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    Tom Ford Snaps Up a Posh London Mansion for $104 Million

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    Tom Ford is making headlines again, this time in the real estate arena, where he’s known as a regular buyer and seller of extraordinary homes.

    The billionaire fashion designer, who sold his eponymous label to Estée Lauder for $2.8 billion, has now broken a record for the priciest home sale in the U.K. this year after snapping up a London residence for a staggering £80 million ($104 million), The Times reported. The trophy dwelling, which is “believed to be a white stucco-fronted mansion,” is located in the city’s affluent Chelsea neighborhood near Hyde Park and the River Thames. However, further details regarding Ford’s new digs are still largely under wraps—other than it was last purchased for £16 million ($20 million) about two decades ago. 

    According to the British newspaper, the deal comes not long after Ford, the former creative director of Gucci, offloaded another of his residences, this one in tony Regent’s Park, for an impressive eight figures, and this latest transaction brings the value of his vast property portfolio to an eye-watering £270 million (or $351.6 million). One of Ford’s most notable holdings is Jackie Kennedy’s childhood summer home in the Hamptons, which he scooped up last summer for $52 million. The palatial East Hampton estate, known as Lasata, sits on a sprawling seven acres of land and features an eight-bedroom main residence, a guest house, a caretaker’s cottage, and a three-car garage. The Texas native bought the place from media producer David Zander, and before that, the big spread belonged to fashion designer and retail executive Reed Krakoff and his interior designer wife Delphine (who are currently selling another historic estate in New Canaan, Connecticut).

    So far, London has experienced a bit of a slump in the luxury real estate market in 2024 with a decline in high-end deals. It was previously reported that only 149 homes valued at £10 million (roughly $13.2 million) or more have traded hands in the past 12 months, compared with 192 in the prior period. In terms of who’s doing the buying, wealthy expats have been snapping up the city’s high-end properties thanks to favorable exchange rates. In fact, Knight Frank found that the percentage of U.S. buyers purchasing homes in London rose to 6.1 percent in the first six months of this year from 3.3 percent in the second part of 2023. 

    “There are obvious risks at the moment, but the super-prime market is still functioning, just at a reduced level,” Paddy Dring, global head of prime sales at Knight Frank, said in a statement. “It’s sometimes easy to forget just how attractive London is on the global stage.”

    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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      Fredrik Eklund Snaps Up an All-New Condo in N.Y.C.’s Greenwich Village

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      As Argo Real Estate and Bsafal’s highly anticipated mixed-use development in New York City’s nears the finish line, it’s already snagged a hot new resident. As first reported by The Real Deal, Fredrik Eklund has officially picked up a luxe condo at 64 University Place, adding to a property portfolio that includes homes in Connecticut and Miami, as well as a recently purchased penthouse in Austin, Texas.

      Records show the real estate broker and reality TV celeb doled out $3.35 million for a two-bedroom, three-bath unit resting on the fourth floor of the 11-story, KPF-designed structure, which boasts a throwback red brick exterior clad in ivy. According to TRD, the transaction included a $2.25 million mortgage and works out at around $2,400 per square foot.

      Open-concept great rooms sport living and dining areas flanked by oversized arched windows.

      Eleven Visualisation/Douglas Elliman

      RELATED: A Sound Effects Pioneer’s Hudson River-View Manhattan Apartment Is Up for Grabs

      Per marketing materials, the roughly 1,400-square-foot home includes SPACE Copenhagen interiors adorned throughout with hand-laid white oak floors, 10-foot ceilings, oversized arched windows and doors, and Juliette balconies.

      Additional highlights include a spacious great room holding a combined living and dining area nestled alongside a sleek kitchen outfitted with Poliform cabinetry, marble countertops, Dornbracht fixtures, and top-tier Miele appliances. There’s also a grand primary suite offering a walk-in closet, as well as a spa-inspired bath equipped with dual vanities and a soaking tub.

      Eklund and his family also will be privy to plenty of amenities, including a 24-hour doorman, a landscaped courtyard flaunting a cascading waterfall, a fitness center, a lounge, a rooftop terrace with an outdoor kitchen, and ground-floor retail space.

      The building’s communal rooftop terrace comes with an outdoor kitchen.

      Eleven Visualisation/Douglas Elliman

      RELATED: Dick Ebersol and Susan Saint James’s N.Y.C. Pied-à-Terre Is Up for Grabs at $2.5 Million

      “This building is very special as I signed the very first contract after having worked on it in pre-development for years with the team,” Eklund said in a post on Instagram. “I just knew how beautiful it would turn out. Then what happened is nothing short of a miracle if you believe there are miracles in real estate: the building sold out all 28 residences in a few weeks, completely off-market … what Kohn Pedersen Fox designed with the warm brick and arches is just so stunning and fits in perfectly with the history of Greenwich Village. And the soothing interiors by SPACE Copenhagen are perfect too.”

      Construction on the project began in 2021, with completion estimated for the second half of this year. Sales and marketing duties were handled exclusively by Eklund and his business partner John Gomes, who also bought his own two-bedroom unit at the building.

      Click here for more photos of 64 University Place.

      Eleven Visualisation/Douglas Elliman More

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      A Late Guitar Legend’s Former Beverly Hills House Can Be Yours for $3 Million

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      With the recent passing of Duane Eddy at age 86, there’s no better time to showcase this striking midcentury modern once called home by the electric guitar virtuoso widely known for his signature “twang” sound. The man who influenced rock strummers ranging from Jimi Hendrix to Bruce Springsteen occupied the residence for around six years, beginning in 1963, and the place just popped up for sale in a canyon high above Beverly Hills, asking a smidge under $3 million.

      Last sold in the spring of 2021 for $1.8 million to local real estate agents Derek Devore and Marisa San Antonio, and then transferred last year to Zen Estates LLC, the home was completed in the early ’60s. Featured inside the creamy stucco and terracotta-roof structure are three bedrooms and a matching number of baths filtered across a little more than 2,400 square feet of single-level living space, all of it adorned throughout with a mix of tile and light hardwood floors, high vaulted ceilings, and walls of glass framing picturesque canyon views.

      The formal dining area overlooks a living room that opens to an al fresco lounging deck.

      Jeff Ong/PostRAIN Productions

      A staircase nestled alongside a gated driveway and an attached two-car garage leads up to the ebony-hued front door, which opens to a formal dining area overlooking a spacious living room sporting a massive white brick fireplace with a floating hearth and built-in firewood storage, plus sliding glass doors spilling out to one of several decks. An adjacent kitchen displays a skylight, sleek white cabinetry, newer stainless appliances, and an accompanying breakfast nook with access to the outdoors.

      Elsewhere is a cozy family room, as well as a primary suite with its own deck and dual-vanity bath. Outdoors, the secluded grounds span almost one-third of an acre and host terraced gardens amid a lush tree canopy, along with an open-air cabana flanking a brick-lined pool surrounded by a grassy lawn.

      A freeform pool sits next to an open-air cabana.

      Jeff Ong/PostRAIN Productions

      Per the listing, which is held by Steve Frankel of Coldwell Banker Realty, plans have also been approved to convert the aforementioned garage into an accessory dwelling unit. And, lastly, the abode is also right down the street from the one-time home of Nancy Sinatra, which sold for $3 million in October.

      Born in Corning, N.Y., Eddy started playing guitar at age 5 and went on to become a successful instrumental recording artist in the late ’50s and ’60s with hits like Forty Miles of Bad Road, Because They’re Young, and Cannonball. Along the way, the self-taught musician influenced numerous rock guitarists, including George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix, and Bruce Springsteen, the latter of whom paid homage to Eddy in Born to Run. Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, the same year his original hit recording of Rebel Rouser appeared in the movie Forrest Gump, he died on April 30 from complications of cancer.

      Click here for more photos of Duane Eddy’s former home.

      Jeff Ong/PostRAIN Productions More

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      Annie Leibovitz Lists a Century-Old Northern California Ranch For $9 Million

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      Photographer Annie Leibovitz, whose work has appeared on the glossy pages of Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair for decades, is parting ways with her historic Northern California ranch, now on the market for $8.995 million.

      Leibovitz, who has shot everyone from Richard Nixon to Queen Elizabeth to John Lennon and Yoko Ono and regularly shoots covers of Vogue, purchased the incredible 65-acre ranch in 2019. Located in the famously reclusive seaside community of Bolinas, a favorite, under-the-radar Northern California hideaway for artists, Hollywood types, and the Silicon Valley set, the hilltop ranch dates back to the 1800s, when the first settlers of the area called the ranch home.

      Known today as The Hideaway, the ranch brims with creative history. Photographer Ansel Adams famously shot images here that were part of a traveling Smithsonian exhibit, and later on, Warren Hellman, businessman and founder of the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass music festival, lived here. 

      The kitchen remodel is in keeping with the relaxed charm of the coastal ranch property.

      Jacob Elliott

      The rural coastal retreat is located where the Pacific Ocean meets Mount Tamalpais, and there are stunning views of the Bolinas Lagoon, Stinson Beach, Mount Tamalpais, and San Francisco, which is just an hour away. Several of the ranch’s many structures date back to the 1920s and ‘30s, and a few date back to the original settlers. After purchasing the property in 2019, Leibovitz spent nearly $2 million on renovations, which saw the addition of a new kitchen and major upgrades to the infrastructure. Still, the home retains its unassuming farmhouse charm. 

      In total, there are seven structures, four of which comprise the residential portion of the compound. The remodeled 1920s main residence has four light-filled bedrooms, a charming updated kitchen, and quaint living spaces. There is also a one-bedroom guesthouse, a caretaker’s residence, and a converted garage. Elsewhere on the property, a dairy barn includes a recording studio that was added during Hellman’s ownership, while the remaining structures, a hay barn and a seven-stall horse barn, are dedicated to equestrian facilities. There’s also a 100-foot x 200-foot year-round riding arena, additional horse and livestock stalls, and fenced pastures. 

      “The Hideaway at 605 Horseshoe Hill Road stands as a historic property with generations of notable stewardship,” said Alexander Lurie, a listing agent with Compass, who is co-listing the property with Nick Svenson, in a press statement. “During Hellman’s ownership, the agrarian and equestrian wonderland served as a gathering for musicians of his time. The site of many special events, concerts, and weddings over more than a century, The Hideaway has an indelible place in history—both for the San Francisco Bay Area and globally. This special space has served as a launching pad of creative inspiration for renowned musical and visual artists of international repute.”

      Millions have been spent to update infrastructure as well as the ranch’s seven humble structures.

      Jacob Elliott

      In addition to panoramic water and mountain views, the ranch property is filled with rolling hills, verdant forest, lush pastures, and nearby bird and seal sanctuaries.

      Leibovitz, currently serving as the first IKEA Artist in Residence, has been much in the real estate news lately. Though she still owns an equestrian property in New York’s Hudson Valley, she sold a duplex apartment in a distinguished building on New York City’s Central Park West earlier this year for $10.6 million—more than $600,000 less than she paid about 10 years ago—and her 3,200-square-foot live-work studio overlooking the Hudson River in the West Village was put up for sale in January and is now in contract with an asking price of $8.5 million.

      Click here for more photos of The Hideaway.

      Jacob Elliott More

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      Cher’s Revamped Former Beverly Hills Home Hits the Market for $4.1 Million

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      Do you believe in life after close? 

      Back in 2013, Cher paid just over $2.1 million for a secluded Beverly Hills home that had previously been owned by another Hollywood heavy hitter, Modern Family’s Ed O’Neill. Five years later, the enduring show business superpower put the home back on the market for $2.5 million and, according to tax records, sold it for a bit less than what she paid. The two-time celebrity hideaway has since been comprehensively updated and is now back up for grabs with a price tag of $4.1 million. Aneela Zaman and Ernie Carswell with Douglas Elliman hold the listing.

      The two-story home, set on half an acre at the end of a cul-de-sac in a wee glen in the Coldwater Canyon area, was built in 1957. Alongside key features like rustic wood beam ceilings and bay windows, there are four bedrooms and three bathrooms spread out over 3,089 square feet of living space. There are at least three fireplaces throughout the home, which certainly enhances its appeal. But the real selling point might be the quiet gardens that make up its tranquil setting.

      The living room with a wood-burning fireplace and French doors.

      Jeremy Spann

      When the “Strong Enough” singer owned the 90210 pad, its façade somewhat mirrored a French country house with red brick accents across its beige stucco exterior. Following its revamp, a monochromatic olive green now covers those contrasting materials, giving it a more streamlined look. The lighter, wheat-colored wood floors that replaced darker oak floorboards inside the home are the first thing you might notice from the front door, other than the minimalist fireplace in the combination living and dining room. French doors on either side of the fireplace lead to a tree-shaded brick terrace, where the aforementioned gargoyle fountain is located.

      The kitchen is open to the living/dining room over a breakfast bar. It features a small breakfast nook alongside a high-end gas range and a Sub-Zero refrigerator. An office and the den with a wet bar, plus outdoor access, are other highlights of the home’s main floor.

      The spacious primary suite has not just one but two fireplaces.

      Jeremy Spann

      The primary suite is remarkably spacious and airy, thanks to its captivating vaulted ceiling and bay windows that frame leafy views. A haven unto itself, there are two fireplaces, a wet bar, a walk-in closet fitted with dark wood cabinetry, and a travertine-tiled bath with a double shower and a soaking tub.

      Enveloped in towering trees, the home’s various patios and decks are complemented by a faux-grassed area set in a sunny clearing with a waterfall that pours over a tumble of boulders into a small pond. And when you’re ready to brave the traffic, the canyon hideaway is within easy proximity to L.A. hotspots like the Chateau Marmot, LACMA, and the Michelin-starred Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura. 

      Cher’s primary residence has long been a grand Italian Renaissance-style mansion overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Malibu. The “Goddess of Pop” has the property up for sale for $75 million after first giving it a go at $85 million.

      Click here for more images of Cher’s former Beverly Hills home.

      Jeremy Spann

      Authors

      Demetrius Simms

      Demetrius Simms is a digital staff writer at Robb Report. After starting their career in PR, they transitioned to freelance writing in 2020. Their work has now appeared in lifestyle and culture…

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      Christina Aguilera and Liza Minnelli Once Lived in This L.A. Home. Now It Can Be Yours for $8.4 Million.

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      With roots in midcentury design and a celebrity pedigree, a newly listed home in Hollywood Hills is about as L.A. as it gets.  

      Nestled above the Sunset Strip, a modernist gem originally designed by late architect Harry Gesner has reemerged on the market for a cool $8.4 million with Levik Stephan and Anita Stephan with Hilton & Hyland. According to public records, the circa-1960s property has been on and off the market for roughly two-and-a-half years, initially at almost $10 million. Gesner, who died in 2022 at the age of 97, was commissioned to build the abode in 1960 by film producer-director Jack Haley Jr., who went on to marry actress and entertainer Liza Minnelli in 1974. The couple lived together at the house up until their divorce in 1979. 

      The dining room has sweeping city and ocean views.

      Noel Kleinman

      Almost 25 years later, in 2003, pop star Christina Aguilera shelled out $5 million for the digs. During her residency, the singer tapped designer and developer Steve Hermann to remodel the glass-walled spread before she eventually handed the keys over in 2011 to the current owner and seller, Beautyblender president and former Shiseido executive Carsten Fischer. Altogether, the dwelling comprises four bedrooms, five-and-a-half bathrooms, and 6,500 square feet of living space.

      Tucked behind a geometric gate and entered via an angled, slat-wood door, the home is full of architectural details, including warm walnut floors, exposed-beam ceilings, marble, and stone. in addition to the huge walls of glass, there are numerous skylights and clerestory windows galore that let in tons of natural light. Plus, you’ll have some pretty epic views of the ocean and the city, too. 

      The family room features a sunken conversation pit with a custom sofa.

      Noel Kleinman

      Some of the standout spaces include the sleek family room, complete with a sunken conversation pit with bespoke seating and a steel-faced fireplace. Nearby, the chef’s kitchen is decked out with a center island, top-of-the-line appliances, and a breakfast nook. The primary suite was designed for pampering. Measuring a whopping 1,200 square feet, the plush retreat sports two fireplaces, a sitting area, a walk-in closet, and an ensuite bathroom clad in marble. Here, you’ll find a freestanding soaking tub, a glass-enclosed shower, and, oddly enough, a three-sided aquarium.  

      The primary suite opens up to the backyard pool.

      Noel Kleinman

      The aerie abode is chock full of even more swanky perks like a discreet lower level that holds a temperature-controlled wine cellar with a wet bar as well as an 18-person screening room with plush built-in seating. Outside, the backyard is kitted out with a large swimming pool accented with azure tiles, a lagoon-style spa, a barbecue area, and an outdoor fireplace. An expansive deck serves as both an entertainment space and observation outlook so you can take full advantage of the panoramic vistas.

      Click here to see more photos of Christina Aguilera and Liza Minnelli’s former home.

      Noel Kleinman

      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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      Inside the $3 Million L.A. Home of Late Game Show Icon Bob Barker

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      The first house in what is known today as L.A.’s Outpost Estates neighborhood, which winds up into the mountains north of Hollywood, was built in the 1850s by Don Tómas Urquidez in the middle of a sycamore grove near what is today the intersection of Outpost Drive and Hillside Avenue. The three-room adobe structure was later owned by Gen. Harrison Gray Otis, the first publisher of the Los Angeles Times, who dubbed it the Outpost.

      The land around Otis’s Outpost was eventually acquired by developer Charles E. Toberman, who erected a 30-foot red neon sign that read “Outpost” to promote the upscale development that he called Outpost Estates. Early residents of the hillside enclave included silver screen superstars like Bela Lugosi and Dolores Del Rio, and current showbiz residents include Charlize Theron and David Lynch.

      The living room is ample with a fireplace, stained glass, and French doors to the yard.

      Sam Ghazi

      In 1929, a spacious new house was completed on the site of the original adobe cottage, and six decades later, in 1969, the Spanish-Revival-style home was acquired by 19-time Emmy-winning game show host and dedicated animal rights advocate Bob Barker. The beloved host of The Price Is Right occupied the vintage residence for more than 50 years before he died in August 2023, just a few months shy of his 100th birthday. 

      Today, Barker’s home is listed for sale for $2.988 million with Robert Valandra of The Flying V Realty Investment Company. Valandra is one of Barker’s nephews and the executor of the trust that owns and is selling the property.

      Original elements are present throughout the circa 1929 Spanish Revival-style home.

      Sam Ghazi

      In need of a restoration and update, the nearly 5,000-square-foot fixer-upper is still in possession of much enviable original detail, including stained-glass windows, wrought-iron detailing, antique light fixtures, and, on the wood-beamed ceiling over the switchback staircase, a delicate fresco. In the 28-foot-long living room, a fireplace is surrounded by the original wood paneling and arched French doors open to the backyard, while the library includes an original walk-in wet bar. Elsewhere are a dining room, a separate breakfast room, a kitchen with a butler’s pantry, a large laundry room, and a couple of powder rooms.

      There are four bedrooms and three bathrooms on the upper floor. Two bedrooms share a Jack and Jill bath; another has a private bath; and the primary suite includes a bathroom of its own, along with a walk-in closet and a dressing room.

      The backyard and swimming pool are hedged for privacy and gated for security.

      Sam Ghazi

      There’s an almost 400-square-foot garage at the end of a gated driveway and a 600-square-foot basement level that could be used for additional bedrooms, a screening room, or a home office. 

      The slightly more than quarter-acre parcel is privatized by tall and thick hedging. Several rooms on the ground floor spill out to the backyard, and stairs provide access to a long balcony on the upper level. Stepping stones across a tree-shaded lawn connect the house to the swimming pool, which is surrounded by flagstone terracing.

      The property is number 673 on the L.A.’s list of historical and cultural monuments and, as marketing material states, offers a preservation-minded buyer the opportunity to “bring this sleeping beauty back to life.”

      Click here for more photos of Bob Barker’s home.

      Sam Ghazi; CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images More

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      Bob Barker’s House in Photos

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      Just curious why this is a fixer upper when Bob Barker’s net worth when he died was $70 million dollars. The exterior brickwork is broken up, and the floor tile in the main bathroom looks old and terrible, as does the shower tile. No offense, but had Barker abandoned this home to live elsewhere, or was he just extremely thrifty? There’s just a disconnect here. Thanks. More

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      Bruyn Estate in Photos

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      Published on March 25, 2024

      This Old Hudson

      Authors

      Demetrius Simms

      Demetrius Simms is a digital staff writer at Robb Report. After starting their career in PR, they transitioned to freelance writing in 2020. Their work has now appeared in lifestyle and culture…

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