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      Imagine Dragons Bassist Ben McKee Hangs a $1.3 Million Price Tag on His Longtime Bay Area Retreat

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      Almost 10 years ago, Ben McKee acquired a Tuscan-inspired home at the end of a secluded road in the hilly Montclair Village area of Oakland and proceeded to create “some pretty incredible memories.” The bass player for the Grammy-winning rock band Imagine Dragons composed music as a gentle breeze blew in from the open doors, celebrated the marriage to his wife Mary with a photo session in the beautifully terraced garden, and invited friends over for numerous game nights and dinner parties. The culinary enthusiast also recorded segments for his YouTube cooking show, whipping up meals in the “professional quality kitchen” alongside the likes of Ming Tsai and Paris Hilton.

      But the moment this Sonoma County native enjoyed the most? “Simply to sit outside on the front porch and watch the sun set behind the San Francisco skyline as the red-tail hawks left their perches for the day and were replaced by the great-horned owls that call to each other into the night,” he said in a statement.

      A pair of decks offer picturesque views over San Francisco Bay.

      Open Homes

      Now, more than a decade and a lot of fond recollections later, the 39-year-old musician is ready to part with his longtime home and is putting the property up for sale, asking a speck under $1.3 million, around $145,000 more than he paid for the place back in summer 2014. But the premises have been extensively renovated during his tenure, most notably with an expansion that included the addition of two decks, a lower-level bedroom and bath with its own entrance, and central air-conditioning.

      RELATED: Joe Jonas Buys in Brooklyn, Sarah Silverman Scoops Up the House Next Door, and More Celebrity Buys

      Built back in the early 1990s, the brown wood-shingled structure is tucked away on a terraced and garden-laced parcel of land spanning almost one-third of an acre within the affluent Montclair Village neighborhood pocket. Inside, three bedrooms and an equal number of bathrooms are spread across nearly 2,700 square feet of multi-level living space, which is adorned throughout with blonde hardwood floors and soaring ceilings dotted with wood beams and skylights.

      A combined living and dining area opens to an expansive deck that’s ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining.

      Open Homes

      Especially standing out is a spacious living and dining area flanked by built-in seating and boasting sliding glass doors spilling out to an expansive wraparound deck overlooking sweeping views of San Francisco Bay. An adjacent kitchen has been updated and outfitted with a butcher block-topped island, high-end stainless appliances, and a walk-in pantry. Elsewhere is a primary suite flaunting a private deck and easy access to an outdoor hot tub, as well as a walk-in closet and a spa-like bath equipped with dual vanities, a spa tub, and an open rainfall shower.

      RELATED: Rihanna Takes a Slight Loss on Matthew Perry’s Former L.A. Penthouse

      “It is a very special place and I will never forget the time that we spent there,” McKee told listing agent Sharon Ho of Compass. “I’ve never lived in a place like it and I know that I will never find another place like it. From the thrill of watching the Blue Angels buzz the house for Fleet Week to counting the stars from the hot tub after a long day, our time there and all of the memories we’ve made will be something that we treasure for the rest of our lives.”

      Click here for more photos of Ben McKee’s Oakland Hills house.

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      An Oceanfront Compound in Hawaii Once Owned by a Rothschild Hits the Market for $32.5 Million

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      When you live in a place like Hawaii, it doesn’t get much better than a sun-drenched beach in your backyard.

      Located in Kailua on the east coast of O’ahu, a tropical compound has hit the market for $32.5 million with Brandon Kim of List Sotheby’s International Realty. Built in 2001, the oceanfront residence was previously owned by Harry Rothschild of the Rothschild banking family. According to property records, he offloaded the property in 1987 for what today seems like a bargain price of $1.2 million. During his occupancy, Rothschild, who passed away in 2015 in Honolulu, gave the estate its enduring moniker, Kai Moena, or The House of the Resting Sea.

      The compound includes more than 250 feet of beach frontage.

      HET Productions/List Sotheby’s International Realty, Hawaiiv

      The almost 1.4-acre oceanfront spread comprises two subdivided parcels with a total of close to 15,000 square feet of living space, with 10 bedrooms and eight full bathrooms (plus three powder rooms) split between the two homes. Between the two parcels, the compound has more than 255 feet of beachfrontage, so you’re never far from sticking your toes in the sand. Both abodes are decked out with soaring vaulted ceilings and natural flagstone flooring, making for seamless indoor-outdoor living, and there are many traditional Hawaii design elements too, including rich tropical mahogany and bamboo. 

      RELATED: Kelly Slater’s Hawaiian Hideaway Hits the Market for $20 Million

      The plush pad also packs plenty of perks. “It’s like your own mini Four Seasons Resort,” Kim told Mansion Global. Along with a lagoon-style pool with cascading waterfalls, which is the perfect place to soak up those stunning Aloha State sunsets, some of the other standout features include a private fitness center, a dedicated massage room, a dry sauna, and a movie theater. If you’re more of the active type, there’s also an oceanfront tennis court.

      There are 10 bedrooms divided between the property’s two homes.

      HET Productions/List Sotheby’s International Realty, Hawaii

      For years, A-listers and high-net-worth shoppers have been flocking to Hawaii and buying up land across the state. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been building himself a survivalist-style compound in Kauai dubbed Koolau Ranch, estimated to be worth an eye-watering $270 million once complete. The tech billionaire has already dropped $170 million in land purchases alone and plans to shell out an additional $100 million in building costs. When it’s finished, the property will feature two homes, a secret tunnel that leads to a bunker, a gym, multiple pools, and 11 treehouses.

      RELATED: An Artist’s Honolulu Home Hits the Market for $9.3 Million

      At the same time, Oprah Winfrey is considered one of the biggest landowners in Maui, and last year she added another plot to her expanding Hawaii real estate portfolio. The mogul purchased a sprawling 870 acres in Kula for $6.6 million, adding to the more than 100 acres she already owned. The property is a former equestrian ranch and is where the TV titan now grows her own fresh fruit and vegetables. 

      Click here to see more photos of Kai Moena. 

      HET Productions/List Sotheby’s International Realty, Hawaii

      Authors

      Abby Montanez

      Abigail Montanez is a staff writer at Robb Report. She has worked in both print and digital publishing for over half a decade, covering everything from real estate, entertainment, dining, travel to…

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      Katharine Hepburn’s Longtime N.YC. Townhouse Hits the Market for $7.2 Million

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      A little more than two decades after Katharine Hepburn passed away at age 96, the Hollywood legend’s New York City townhouse has popped up for sale, asking $7.2 million. As first reported by Crain’s New York, Hepburn acquired the five-story spread in the historic Turtle Bay enclave of Manhattan way back in 1931 and lived there until she passed away in 2003; her estate then sold the place around a year later for almost $4 million to the Astoria Property Group, which is linked to a family from Mexico.

      Frequently revered for her “often-imitated voice filled with the vowels of a well-bred New Englander,” Hepburn’s big break came in 1932 with a starring role opposite John Barrymore in A Bill of Divorcement. She went on to appear in 40-plus films throughout her lengthy career, with the Connecticut-born actress receiving four Oscars for her work in Morning Glory, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, The Lion in Winter, and On Golden Pond. At the time of her death, she also owned a home on Long Island Sound.

      The formal living room has a trio of French doors leading out to a terrace.

      Hayley Ellen Day/DD-reps for Sotheby’s International Realty

      Originally built in the late 1890s and since restored and renovated, the structure clocks in at 19 feet wide and features four bedrooms and an equal number of baths spread across just over 4,500 square feet. Touted in marketing materials as the “epitome of New York glamour,” the first floor is highlighted by a stone-tiled entry foyer that flows to a gourmet kitchen outfitted with custom cabinetry, stone countertops, top-tier appliances, and a built-in breakfast table and banquette. A wine cooler-equipped butler’s pantry connects to the fireside dining room, which spills out to a 1,000-square-foot bi-level flagstone patio and a garden with access to a private park shared by residents of the 20 surrounding townhouses.

      A mirrored vanity Hepburn had installed while she was living in the townhouse remains in the third-floor primary suite.

      Hayley Ellen Day/DD-reps for Sotheby’s International Realty

      Holding court on the second floor is a formal living room spotlighted by a marble fireplace and a trio of French doors leading out to a terrace, plus a wet bar and a cozy library/media room. Occupying the third level is a primary suite boasting a fireplace, a walk-in closet/dressing room, an updated bath with dual sinks, a clawfoot soaking tub, and a separate shower, as well as a mirrored vanity that Hepburn herself had installed. Another bedroom currently serves as a seating area and an office, with a wood staircase ascending to a top floor holding two more bedrooms with their own baths and walk-in closets.

      Rounding out the listing, which is held by Lisa Larson of Sotheby’s International Realty, is a basement hosting a wine cellar, a half-bath, a laundry room, and storage space.

      Click here for more photos of Katharine Hepburn’s former Manhattan townhouse.

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      €25 Million Historic Home For Sale On 48 Acres In France

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      Share this home! Listed with Peter Illovsky of Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s International Realty LOCATION: Mougins, Provence-Alpes-Cote D’Azur, France SQUARE FOOTAGE: 21,527 BEDROOMS & BATHROOMS: 19 bedrooms & 25 bathrooms PRICE: €25,000,000 This historic home is located in Mougins, Provence-Alpes-Cote D’Azur, France and is situated on 48 acres of land. It was built in 1912 and […] More

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      Pee-Wee Herman’s Personal Playhouse in L.A. Could Be Yours for $5 Million

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      Ten months after his death at age 70, the Los Angeles estate of actor, comedian, writer, and producer Paul Reubens—best known for his childlike, red bow tie-wearing alter-ego Pee-wee Herman—is available for the first time in almost four decades, asking just under $5 million. Built in the late 1950s and boasting nearly 3,000 square feet of living space, the midcentury ranch house sits atop a promontory in the sought-after Oaks neighborhood of Los Feliz and comes complete with views of the Griffith Park Observatory and the iconic Hollywood Sign from nearly every vantage point.

      A California Institute of the Arts theater student and member of West Coast comedy troupe The Groundlings—where he originated his Pee-wee character in the 1970s—Reubens went on to become a film and TV sensation in the ’80s, starring in The Pee-wee Herman Show, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Big Top Pee-wee, and Pee-wee’s Playhouse. The recipient of a 1988 Hollywood Walk of Fame star, he’s also known for his work on Mystery Men, Blow, and Murphy Brown, the latter of which earned him an Emmy nod.

      Though his image was somewhat tarnished in later years due to a couple of arrests—one for indecent exposure and another for possessing obscene material—he subsequently appeared in a new version of The Pee-wee Herman Show at L.A.’s Club Nokia and on Broadway, as well as the movie Pee-wee’s Big Holiday.

      A glass-lined living room spills out to the backyard.

      Sam Wadieh

      As first reported by The Wall Street Journal, Reubens purchased the home for a mere $415,000 in 1985, at the height of his career, and resided there until he passed away in July 2023. Fully gated and resting at the end of a lengthy private road, the single-story structure is nestled amid a 1.4-acre parcel and features three bedrooms and an equal number of baths, plus restored yet largely original interiors boasting slate floors, wood-beam ceilings, and vintage wallpaper throughout.

      A cozy den is warmed by a massive stone fireplace.

      Sam Wadieh

      Among the highlights are a fireside living room and an adjacent dining area with sliding glass doors leading out to the backyard. A “snazzy” den has a stone fireplace and a wet bar, while a kitchen is outfitted with yellow Formica countertops and an accompanying breakfast nook. There’s also a primary suite appointed with a seating alcove, a separate dressing area, and a bath that opens to an enclosed patio Reubens built to protect his cat Koko from the surrounding wildlife, along with two guest bedrooms that share a bath.

      Reubens used to entertain friends at this al fresco barbecue area.

      Sam Wadieh

      In addition to a swimming pool and a spa, the park-like grounds are laced with more than 100 varieties of native shrubs and trees and host a barbecue area, a pergola-shaded lounging spot, a cactus garden, walking trails, and a waterfall that flows into a pond. An added bonus: a concrete patio sporting actual handprints signed by the likes of the comic’s friend and actress Debi Mazar.

      In another celebrity-related connection, Reubens’s estate is also sited near two adjacent homes owned by Emmy-winning actress and stand-up comedian Sarah Silverman—one she bought nearly four years ago for $3.5 million and another she just picked up for $2.1 million.

      The listing is held by Juliette Hohnen of Douglas Elliman.

      Click here for more photos of Paul Reubens’s house.

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      Jessica Chastain’s Musically Pedigreed N.Y.C. Apartment Is Up for Grabs

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      After roughly nine years of ownership, Jessica Chastain has decided to let go of her New York City apartment in Midtown’s flamboyant Osborne building, overlooking Carnegie Hall. As first reported by The Wall Street Journal, the veteran actress and producer is asking $7.45 million for the residence, which was once owned by legendary conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein. The listing is held by Ellen Kapit and Cathy Taub of Sotheby’s International Realty.

      Records show the Zero Dark Thirty star and her longtime husband, Italian fashion executive Gian Luca Pasi De Preposulo, paid Tony-winning composer Adam Guettel $5.1 million in 2015 for the 3,800-square-foot unit sited on the fourth floor of the 19th-century co-op, which is heralded as one of the city’s first major luxury apartment structures. Before that, the dwelling was occupied by Bernstein and his family from the 1950s to the early ’60s; a smaller rented place on a floor below is where he wrote the score for West Side Story.

      Originally designed by architect James E. Ware, the landmark 1800s building had an annex tacked on several decades later.

      Kenneth Chen/Evan Joseph Studios for Sotheby’s International Realty

      Renovated by the couple during their tenure in collaboration with the design firm Carrier and Company, the four-bedroom, four-bath condo features numerous period details paired with newer touches like ornate wall coverings customized with Ralph Lauren fabrics. Highlights include a particularly eye-catching living room bedecked with oak parquet floors, restored mahogany paneling, plaster crown molding, carved doorways and windows, a vintage chandelier, a wood-burning fireplace, and a “very special” bay window sporting leaded glass transoms crafted by Tiffany Studios.

      RELATED: Baz Luhrmann Just Relisted His Dramatic N.Y.C. Townhouse for $16 Million

      From there, pocketing doors open to reveal a fireside parlor, a formal dining room flaunts lacquered wainscoting and built-in window seats, and an eat-in kitchen is outfitted with quarter-sawn oak cabinetry, a rolling ladder, a colorful butcher block-topped island, and high-end appliances. An inviting primary bedroom displays a copper-clad soaking tub and a wall of mirrored closets, as well as a tiled bath equipped with dual vanities, a dressing area, and a walk-in shower; and elsewhere are two more bedrooms and a full bath, plus another bedroom that’s been converted into a bookshelf-lined library.

      The sage-hued living room is spotlighted by a bay window sporting leaded glass transoms crafted by Tiffany Studio.

      Kenneth Chen/Evan Joseph Studios for Sotheby’s International Realty

      The star’s unit also comes with plenty of amenities courtesy of a hefty $7,000 monthly HOA fee, including 24/7 doormen, a resident building manager, storage spaces, a newly renovated gym, and a landscaped roof terrace with city and Central Park views.

      Per WSJ, the 47-year-old California native is reportedly selling because her family, which includes two children, needs more space. Good thing she already owns a spacious brownstone on the Upper West Side that she bought for $8.8 million back in 2019, as well as a waterfront getway on New York’s Shelter Island.

      Click here for more photos of Jessica Chastain’s N.Y.C. apartment.

      Kenneth Chen/Evan Joseph Studios for Sotheby’s International Realty More