veteran TV and film actress—probably most known for her role as Penny on The Big Bang Theory, as well as Based on a True Story, The Flight Attendant and those ubiquitous Priceline commercials—has doled out $6.4 million for a modern ranch-style home that was built new in 2023, and features five bedrooms and seven baths in almost 7,000 square feet of mostly single-level living space.

    Meanwhile, the Agoura Hills place she purchased in a bidding war from actor Taylor Lautner in spring 2022 for $5.25 million is still up for sale. After having undergone four price cuts since it first hit the market in early June, it’s currently listed for $5.75 million.

    As for her newly acquired residence, the main level is highlighted by a formal dining room accented with a decorative wood wall, plus a gourmet kitchen decked out with a central island, top-tier appliances and a casual breakfast nook. An adjacent wet bar-equipped family room has a floor-to-ceiling fireplace flanked by glass doors spilling outside.

    Elsewhere are an office and three en-suite bedrooms, which include a sizable master retreat displaying a fireplace, walk-in closet, and luxe bath outfitted with dual vanities and a soaking tub. Two additional bedrooms can be found in the basement, which also has a climate-controlled wine cellar and movie theater/game room; and outdoors, the grassy grounds host a covered patio and plenty of room for equestrian facilities should Cuoco wish to indulge her love for horses. There’s also an attached four-car garage and a motorcourt out front.

    In addition to her for-sale and just-purchased houses, the California native also owns a 40-acre horse ranch in a secluded area of Ventura County, along with a Studio City townhouse she picked up in late 2015 for just $720,000.

    The buyer was represented by her real estate agent father, Gary Cuoco of Re/Max Gold Coast; Jordan Cohen of Re/Max One acted on behalf of the seller. More