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      An MTV Founder Snaps Up a Stunning 1970s Time Capsule in Santa Monica for $8 Million

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      Looking for a real estate throwback? Check out this fun and funky—but still remarkably luxurious and searingly expensive—house on the Westside of Los Angeles. Situated mid-block on what has long been considered one of Santa Monica‘s most prestigious streets, the property boasts panoramic views that sweep from the mountains to the sea. Neighbors include Paul Attanasio, The Simpsons creator Matt Groening, and Steve Jobs’s sister Mona Simpson.

      The well-positioned house just sold for $7.9 million to John Sykes, a veteran entertainment industry executive who co-founded MTV and has been iHeartMedia’s president of entertainment enterprises for over a decade. Sykes, 68, is also the former president of VH1 and the current chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation.

      Built in 1941 and expanded in the late 1940s, the offbeat traditional-style house sold in 1972 for just $150,000. Those lucky buyers held onto the property for 50 years, selling it last fall for exactly $9 million to a non-famous L.A. family. But unfortunately for them, that family appears to have had a change of heart — nine months later, the house was back on the market, asking $9.5 million. After a big price reduction, Sykes came along and negotiated an even deeper discount.

      The 1970s-throwback interiors will have you hooked on a feeling.

      Inside, there are five bedrooms and five baths in just under 4,000 square feet. And nearly every inch of those square feet is a 1970s time capsule, with wood paneling galore, groovy wet bars, charmingly outdated wallpaper and a smattering of pastel colors setting the beat. Dozens of oversized windows scattered throughout the house flood the place with natural light, while sliding glass doors allow ocean breezes to waft inside and back out.

      Speaking of outside, the backyard definitely dates to a bygone era but is remarkably well maintained — much like the home itself. The generous half-acre lot includes grassy lawns, mature palm trees, a towering hedge wall for privacy, and a large swimming pool encircled by a patio sure to delight sunbathers and entertainers alike. Also on tap are rose gardens, flowering bunches of bougainvillea and an attached two-car garage.

      Per the listing, “the property yearns for one to bring it back to all of its glory or reimagine the lot,” so it seems likely the estate will be altered considerably in the coming months and years.

      No word yet regarding what exactly Sykes and his wife Laurie plan to do with their new West Coast outpost, or whether they plan to eventually make the spread their main residence, but records reveal the couple has long owned a compound that sits less than 50 yards from the beach in New York’s posh East Hampton neighborhood.

      Click here for more photos of John Sykes’s new Santa Monica house. More

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      YouTuber Cody Ko’s Cozy Oceanfront Beach House in Malibu Resurfaces for $3.7 Million

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      Now that Cody Ko has had a few months to settle into Reese Witherspoon’s former vacation home resting in the foothills just above Malibu’s Zuma Beach, the popular YouTuber/podcaster and his fellow influencer wife Kelsey Kreppel are doubling down on their efforts to unload the oceanfront getaway in the far western reaches of the same city that they’ve shared since winter 2021. First listed for a smidge under $4 million, the house just popped up for sale again, this time with a reduced $3.7 million asking price.

      Purchased by Ko for $3.6 million barely two years ago, back in winter 2021, the dwelling was built in the early 1970s and has since been extensively renovated. Nestled within a gated community right next to a contemporary Ed Niles-designed mansion that’s currently listed for nearly $60 million, the property includes a two-bedroom, two-bath main house, plus a detached guesthouse with its own bedroom and bath, for a total of almost 1,800 square feet of living space offering sweeping coastline views stretching from the Channel Islands to Catalina.

      An open-air courtyard separating the main home and guesthouse is spotlighted by a custom-built fireplace.

      As for the main two-story home, highlights include a living room displaying a floor-to-ceiling stacked-stone fireplace and glass doors spilling out to a covered wood deck overlooking the Pacific. Also standing out on the bottom floor is a small yet sleekly designed kitchen, which comes complete with granite countertops, top-tier stainless appliances and an accompanying dining area.

      The primary bedroom has wall-to-wall windows framing picturesque ocean vistas.

      Two en-suite bedrooms can be found on the upper level, including a glass-lined master retreat sporting a luxe bath equipped with a snazzy vanity and soaking tub/shower combo; and rounding it all out is the aforementioned guesthouse, which is separated from the primary home by an open-air courtyard warmed by another large fireplace. There’s also access to two sandy beaches, outdoor sport courts and deeded parking for four vehicles courtesy of a $740 per month fee.

      Homeowners enjoy access to a half basketball court on the premises.

      Born in Canada, Ko is probably best known for co-hosting the award-winning Tiny Meat Gang podcast with longtime friend Noel Miller, while Los Angeles native Kreppel is a former preschool teacher who now vlogs about fashion, owns her own fashion and accessories line, and hosts the Circle Time podcast.

      The pair—who collaborate on certain series like Couples Cringe—were wed earlier this year, and picked up a 1.8-acre Malibu estate for $7.7 million in April from Meg Haney—the Tennessee-born daughter of Chattanooga real estate billionaire Franklin Haney—who purchased the spread from Witherspoon and ex-husband Jim Toth for $6.7 million back in 2020. Ko and Kreppel also recently sold their architectural compound in Venice’s Silver Triangle for the exact asking price of $4.3 million. 

      The listing is held by Eric Haskell and Billy Rose of The Agency.

      Click here for more photos of Cody Ko’s Malibu beach house. More

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      Freshly Rehabbed, Architect Ray Kappe’s First Ever House Is Quintessential California Modernism

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      Widely considered one of California’s most influential modernist architects, Ray Kappe’s career spanned decades and inspired countless members of the current generation of architects and designers. And as a pioneer of the distinctive post-and-beam style that would come to define the architectural bent that became SoCal modernism, Kappe infused each of the numerous custom residences he designed with textures and materials he drew from L.A.’s natural landscape.

      That design sensibility that married Kappe’s homes with their natural surroundings is especially displayed in this suburban L.A. home, which happens to be his very first residential project ever completed. Built circa 1954 in the Glendale hills and surrounded by thick groves of native oak trees, the redwood-sided structure is locally known as the Gordon & Hildred Goetschel House after its original owners.

      Kappe’s first project is also the latest project by HabHouse, the L.A. based design firm that has built its reputation upon sensitive rehabilitations of architectural properties. In this instance, HabHouse reinstated or refurbished much of the home’s original detailing and also completely renovated the Kappe-designed swimming pool with modern-day equipment, plaster, tile and new coping. 

      The living room offers a floor-to-ceiling fireplace and walls of glass.

      if the HabHouse name sounds particularly familiar, it’s likely because this same crew was also responsible for a 1950 modernist gem in Brentwood, which recently sold in a bidding war to “Euphoria” actress Hunter Schafer. This property was also in high demand – the Glendale house sold before officially hitting the market, for about $2.6 million in an all-cash deal. Records indicate the buyer is a Salt Lake City-based woman who was once married to a wealthy tech entrepreneur.

      Framed by a wall of unpainted masonry block, the glass-walled pavilion is exquisite in its simplicity. Inside, natural light floods every corner of the hillside home, with the ancient trees casting shadows that stealthily move and grow throughout the day. 

      Other highlights include a fully redone kitchen with a distinctly retro vibe, an attached two-car garage and an 8,400-square-foot lot with backyard views of the Verdugo mountains. Back inside, there are three bedrooms and two bathrooms in a relatively cozy 1,700 square feet of living space.

      The backyard has mountain views framed by the treetops of ancient oaks.

      Kappe, who died at age 92 in 2019, designed 100 custom residences throughout his lifetime. He also founded the Southern California Institute for Architecture, widely regarded as one of the nation’s top architecture schools.

      Matt Adamo of Christie’s AKG held the listing; Nate Cole of Modern California House and Joseph Kiralla of Sotheby’s International Realty repped the buyer.

      Click here for more photos of 272 Mesa Lila, Glendale. More

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      Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck Passed on This L.A. Mansion. Now It Can Be Yours for $30 Million.

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      Earlier this year, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck initiated escrow on a $34.5 million “Hamptons-esque” estate in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles after a lengthy home search. Alas, though most folks thought they had finally found true real estate love, the merger was not in the cards. Instead, the A-list couple wound up pulling out of the real estate deal, before ultimately paying all cash this past spring for a $61 million compound high in the mountains above Beverly Hills.

      Now the place that got away has popped up for sale once again, and it could be yours for a speck under $30 million. Sam Palmer and Blair Chang of The Agency hold the listing.

      A porte-cochère empties out at a motorcourt fronting the two-story home.

      Tucked away behind walls and gates amid a 1-acre parcel in the Benedict Canyon neighborhood, and designed by architect Ken Ungar, the recently built spec mansion features seven bedrooms and 13 baths sprawled across 15,000 square feet of two-level living space crafted by The House of Porter. There also are plenty of amenities, including a study, wet bar-equipped parlor room, movie theater, wine cellar, gym and spa.

      Among the main-level highlights is a formal living room sporting a wood-burning fireplace and floor-to-ceiling glass doors spilling outside. Another fireplace and a bar can be found in the formal dining room, while a cozy family room links to a marble-clad kitchen outfitted with double islands, top-tier stainless appliances, a separate prep kitchen and breakfast nook.

      A study has sliding doors leading out to a covered deck ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining.

      Upstairs, the fireside master retreat comes complete with a sitting room and private balcony overlooking the backyard, as well as dual walk-in closets and baths; and outdoors, the resort-inspired grounds are laced with native sycamore trees and grassy lawns, and host a kitchen and an al fresco dining setup, a fire-pit, and pool and spa. 

      Also holding court on the property is a detached one-bedroom guesthouse with its own living and dining rooms, along with an arched brick porte-cochère that leads to a gravel motorcourt flanked by a six-car garage.

      The backyard is decked out with a full outdoor kitchen and dark-bottom pool.

      Lopez recently sold her lavish Bel Air retreat for $34 million to Taiwanese businessman Walter Wang, president and CEO of L.A.-based JM Eagle, the world’s largest manufacturer of plastic and PVC pipe, and his wife Shirley, founder and CEO of Plastpro, a top fiberglass door manufacturer, who already own two properties just a few doors away. Affleck also let his Pacific Palisades bachelor pad go back in October 2022 for $28.5 million

      Between them, the couple also owns an 87-acre Georgia estate that’s currently on the market for $8.9 million, as well as a New York City penthouse, mansion in the Hamptons and petite cottage in L.A.’s Encino neighborhood.

      Click here for more photos of 14330 West Sunset. More

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      ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Screenwriter Scores Hilltop L.A. Home With Panoramic Views

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      Perched atop a knoll high above L.A.’s trendy and expensive Silver Lake neighborhood, this stylish Spanish Colonial Revival-esque home may appear to be a classic 1920s example, but it was actually built in the early 2000s. Although initially designed as a Tuscan-style villa, the roughly 4,000 square foot house underwent a dramatic refresh circa 2020 by its second owner, filmmaker/musician Robert Schwartzman, a member of Hollywood’s famed Coppola family.

      Schwartzman and his wife Zooey bought the house in 2019, paying $2.3 million, but their modifications caused the property’s value to soar. Over the summer, they flipped the place for a hefty $4.3 million to Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Peter Craig and his third wife, educator Cristina Esposito. 

      But it’s not hard to see the home’s attraction. Set high up and far back on its relatively generous 9,300-square-foot lot, the house lies completely out of sight from public view, shielded behind a detached two-car garage and a dense canopy of oak and eucalyptus trees. Behind a locked gate, several short flights of stairs lead up to a flat patio with a grassy lawn and dozens of native plantings.

      The formal dining room harkens back to the glory days of Old Hollywood, albeit with some chicly modern-day wallpaper.

      Inside the double-height foyer, the home’s Old Hollywood feel is especially pronounced – there are intricate iron details and terracotta tile floors that blend surprisingly well with the dark brown hardwood floors found on the staircase and throughout the rest of the home. From the foyer, an arched passageway leads directly under the staircase to the great room, which packs in a fireplace, casual dining space and an open kitchen with premium appliances and two islands, plus several sets of French doors leading to various outdoor patios.

      Other stylish home highlights include a bonus room/studio and a wine cellar, plus a formal dining room that connects via an arched doorway to a fountain-equipped terrace. All three of the residence’s bedrooms lie upstairs, where two guest rooms share a single bathroom; the primary bedroom features a sumptuous bath, two walk-in closets and a private, covered balcony with stunning city lights views.

      The house gets the full benefit of L.A.’s famous sunsets.

      Those vistas continue throughout the backyard, where various patios and terraces drink in unobstructed sightlines of Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood Sign and the Downtown L.A. skyline. And while the property does not currently sport a swimming pool, the watery beauty of Silver Lake Reservoir is just a short jog away.

      Craig, 53, is the eldest son of Oscar-winning actress Sally Field. Originally a novelist, he made his screenwriting debut with the 2010 crime thriller The Town , which garnered critical acclaim. In 2022, he co-wrote the screenplays for both The Batman and Top Gun: Maverick, both major box office successes; the latter project earned him an Academy Award nomination.

      Click here for more photos of Peter Craig’s Silver Lake house. More

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      Designer Rachel Ashwell’s Dreamy Shabby Chic House Is Up for Grabs in L.A.

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      If you’re a fan of the Shabby Chic aesthetic, then this particular listing is sure to set your heart aflutter. Owned by none other than Rachel Ashwell—the British-born mastermind behind the iconic decorating brand—the charming abode is now on the market in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles for the first time in 16 years, complete a practical amount of space, relaxed atmosphere, comfortable beauty, and naturally, plenty of white paint.

      The 64-year-old who originally coined the design term in the late 1980s—and went on to launch an eponymously named home furnishings company—is asking a tad under $7 million for the English country-style villa, which she purchased for $4.15 million back in October 2007.

      The home is sited on a large flat lot replete with fragrant beds of lavender, roses and herbs.

      Sited near the Santa Monica coastline, and just steps from Brentwood Country Mart, the creamy stucco and pale blue-shuttered structure was built way back in the early 1930s. Since updated and beautifully decked out by Ashwell in her signature style, the dwelling features four bedrooms and three baths in a little more than 12,500 square feet of open-concept living space adorned throughout with hardwood floors, vintage light fixtures, half-painted walls, and a mix of wood-paneled and glossy painted ceilings.

      Nestled amid a flat parcel of land spanning over a quarter of an acre, the two-story home is fronted by a pathway that leads through a trellised gate before emptying out at a covered porch, with a gated driveway tucked off to the side. Once inside, an entrance hall flows to a formal living room warmed by a brick fireplace boasting a wood-beam mantle, and a combined family room and dining area connects to a galley-style kitchen outfitted with a diagonal tile backsplash, open shelving, a farmhouse sink and newer stainless appliances.

      The classically updated kitchen sports a farmhouse sink and top-tier Viking range.

      Elsewhere on the main level is an office space and en-suite bedroom with its own entrance; and three additional bedrooms upstairs include two that share a bath, as well as a serene primary suite equipped with dual balconies, a wallpapered dressing area, and spa-like bath spotlighted by a pedestal sink, built-in soaking tub and walk-in shower.

      In addition to picturesque gardens and towering trees, the private grounds also host a grassy lawn surrounding a heated saline pool and spa, plus numerous spots ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining. There’s also a separate structure dubbed “The Barn,” which is actually a converted two-car garage with a full bath that could easily be used as an artist studio, office or a guesthouse.

      The listing is held by Juliette Hohnen of Douglas Elliman.

      Click here for more photos of Rachel Ashwell’s Brentwood house. More

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      Dodgers Star Mookie Betts Relists Tricked-Out L.A. Compound at a Discounted $8.5 Million

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      Mookie Betts is doubling down on his efforts to unload the Los Angeles residence he’s owned since 2020. After eight months on the market with no takers, the Dodgers right fielder and six-time Golden Glove winner has relisted his swanky estate in the San Fernando Valley community of Encino for a smidge under $8.5 million—or $1.5 million less than he was originally asking for the place in February.

      Records show Betts paid UCLA Bruins head coach Chip Kelly $7.6 million for the property back in fall 2020, around the same time he helped his team capture its first World Series title in over three decades. Since upgraded with some particularly custom touches, the 2018-built spec home has nine bedrooms and 10 baths in a little more than 9,400 square feet of living space boasting white oak hardwood floors, high ceilings and oversized windows throughout.

      A double-height entry foyer greets with a striking staircase.

      Anthony Barcelo

      Resting amid a walled and gated parcel spanning over a half-acre of land, the modern farmhouse-style structure is fronted by a circular driveway. A pair of attached two-car garages flank the front door, which opens into a soaring entry foyer topped by a designer light fixture and displaying a curving staircase.

      From there, highlights include formal living and dining rooms, along with a fireside family room that connects to a gourmet kitchen outfitted with upscale Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, a large walk-in pantry and an accompanying breakfast nook; and elsewhere are a movie theater, sauna, temperature-controlled wine cellar, and luxe upstairs master retreat sporting a fireplace, sitting area, private balcony, and dual closets and baths.

      Especially standing out is a personalized indoor basketball court.

      Anthony Barcelo

      Outdoors, the resort-like grounds host a bar and kitchen setup ideal for al fresco entertaining, as well as a zero-edge pool flaunting a spa and sunken fire-pit-equipped lounge, an open-air cabana, a putting green and an additional freestanding fire-pit surrounded by built-in seating. There’s also an air-conditioned building that houses a gym and blue-hued basketball court emblazoned with the initials “MB,” plus a two-bedroom guesthouse with its own kitchen and fireside living room.

      Nashville-born Betts, 31, has played professional baseball since 2014, launching his career with the Boston Red Sox. He was traded to the Dodgers in 2020, and subsequently inked a $365 million contract extension that will keep him with the Boys in Blue through the 2032 season.

      The listing is held by Morgan Trent of AKG | Christie’s International Real Estate.

      Click here for more photos of Mookie Betts’ Encino house.

      Anthony Barcelo More

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      Imagine Dragons’ Frontman Just Scored $16 Million for Kurt Russell’s Former Malibu House

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      Nestled near the eastern end of Malibu‘s Broad Beach, a Balinese-influenced tropical hideaway has sold for $16.7 million — under the $18 million asking price, but far more than the $11.3 million the house last fetched just three years ago, during the pandemic-gripped summer of 2020. The lucky seller was Grammy-winning vocalist Dan Reynolds, lead singer of internationally famous rock band Imagine Dragons; the buyers were low-profile businessman John Vojtech and his wife Luz Estela.

      Built in the late ’70s, the oceanfront mansion sports a Hollywood pedigree. For many years, it served as a vacation getaway for long-coupled actors Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, who filled the home with numerous Buddhas and other eclectic furnishings during their ownership.

      After many years of attempting to sell the four-bedroom, 4.5-bath spread, Hawn and Russell unloaded the property in 2013 for $9.5 million. The non-famous buyer made very few alterations to the home and even retained some of Hawn and Russell’s furniture, including their campy four-poster bed in the master suite. That buyer eventually sold the house to Reynolds, who likewise made few changes and also retained Hawn and Russell’s bed.

      Behind high walls and gates, a stone Ganesha watches over a tranquil, bamboo-filled courtyard watched connecting the detached three-car garage to the 4,200 sq. ft. main house. Inside, a soaring foyer overlooked by a gallery steps down to a double-height living room with a stone fireplace and wet bar, and the adjoining dining room is filled with ornate furnishings that include a crystal chandelier, a decorative animal tusk and what appears to be an East Asian-influenced sculpture.

      The dining room opens to the gourmet kitchen, which is spacious and equipped with all the expected high-end stainless appliances. Upstairs, the master suite includes a fireplace, large closet, private ocean-view balcony and a bathroom hewn almost entirely from Chinese onyx. There are two additional guest suites in the main house, plus a Creston-operated media room and an oversized office.

      Directly above the detached garage lies a petite guesthouse with a bedroom, bath, kitchenette, and sitting area that does double duty as a gym. And in the backyard, an oceanside alfresco dining terrace is overlooked by the main home’s towering back wall of smoked glass. There are also various fountains, an outdoor fireplace, and private trails leading down to the beach — things that form the real estate dreams of so many Malibu beachgoers.

      Some of the nearby Broad Beach homeowners include Pierce Brosnan, Ray Romano, “Friends” creator Marta Kauffman, Dustin Hoffman and Mindy Kaling. More