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      in Luxury

      Kaley Cuoco Is Buying and Selling L.A. Houses

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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      in Vacation Homes

      Wealthy U.S. Homebuyers Can’t Stop Snapping Up Trophy Properties in Scotland. Here’s Why.

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      With its fairytale castles and historic links, Scotland has long been a bucket list destination for American travelers, especially those who enjoy historic destinations and prefer their vacations include a round (or two or three) of golf. However, The Land of the Brave is now seeing a surge of buyers from the United States.  

      According to Savills, Americans now account for 4 percent of the country’s total transactions, a 3 percent jump over the last four years. Stateside residents shopping around for a second (third or fourth) home in Scotland are flocking to places like Edinburgh, the U.K.’s second-most visited city next to London. In fact, a whopping 40 percent of prime purchases in the Scottish capital were by non-native buyers, Knight Frank agent Ricardo Volpi told Bloomberg. And between March 2020 and June 2023, the average sales of homes priced at over £2 million increased a whopping 32.6 percent in the city. 

      “The buyers have been people wanting to come to Edinburgh to enjoy the festival or come to the Scottish Open—who have been here on holiday but want a home base of their own,” Max Mills, head of residential sales at Rettie, told Bloomberg. “Some well-connected Americans are already members of high-profile golf clubs in Scotland and are buying houses for when they can have time to start playing the links here more regularly.” He added that, amid rising mortgage rates, most people are paying in cash.  

      Edinburgh has seen an uptick in American buyers looking to snap up prime properties.

      Unsplash

      During the pandemic, Scotland became particularly appealing to those who wanted a break from city life, and, concurrently, the weakening of the British pound sent Americans into a European real estate frenzy. Jess Simpson, the head of a property firm in England, noted that she’s seen the amount of interest from buyers across the pond increase threefold over the last year. Specifically, her clients are interested in historic castles and other trophy properties.

      “The trifecta for wealthy American clients for U.K. properties is generally a house in London, an estate in the country—in a place like the Cotswolds—and a Scottish castle or estate,” she told Bloomberg. 

      Bob Dylan was seemingly ahead of the trend when he bought a 16-bedroom mansion in the Scottish Highlands back in 2006, though he is now looking to sell the 24-acre estate. The Edwardian abode, known as Aultmore House, is located within Cairngorm National Park and is listed for £3 million (or roughly $3.9 million). Here’s your chance, lads and lassies, to snap up a historic home in Scotland from one of the United States’ most beloved musicians. More

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      in Luxury

      A $20 Million Malibu Home Has Sold to a High-End Supermarket Chain Owner

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      There’s apparently great wealth in wellness. A company linked to Josephine Antoci, who with her husband Tony owns the health-oriented and über-expensive Erewhon supermarket chain, has just paid $20 million for an oceanfront house on Malibu’s Broad Beach.

      Over the past 10 years, Erewhon — which recently opened its 10th location in the greater Los Angeles area — has evolved from a single-location health foods store into a see-and-be-seen organic Mecca with locations in nearly every posh L.A. neighborhood, and a favorite haunt of Tinseltown’s rich and famous. Today, the chain is perhaps best known for its $20 smoothies, of which there are a wide assortment of only-in-Tinseltown flavors, including “Hailey Bieber’s Strawberry Glaze Skin Smoothie.”

      As for the Malibu home, it’s a 1950s ranch-style structure sited on more than half an acre of oceanfront land, complete with an impressive 73 feet of beach frontage. With six bedrooms and six bathrooms in nearly 3,700 square feet, the recently renovated residence includes hardwood floors throughout, walls of glass, soaring ceilings with exposed wood beams and a covered balcony upstairs.

      Other amenities include a long and gated driveway, a snug kitchen with new appliances and butcher-block countertops, a breakfast bar, a fireplace-equipped living room and a guest suite with its own separate entrance.

      Nice as the upgraded house is, it still isn’t good enough for everyone. Just last year, nursing home mogul Lee Samson bought the place for $19.6 million and immediately sought to demolish the existing structure. The current listing notes the property transferred to its new owner with “plans and renderings for a new Richard Landry-designed home of approximately 10,000 square feet,” although it is unclear what Antoci’s ultimate intentions are.

      For unknown reasons, Samson apparently changed his mind about building a new Broad Beach dream home, opting to abandon the project before construction began. But the 76-year-old still owns a giant Richard Landry-designed mansion in prime Beverly Hills.

      The Antocis are longtime Malibu residents who own another oceanfront home elsewhere on Broad Beach. The couple, who sold a minority stake in Erewhon to New York-based private equity firm Stripes Group in 2019, also recently completed construction on a $30 million, all-custom mansion in L.A.’s exclusive Brentwood Park neighborhood. More

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      in Luxury

      Olivia Wilde Has Quietly Sold Her Charming Hacienda on L.A.’s Eastside

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      During their nearly decade-long relationship, Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis accumulated a small portfolio of impressive homes, including a mansion-sized townhouse in Brooklyn and a renovated Spanish hacienda in L.A.’s Silver Lake neighborhood.

      Property records indicate those real estate trophies were divided up following the demise of the two actors’ coupledom, with the Brooklyn townhouse going to Sudeikis and the Silver Lake property being transferred to Wilde’s sole control. And given that Wilde recently bought a multimillion-dollar new home in Studio City, it’s probably no surprise that the “Don’t Worry Darling” director has quietly sold the Silver Lake house. Though it was never on the market, records show the stylish place sold for $4.2 million to a non-famous entertainment attorney and his wife.

      Back in 2019, Wilde and Sudeikis paid $3.5 million for the 1928-built Spanish-style home, which directly overlooks the Silver Lake Reservoir. Originally designed by Frankie Faulkner, one of L.A.’s first female architects, the approximately 2,800 sq. ft. structure was completely remodeled in 2016 by noted design firm DISC Interiors. While the exterior remains period-correct, the home’s innards now sport a far more contemporary and neutral palette, all while retaining many original architectural details — arched doors, casement windows and a beamed barrel ceiling in the living room.

      Set on a 0.13-acre lot, the hillside property features a two-car garage and plenty of additional street parking.  The low-maintenance yard is landscaped with native and drought-tolerant plantings — olive trees and various species of cacti, along with a petite patch of grassy lawn and a saltwater swimming pool in the backyard.

      Indoors, a spacious living room includes an original fireplace and the aforementioned barrel-vaulted ceiling. The sleek eat-in kitchen opens to the dining area and features custom cabinetry, limestone countertops, plus a mixture of vintage and high-end appliances.

      Though the Wilde-Sudeikis home appears to be single-story from the streetfront, it drops down mullet-style to three full separate levels out back. On the ground floor is a guest bedroom suite with private entry and a convenient wet bar, while the top floor includes the property’s other three bedrooms — two guest rooms that share a bathroom and the home’s fully modernized master suite, with its walk-in closet, dual bathroom vanities and soaking tub. More

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      in Luxury

      ‘Avatar’ Actress Zoe Saldana Is Seeking $16 Million for Her Beverly Hills Home

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      After a little more than seven years of ownership, Zoe Saldana has put her traditional tennis court property in Beverly Hills up for sale. As first reported by The Wall Street Journal, the veteran film actress—probably best known for her roles in Star Trek, Avatar and Guardians of the Galaxy—is asking $16.5 million for the place she picked up from model/entrepreneur Kimora Lee Simmons for $8.7 million back in spring 2016.

      Tucked away on a gated and hedged parcel spanning over a half-acre, in the guarded Hidden Valley Estates community where other residences include Adele, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicole Kidman and Penelope Cruz, the three-story structure was originally built in 1974. Since remodeled, it features five bedrooms and seven baths in 6,400 square feet of living space boasting hardwood floors, imported polished stone finishes and designer lighting throughout.

      Steps pass through a manicured yard before emptying out at a columned front porch and yellow-hued door, which opens into a double-height entry foyer displaying a curving staircase. From there, highlights include a formal dining room surrounded by wainscoted walls, fireside living room adorned with steel-and-glass cabinetry and wood-clad family room, plus a bespoke kitchen outfitted with an eat-in island, top-tier appliances and a separate breakfast room. 

      A wood-paneled family room has French doors spilling out to a terrace.

      Jeremy Spann

      A spacious upstairs master retreat sports a fireplace, sitting area and dual closets, as well as a marble bath spotlighted by a large oval soaking tub; and elsewhere is a media room, lounge area and gym, along with grassy grounds hosting a pool and spa, an al fresco dining area with a barbecue and kitchen setup, and a lighted tennis court. There’s also a two-car garage on the premises.

      The property, also available for lease at $47,500 per month, is listed by Brett Lawyer of Carolwood Estates.

      Click here for more photos of Zoe Saldana’s Beverly Hills house.

      Jeremy Spann More

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      in Luxury

      The ‘God Is a Bullet’ Producer Is Selling His All-New East Coast Traditional House in L.A.

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      Back in spring 2020, Michael Mendelsohn doled out $1.7 million for an early 1900s residence in Los Angeles. He then took it down to the studs, and spent the next three years completely remodeling and expanding the place.

      Now the Tinseltown producer—probably best known for the movies Reservoir Dogs, Lord of War, Cut Throat City, and most recently, God is a Bullet starring Jamie Foxx—has decided to try his hand at selling the newly reborn East Coast Traditional-style digs in Hollywood Hills with a significant jump in price, asking a speck under $4.3 million.

      Tucked away behind walls and gates, on less than a quarter-acre parcel within walking distance of Runyon Canyon, the wood-sided structure features a little more than 3,500 square feet of modern living space on two levels accented throughout with marble finishes and herringbone wood floors.

      Per the listing, held by Angel Kou of The Agency and Taryn Keyser of Compass, there’s also a separate guesthouse with its own living area, kitchen and bath that could easily serve as an office or a studio.

      A gourmet kitchen connects to a fireside family room, which has glass doors opening to a terrace.

      Especially standing out on the main level is a gourmet kitchen decked out with an eat-in island, top-tier Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, and a walk-in pantry. An adjoining family room displays a fireplace flanked by built-in shelving, along with glass doors spilling out to a covered terrace ideal for al fresco entertaining with a built-in barbecue. Elsewhere is a living room boasting a brick fireplace, an office space and a chandelier-topped dining room.

      Five bedrooms include an upstairs master retreat outfitted with a fireplace, private balcony and walk-in closet, plus a luxe bath equipped with dual vanities, a freestanding soaking tub and glass-encased shower. Outdoors, the secluded backyard hosts a herb garden, as well as a sparkling pool and spa lined with waterfalls on one side and a sundeck on the other.

      Click here for more photos of Michael Mendelsohn’s Hollywood Hills house.

      The Luxury Level More

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      in Luxury

      Lionel Messi Just Scored a Chic Waterfront Mansion in South Florida

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      Lionel Messi continues to claim his South Florida turf! Not only does the professional footballer already own at least three multimillion-dollar condos in the Miami suburb of Sunny Isles Beach, but now he’s acquired a modern waterfront mansion in Fort Lauderdale’s affluent and guard-gated Bay Colony community.

      The latest splurge comes amid the signing of Messi’s new two-and-a-half-year, $150 million contract with MLS club Inter Miami CF, which is partly owned by David Beckham. The 36-year-old forward—a seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, a trophy given annually to the world’s best player—is coming off a stellar 17-year run with FC Barcelona and two-year stint with Paris Saint-Germaine FC, and he also led his native Argentina to an exciting 4-2 victory against France in the 2022 World Cup last December.

      As first reported by The Real Deal, the soccer star and his wife Antonela Roccuzzo doled out $10.75 million in an off-market deal for a luxe two-story home just minutes away from Inter Miami’s Drive Pink Stadium and the team’s adjacent training facility in Fort Lauderdale. Messi was repped in the deal by Samuel Simpkin and Donna Simpkin of Team Simpkin at Compass.

      Built in 1988, and last sold to John and Stacy Dickerson for $9 million in May 2022, the property features eight bedrooms and 10 baths in over 10,500 square feet of living space. Described in an older listing as a “carefully curated modern waterfront estate,” the two-story structure includes walls of glass that open to a sparkling pool with a waterfall, Baja shelf and spa, as well as a pair of docks resting along 170 feet of waterfront footage on the Intracoastal Waterway.

      The home’s Lori Morris-designed interiors are punctuated throughout with a classic black and white palette enhanced with pops of metal and jewel tones for warmth.

      Brandon Barre

      Nestled amid a cul-de-sac, on a nearly half-acre parcel laced with palms, the stucco and wood-trimmed structure greets with a spacious motorcourt flanked by an attached three-car garage. An entryway featuring double front doors opens into sleek Lori Morris-designed interiors punctuated throughout with a classic black and white palette flaunting porcelain tile floors, plus pops of metal and jewel tones to add warmth.

      Among the highlights: a striking foyer topped by a cascading Murano glass and gold light fixture, which flows to a sunken living area boasting black velvet channel wall panels. Adjacent is an Italian kitchen adorned with an eat-in island that seats six, top-tier appliances and an accompanying breakfast nook lined with windows.

      Elsewhere is a cozy family room with a custom built-in day bed and sofa with matching wall panels covered in charcoal velvet, fitness/spa room, and an executive office with walls bathed in black and brown striated wallpaper; and there’s also a 1,600-square-foot master retreat sporting “gold dripping wallpaper,” a sitting area, private balcony, and spa-inspired bath decked out with dual vanities, a makeup area and walk-in steam shower.

      As for Messi’s other Sunny Isles Beach properties, records show he owns at least two units valued at a combined $10.3 million within the 60-story Porsche Design Tower, along with a $7.4 million full-floor condo at the Regalia building. He also reportedly purchased a place in the Bentley Residences building, which is set to be completed in 2026.

      Click here for more photos of Lionel Messi’s South Florida house.

      Brandon Barre More

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      in Luxury

      Simon Cowell’s Former Beverly Hills Estate Sells for Nearly $34 Million

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      Back in summer 2020, near the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Simon Cowell sold his longtime Beverly Hills main residence for exactly $25 million. Three years later, the nearly 1-acre property has made real estate waves once again, transferring in another off-market deal for a whopping $33.6 million — one of the priciest deals ever closed south of Sunset Boulevard, in the so-called Beverly Hills Flats neighborhood. The latest transaction was first reported by The Real Deal.

      The unapologetically lavish property, which boasts a sublime location on the best block of a prestigious street, was acquired by Cowell way back in 2004 for just $8 million. The all-around mogul subsequently spent five years — and undoubtedly many millions of dollars — transforming the place into a high-tech fortress packed with custom amenities, including a wellness center and a million-dollar security system.

      Cowell sold the property in 2020 by Alon Abady, a Beverly Hills local who is managing partner at Waterfall Bridge Capital, a commercial and residential real estate investment firm. Abady, 53, flipped the estate at a substantial profit to Syailendra Bakrie, a businessman and member of one of Indonesia’s wealthiest families. Earlier this year, the 43-year-old’s younger sister Adinda Bakrie paid $21 million for a contemporary mansion elsewhere in the Beverly Hills Flats.

      Because the Cowell estate has never been publicly offered on the market, some of its various interior accouterments remain a mystery. But the “America’s Got Talent” judge had the property photographed and published many times over the years, and the traditional-meets-contemporary residential fusion boasts a black-and-white interior motif enhanced by copious amounts of marble and glass. There are at least five bedrooms and eight baths in nearly 10,000 square feet of living space.

      Some of the property’s numerous amenities include a solarium, movie theater, lap-lane swimming pool, pool cabana with a retractable roof, an at-home tanning salon, a state-of-the-art gym, two kitchens, and that wellness suite with spa and massage facilities, plus a steam room. For the hired help, there are maid’s and butler’s quarters, and a security detail can monitor the premises through the world-class security system, which includes retina scan authorization.

      Outside, the estate includes a sparkling pool, a detached pool house/guesthouse of some sort, verdant lawns, mature palm trees and a street-facing façade obscured by gorgeous native sycamores. A gated courtyard has parking space for at least a half-dozen luxury vehicles.

      Fully customized by Cowell, the nearly 10,000-square-foot house includes a bevy of high-tech amenities. More