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      A Private Equity Billionaire Paid a Record-Breaking $44 Million for This San Diego Home

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      Back in October, an oceanfront Del Mar house sold for a whopping $44.1 million, sending shockwaves through the quietly posh Southern California beach town and setting a new record for the most expensive San Diego County home ever sold. The out-of-left-field, off-market transaction came even as the San Diego real estate market has effectively stalled over the past year, with the deal pipeline choked by high interest rates, recession fears and low inventory. And the transfer also eclipsed Bill Gates’ recent $43 million purchase of an arguably more impressive house on the same strip of sand.

      Property records indicate the $44 million house was purchased by a mysterious Delaware-based LLC, a common business tool used by the wealthy to cover their real estate tracks. But it’s certainly worth noting that the mysterious entity is managed by a longtime associate of Egon Durban—the high-flying, billionaire Silicon Valley dealmaker who has a known affinity for both record-breaking transactions and high-end real estate. Durban, the co-CEO of private equity giant Silver Lake, sports a personal net worth that tops $1.5 billion, according to Forbes.

      Built circa 1940s, the ranch-style compound includes three separate buildings and parking for 20+ cars.

      Google Earth

      Since the house was never on the market, photos are virtually nonexistent and details are few. But certainly the vast majority of its value lies in its oceanfront location—the property spans just over an acre of flat land, right on the sand—rather than the structures themselves. The main residence is unremarkable, large and well-maintained but visually dated. The property was built decades ago by prominent Hollywood real estate developer C.E. Toberman, founder of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and the Hollywood Bowl, and remained in the extended Toberman family until Durban’s purchase.

      In addition to the U-shaped main house, which is single-story and painted a deep navy blue, there are two ancillary buildings on the property. Each of those includes a two-car garage and additional living space, likely for guests or live-in staff. The oceanfront compound also boasts a full-size tennis court—a very rare thing on the shores of Del Mar—and a gated, blacktopped driveway with off-street parking for dozens of cars. There’s also an outdoor swimming pool, plus a sizable backyard with a grassy lawn and a wooden deck with stairs descending to the sandy beach. Altogether, the estate sports eight bedrooms and 7.5 bathrooms.

      The estate spans more than one flat acre and is one of only a handful of oceanfront Del Mar homes that includes a tennis court.

      Google Earth

      Durban has yet to confirm his ownership of the Del Mar compound, but he’s certainly no stranger to ultra-high-end real estate. Back in 2019, records reveal he and longtime wife Abby dropped $24 million to buy a brand-new mansion in prime Atherton, the small Silicon Valley town famously home to scores of the nation’s wealthiest tech executives. The couple also own a vacation home in California’s scenic Pebble Beach neighborhood worth approximately $10 million.

      The Durbans have also long maintained a seriously impressive blufftop mansion at the exclusive Kukio Golf and Beach Club on Hawaii’s Big Island, where one of their nearest neighbors is fellow billionaire Michael Dell—a longtime Durban business associate and the brash dealmaker’s ownership partner in the professional bull riding team Austin Gamblers. And astute soccer fans will know that Durban was also behind the $500 million purchase of a minority share in Manchester City, a landmark transfer inked in 2019. More

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      The Owners of Skechers Just Created a $31 Million SoCal Beach Compound

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      The founding family of Skechers has officially added another piece to their ever-growing SoCal real estate portfolio. Records indicate an entity tied to the Manhattan Beach-based footwear brand has forked over $15.4 million in an off-market deal for the house immediately right next door to a Los Angeles-area parcel they already bought for $16 million back in spring 2019. Together, both properties span about three-quarters of an acre and cost a combined $31 million.

      The Greenbergs’ latest Hermosa Beach addition is a traditional three-bedroom, four-bath home with almost 2,800 square feet of single-level living space perched atop an attached two-car garage. Built back in the late 1940s but updated in the years since, and resting on a cul-de-sac parcel spanning a third of an acre, the tan wood-sided structure was most recently offered for rent at $14,750 per month.

      Though it was never officially on the market, a recent listing shows a glass-lined living room sporting a fireplace enhanced with a brick surround, as well as built-in shelving and doors spilling out to the backyard. Other highlights include a couple of dining areas, a kitchen outfitted with blue-and-white cabinetry and newer stainless appliances, and an adjacent den warmed by a Franklin stove and equipped with an integrated entertainment center.

      Elsewhere is a spacious primary bedroom suite with a fireplace, sitting area, walk-in closet, newly remodeled bath and access to a private patio; and outdoors, the tiered grounds overlook picturesque ocean vistas, and host an expansive terrace ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining.

      Google Images

      As for the family’s other beach house, they acquired that place from former ballroom dancer/vitamin company founder Esmeralda Gallemore and her husband Ron almost five years ago. Built in 2015, the property rests on a third-acre hillside parcel of land spotlighted by a pool, sport court, fire-pit, seven-car subterranean garage and coastal vistas stretching from Palos Verdes to Malibu. Inside, five bedrooms and seven baths are spread across almost 7,300 square feet of multi-level living space featuring a living room anchored by a massive limestone fireplace and walls of glass, screening room and gym.

      Per Forbes, the Greenbergs are one of the nation’s richest families, with an estimated net worth of around $1.5 billion. More

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      A Historic French Villa That Once Hosted Grace Kelly Just Listed for $8.6 Million

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      A French villa near Nice where Grace Kelly, the late Princess of Monaco, used to vacation is up grabs. However, this isn’t the first time that the palatial property has been on the market.  

      Dubbed Les Moulins du Villars, the Provence-Alpes Cote d’Azur residence was listed for a whopping $12.5 million back in August 2023. After failing to find a buyer, the estate is now back up for sale six months later at a discounted €7.95 million (or roughly $8.5 million) with Jack Harris of Knight Frank. The home itself, which was originally built way back in the 14th century as an olive oil and flour mill, has been completely transformed in the years since. The swanky spread was renovated in the ‘70s by Count Jean Fernand Joseph Gouin de Roumilly and entirely rebuilt over a decade ago in 2012. In 1980, Princess Grace was reported to have frequented the property with her daughter, Princess Caroline. The Hollywood starlet later died in a car accident in 1982. 

      A 14th-century olive oil mill in France that was converted into a lavish estate is back on the market.

      Knight Frank

      Located on the French Riveria in the village of Gilette, the digs measure 6,000 square feet and there are seven bedrooms split between the main dwelling and guest house. The roughly five-acre property also holds a slew of modern comforts too—though, you wouldn’t assume it based on its medieval surroundings. There’s an elevator, a tennis court that doubles as a helipad or soccer pitch, a wine cellar, and a fitness studio. At the same time, dotting the grounds are tons of citrus and olive trees, two vegetable gardens, a Koi pond, and a natural spring that, according to the listing, “is believed by locals to possess healing properties, historically making the mill a pilgrimage site and sanctuary for treating chronic ailments.” 

      The residence was a frequent hideaway for Grace Kelly, the late Princess of Monaco.

      Knight Frank

      Spanning four stories, the manse is made from local, indigenous stone and is decked out with original period furnishings and bespoke artwork. Another design detail is a glass-encased wrought iron wheel that was replaced in 2012. Inside, there’s essentially double of everything—two living rooms, two kitchens. However, there’s only one media room. Outside, the lot features several outbuildings, including a ruin that has been recently restored and a heated infinity pool that overlooks the picturesque Latti Valley. 

      Click here to see all the photos of Grace Kelly’s vacation villa. 

      Knight Frank

      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, dining, travel and topics…

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      Scoot McNairy Drops Millions on a 1920s Gothic Chateau

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      Though he already owns a 25-acre ranch in his home state of Texas, John Marcus “Scoot” McNairy has now settled into another residence in the South Pasadena city of Los Angeles. Records reveal the ever-busy TV and film actor—probably best known for his roles in Argo, 12 Years a Slave, Gone Girl, True Detective, Godless and Narcos—acquired the whimsical French chateau-inspired home back in June 2023 from husband-and-wife real estate team George Sokolow and Matty Hurtado-Sokolow, paying just over $3.2 million.

      Reportedly built way back in the mid-1920s for Dr. Elwood Webb at a cost of around $20,000—and previously occupied by L.A.-based fashion designer Cesar De La Parra, who sold the place to the Sokolows for $1.9 million in 2006—the updated home features five bedrooms and six baths filtered across nearly 5,800 square feet of multi-level living space adorned with white oak hardwood floors, coved ceilings, built-ins, ornate millwork and eight fireplaces.

      Resting on a gated and ivy-covered parcel of land spanning almost a half-acre, the stately red brick and mansard-roof structure is fronted by a two-car garage topped by a slate-floored guesthouse with its own bedroom, bath, kitchen and pot belly gas stove. There’s also an artist’s studio equipped with a bath.

      An arched entryway leads into a soaring atrium-like foyer topped by a glass ceiling and displaying a wrought iron-railed staircase and statued water fountain. From there, a fireside living room has picture windows and a private balcony overlooking sweeping views of the Colorado Street Bridge and San Gabriel Mountains. Other highlights include a study embellished with vintage built-ins, formal dining room boasting parquet floors and French doors spilling out to a Juliette balcony, and remodeled yet old-world kitchen outfitted with custom cabinetry, marble countertops, a center island, high-end appliances and access to a wood deck ideal for al fresco dining alongside a waterfall.

      Upstairs is an office/sitting room, along with two en-suite bedrooms separated by a sky-lit mezzanine balcony; and all the way down on the lower level is an entertainment space that comes complete with a restored ballroom sporting eight sets of original French doors leading out to a large balcony, plus a family room, wet bar and cedar-lined wine cellar. Rounding it all out: lushly landscaped grounds hosting meandering pathways and an additional waterfall that empties into into a spa.

      In addition to his newly acquired South Pasadena getaway, McNairy—who has appeared in ads for TX Whiskey and also works as a producer—has long maintained a primary residence in Brenham, Texas, about 100 miles east of Austin, which he picked up back in 2010 after he relocated from Los Angeles. More

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      Seann William Scott Is Selling His Custom-Built L.A. Compound for $5 Million

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      Bye, bye, Mr. American Pie. Seann William Scott, best known for playing Steven Stifler in the 1999 coming-of-age film starring Jason Biggs, is parting ways with his California home.  

      The actor’s Venice compound recently hit the market for just shy of $5 million and includes a historic, 1.300-square-foot bungalow and a glass-and-steel house behind it. Altogether, the two abodes offer five bedrooms, six bathrooms, and 4,600 square feet of living space. According to Bloomberg, who first reported on the listing, Scott bought the 5,148-square-foot lot back in 2017 after relocating from New York. At the time, he paid $2.2 million for the spread but admitted he planned on flipping the property for a profit.  

      “I don’t think people who know my work would imagine I’m an architectural design nerd,” Scott told the media site. “But I am.” The lengthy renovation took about six years to complete. The Dude, Where’s My Car? star had the idea to combine the two buildings and collabed with his wife and interior designer, Olivia Scott, on the project. The remodel included taking the bungalow downs to the studs while the other glassy structure was already “bare bones,” Scott told Bloomberg.

      Glass doors help with the indoor-outdoor feel of the home.

      Peter Baker for Sotheby’s International Realty

      The smaller of the two dwellings had some catching up to do in the aesthetics department. The overall vibe here is chic and minimalist with lots of natural, organic materials. The one-story bungalow has earthy tile floors throughout and the kitchen is clad in Caesarstone and warm wood. Elsewhere, you’ll find two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a dining room that leads to a covered deck. “We kept the footprint of the place, but it was basically a new building,” Scott told Bloomberg. 

      On the other hand, the glass-and-concrete loft has three bedrooms and four bathrooms spread across three levels. Designed by architect Kevin Mulcahy, highlights of the home are its accordion glass doors on the ground floor, a double-height entertainment area, and a second kitchen that’s kitted out with floating marble shelves, wood paneling, and original steel beams.  

      There are original steel beams in the kitchen.

      Peter Baker for Sotheby’s International Realty

      Scott, who will play a disgraced cop in the upcoming movie Bad Man, is proud of all the work that’s gone into revamping the property. However, he admittedly has his doubts about handing the home to its next owner. “This place is so cool, and I love Venice so much. Am I making a mistake selling it?” 

      Graham Larson of Sotheby’s International Realty – Pacific Palisades Brokerage and Sam Plouchart of Sotheby’s International Realty – Beverly Hills Brokerage hold the listing together. 

      Click here to see all the photos of Seann William Scott’s Venice home. 

      Peter Baker for Sotheby’s International Realty

      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, dining, travel and topics…

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      A Celebrity Hairstylist’s Stylish Manhattan Apartment Is Up for Grabs

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      Less than six months after John Barrett died from blood cancer at age 66, the beloved hairstylist and salon owner’s Upper West Side apartment has popped up for sale, asking just under $2 million. Per Curbed New York, which first reported the listing, Barrett acquired the double unit from Emmy-winning composer Peter Fish and his wife Diane Singer for $1.8 million back in 2013.

      A legendary hairdresser best known for creating bespoke tresses for famous clients such as Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell, Reese Witherspoon, Katie Holmes, Martha Stewart, Ethel Kennedy, Hillary Clinton and Princess Diana, the Ireland native operated a salon space on the penthouse level of the Bergdorf Goodman department store, where he invented his signature “Bergdorf Blonde” hair color.

      Sited within the 12-story, pre-war Parc Vendrome residential building—and featured in a 2019 Architectural Digest article—Barrett’s former home rests on the 10th floor, and has two bedrooms and an equal number of baths in a little more than 1,650 square feet of open-concept living space outfitted with wide-plank hardwood floors, high ceilings, custom light fixtures, plenty of wall space for art and a sound system.

      Highlights include an entry hallway that leads to a spacious living room boasting eight casement windows offering south-facing views of the Midtown skyline. An adjacent dining area connects to a professional chef’s kitchen equipped with white lacquer cabinetry, Carrara marble countertops and a matching backsplash, top-tier appliances and access to an al fresco dining terrace.

      Elsewhere is a cozy library nook flaunting built-in bookcases painted an eye-catching shade of lime green, plus a music alcove that comes complete with a grand piano Barrett acquired during a furnishings auction at the original Tavern on the Green. The primary bedroom hosts a large walk-in closet, as well as a luxe bath equipped with an extra-deep soaking tub and separate rain shower, and another en-suite guest bedroom has a built-in daybed.

      The new owner also will be privy to plenty of amenities courtesy of a $3,214 monthly common charge fee, including a 24/7 doorman, formal gardens, a roof deck, and billiards, music and banquet rooms.

      According to The New York Times, Barrett left Bergdorf in 2019 after more than two decades to open his own salon on East 57th Street; and though the Covid-19 pandemic hit the industry especially hard, and he was forced to declare bankruptcy, he emerged quickly without having to lay off any of his employees.

      Despite his declining health, he went on to cut hair for the likes of Martha Stewart, who decided to drop by his salon for a pick-me-up after her flight to Britain was canceled. “I used the newly found time to get a manicure pedicure by Luda and a haircut by the maestro himself,” she wrote on Instagram at the time. “The new do is refreshing and lovely! Thanks John!!!”

      The listing is held by John Caraccioli and Harlan Simon of Brown Harris Stevens.

      Click here for more photos of John Barrett’s N.Y.C. apartment.

      MW Studio for Brown Harris Stevens More

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      Norman Reedus Is Asking $3.8 Million for His Frank Lloyd Wright-Inspired Georgia Retreat

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      Norman Reedus won’t be treading on Georgia turf much longer, because the “crossbow wielding, motorcycle driving badass with a heart of gold” is officially stepping away from his longtime residence on the outskirts of Atlanta.

      After eight years of ownership, and a brief stint on the rental market at $12,500 per month, The Walking Dead star has now adhered a $3.8 million price tag to the contemporary Chattahoochee Hills spread he picked up back in fall 2015 for nearly $3 million. Built in 2009, and crafted by noted New York City-based designer Shamir Shah, the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired home is described by listing agent Addie Bartlett of Compass as offering “an unparalleled experience of refined living in an environment where simplicity is synonymous with luxury.”

      Nestled amid a heavily wooded parcel spanning a quarter of an acre—within the master-planned community of Serenbe, about 30 miles southwest of downtown Atlanta—the striking limestone and granite structure has four bedrooms and five baths in a little more than 4,100 square feet of multi-level living space boasting wide-plank white oak floors, high ceilings and large windows throughout. There’s also a bath-equipped bonus room over the attached two-car garage.

      The 2009-built home was inspired by the work of noted architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

      Cheyenne Crawford/HomeStar Media

      A lengthy driveway empties out at the house, with the front door pivoting into a main level highlighted by a spacious living room outfitted with a wall of windows and trio of glass doors spilling out to a screened porch warmed by a stone fireplace. Other highlights include a cozy fireside sitting room, dining room with a built-in buffet, and gourmet kitchen sporting an eat-in island topped with natural quartzite stone, top-tier Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, two sinks, a wine fridge and walk-in pantry.

      A pair of guest bedrooms also can be found on the bottom level, while an upstairs primary suite holds a massive walk-in closet and dressing area, as well as a marble-clad bath equipped with dual vanities, a soaking tub and glass-encased shower. Elsewhere is an office space, plus a lower level displaying a bedroom, gym and dining/entertainment space with a wet bar.

      A screened-in porch off the main living area has a stone fireplace.

      Cheyenne Crawford/HomeStar Media

      Outdoors, the woodsy grounds host a meandering creek, an al fresco dining area bolstered by a grilling station, and plunge pool that doubles as a spa. The new homeowner also will have access to Serenbe’s vast array of amenities, which include a swim club, tennis courts, stables and 16 miles of nature trails.

      Before the 55-year-old Florida native rose to fame for his role as Daryl Dixon on AMC’s post-apocalyptic zombie drama The Walking Dead, which aired its final episode in November 2022, he headlined the cult classic The Boondock Saints, and had supporting roles in 8MM, Blade 2 and American Gangster. Reedus—who earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2022—is currently appearing in a Daryl Dixon spinoff, with the second season set to air later this year.

      In addition to the for-sale Georgia house, Reedus and his actress partner Diane Kruger own at least three N.Y.C. residences between them, including a four-bedroom, 3,650-square-foot townhouse in Manhattan. Reedus also maintains a big spread in upstate New York that’s currently occupied by his mother.

      Click here for more photos of Norman Reedus’s Georgia house.

      Cheyenne Crawford/HomeStar Media More

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      A Mining Billionaire Quietly Dropped $47 Million on an Oceanfront Santa Barbara Mansion

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      Although the secretive deal actually went down last September, it’s only now come to light that billionaire Ivanhoe Mines magnate Robert Friedland and his longtime wife Darlene have very quietly paid a hair under $47 million for an oceanfront estate in the seaside California town of Carpinteria. The deal was far and away the biggest residential real estate transaction recorded in Santa Barbara County in 2023.

      The home’s lucky sellers were Darren Entwistle, the controversial and longtime CEO of Canadian telecommunications giant Telus, and his wife Fiona. The Entwistles had placed the house on the market in the summer of 2022, asking a whopping $55 million, but delisted the property several months later. The $47 million transfer was inked off-market. The Canada-based couple originally acquired the estate in 2012 as a vacation home, paying $17 million.

      The $47 million deal for the 2-acre estate represents one of the largest sums ever paid for a Carpinteria home.

      Google Earth

      Originally designed in the early 1990s by noted architect Robert L. Earl, the East Coast-inspired residence was extensively renovated by architect Andy Neumann and original builder Paul Franz in 2012. The six-bedroom, eight-bath main house features nearly 10,000 square feet of living space. Additional structures include an 800-square-foot guesthouse with one bedroom and a full bath, plus a garage building with room for three cars, plus a gym with an infrared sauna.

      Hidden away behind a long gated driveway flanked by manicured lawns dotted with reflecting ponds, on an almost 2-acre blufftop parcel sited just west of Loon Point, the white-shingled and gable-roof main house is shaded by magnolia trees and fronted by a cobblestone motorcourt. Inside, ornate interiors are studded with coffered ceilings, rich hardwood floors, Murano glass light fixtures and numerous sets of French doors that spill out to the gardens.

      Other highlights include a double-height foyer anchored by a dazzling chandelier and curvy wrought-iron staircase, formal living and dining rooms, and a mahogany-paneled office with a fireplace surrounded by a jade green marble mantle. A cozy family room connects to an all-white gourmet kitchen outfitted with marble slab countertops, an eat-in island and high-end stainless appliances, as well as an accompanying butler’s pantry and breakfast nook.

      Upstairs, the plush master retreat rests beneath an eye-catching recessed ceiling, and offers a fireside sitting area, covered balcony, and dual baths and walk-in closets. Five additional ensuite bedrooms are scattered throughout the house, including one with a private games room. Elsewhere are a wine cellar and an additional private office.

      The posh amenities continue outdoors, where the exquisitely manicured and picturesque Sydney Baumgartner-landscaped grounds host several areas ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining. An added bonus: direct beach access and a viewing platform accessible via a private stone pathway.

      It’s also worth noting that the property is located on the most prestigious street in Carpinteria, where other neighboring homes are owned by the likes of Kevin Costner, Kourtney Kardashian, George Lucas, and Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis.

      The Friedlands own many other homes, including two side-by-side estates in prime Beverly Hills that they purchased for $26 million in 2021. In late 2020, they paid $16 million for Zsa Zsa Gabor’s longtime Bel Air mansion, which the couple has since demolished.

      Locksley Hall in California’s Belvedere neighborhood, which Robert Friedlend sold in 2015 for a record $47.5 million to former Facebook executive Matt Cohler.

      Google Earth

      But nice as all those properties are, they rather pale in comparison to the Friedlands’ former home up in Northern California’s San Francisco Bay Area. In 2015, that historic hilltop property — known as Locksley Hall — was sold for a record-breaking $47.5 million to venture capitalist Matt Cohler, one of Facebook’s first five employees and an early investor in Instagram.

      Internationally, the Friedlands also continue to maintain a dramatic blufftop villa in Phuket, Thailand, that has no fewer than three infinity pools, though their main residence remains a luxury flat in Singapore. More