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      in Luxury

      Fashion Designer Gigi Caruso Spends $9.5 Million on a Dreamy California Home

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      She’s just 23 years old, but Gianna “Gigi” Caruso is already the CEO and founder of a successful clothing company with the sort of finger-on-the-collective-pulse clout many more established apparel moguls would kill to have. Founded in 2017, Caruso’s Gigi C swimwear line is a pricey hit, with her $200 bikini sets having racked up a host of celebrity fans that include Eva Longoria, January Jones, Selma Blair and Elizabeth Banks. And it’s no wonder that the brand’s continued growth, coupled with its owner’s chic personal style, has turned Caruso a popular social media influencer.

      Of course, it’s also worth noting that Caruso is the only daughter of Rick Caruso, the high-profile real estate developer and onetime L.A. mayoral candidate who has built and owns some of the country’s most successful shopping malls. The elder Caruso’s personal net worth tops $5.3 billion, per Forbes.

      So it’s hardly a surprise that Gigi Caruso can afford some very nice things. The recent USC grad recently forked out $9.5 million for a stunningly refined house in prime Pacific Palisades, the seaside neighborhood well known for the upscale, and Rick Caruso-developed, Palisades Village outdoor shopping area.

      The 100-year-old heritage olive trees arguably upstage the elegant house itself.

      Built in 2007 but extensively renovated in 2019, the contemporary quasi-Spanish-Mediterranean villa was in demand, with Caruso ponying up $30,000 over the asking price just to secure the keys. Gnarled, century-old olive tees line the long private driveway, which is guarded by an electronic gate and butts up against an attached two-car garage. Also on tap outside are tranquil gardens and a private studio space ideal for the at-home artist.

      Inside, the long and narrow house packs a generous seven bedrooms and seven baths into nearly 6,000 square feet of sun-drenched living space. Medium brown hardwood floors neatly contrast against the pale decor, a neutral palette filled mostly with whites and some pops of light gray.

      The main floor features numerous sets of French doors and multiple fireplaces.

      On the main floor are dual fireplaces and a dizzying number of open living and dining areas, plus two guest bedrooms and a fashionably updated chef’s kitchen. Upstairs is the primary suite, where a private balcony overlooks the lush backyard, along with four additional family bedrooms.

      Out back, the 0.33-acre lot is defined by its oversized swimming pool, which neatly connects the main house to a detached casita. Guests will enjoy dining al fresco amid the manicured gardens, along with a built-in bbq center and a separate lounge area with a fire pit overlooking impressive canyon views.

      Privately surrounded by hedges and eucalyptus trees, the backyard is a resort-style sanctuary.

      Records reveal the seller home’s was James Barker, a trucking mogul and private equity veteran who recently paid $16.5 million to upgrade into a significantly larger and more lavish estate elsewhere in the Palisades. As for Caruso, she’s certainly not new to the area. Her parents have long owned one of the largest properties in L.A.’s Brentwood Park community; Vanity Fair recently described the palatial Caruso family estate as “a creamy Italianate compound of rolling grasses, waterfalls, a pond, a rowboat, a tennis court, and an outdoor bar.” More

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      in Luxury

      Joe Francis’s Parents Quietly Sell Their Ocean-View Mansion in SoCal for $25 Million

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      Though it was never officially on the market, a lavish Laguna Beach residence long owned by businessman Raymond Francis and his wife Maria, the parents of Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis, has sold to a neighbor for $25 million, a large number for Orange County’s guard-gated Emerald Bay enclave and among the biggest sums ever paid for an Emerald Bay home without direct beach access.

      Records show the buyer is veteran mortgage lender/entrepreneur Evan M. Stone—cofounder and CEO of Champions Funding, a provider of non-traditional mortgage financing services—who also purchased a smaller Emerald Bay home last summer, paying $8.5 million. Stone also serves as chairman of Community Savings Bank, as well as a co-owner and partner of Rep 1, a sports agency for pro athletes such as Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp and Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff that was recently acquired by Excel Sports Management.

      The Francises paid $2.2 million for the Emerald Bay property some 27 years ago, back in May 1996, before completely leveling and rebuilding an existing home on the site. Completed in 2007, and resting on a nearly quarter-acre parcel, the resort-like abode features five bedrooms and seven baths spread across almost 7,600 square feet of two-level living space overlooking sweeping views of the Pacific coastline and surrounding bluffs.

      Upon entry, a glamorous living room is warmed by a floor-to-ceiling fireplace and crowned with a massive chandelier.

      Once inside, the interiors are decked out with high coffered ceilings, bespoke millwork, ornate stair railings, hand-crafted chandeliers and clerestory windows. Posh amenities range from two wood-paneled offices and a wine-tasting chamber, to a seated wet bar, screening room and sauna-equipped gym.

      Additional highlights include formal living and dining rooms, plus a gourmet kitchen outfitted with custom cabinetry, stone countertops, a center island, top-tier stainless appliances, a butler’s pantry and an accompanying breakfast nook. There’s also a sumptuous master retreat, which sports a fireplace, sliding glass doors opening to a private ocean-facing patio, a walk-in closet, and spa-inspired bath boasting dual vanities, a dressing area, soaking tub and separate shower.

      Several rooms in the house open to terraces offering up picturesque ocean vistas.

      Outdoors, the landscaped grounds host numerous terraces adorned with fire features, along with a fountain, built-in barbecue and putting green. Rounding it all out: an attached two-car garage, plus an $8,200 annual HOA fee allowing Emerald Bay residents access to a private beach, junior Olympic-size pool, tennis courts, parks and playgrounds.

      The listing was held by Tim Smith of Coldwell Banker Realty; Maura Short and Michelle Cormier of Compass repped the buyer.

      Click here for more photos of 145 Emerald Bay. More

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      in Luxury

      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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      in Luxury

      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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      in Luxury

      Julia Roberts Just Sold Her Charming San Francisco Home in a Flash

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      Back in the earliest days of 2020, just a month or two before the Covid-19 pandemic threw the entire world into chaos, Julia Roberts paid $8.3 million for a house in San Francisco, long one of her favorite haunts. Sited in the charming Presidio Heights neighborhood, the 1912 Victorian had languished on the market for nearly a full year, and endured a series of price chops before Roberts came calling.

      Nearly four years later, the Oscar-winning actress has sold the classically lovable house – and it appears she had the magic touch. After hitting the market in early October, the place sold in just 18 days for an impressive $11.3 million, about $500,000 under Roberts’ asking price but still $3 million more than she had paid. The all-cash buyer, shielded behind a mysterious LLC with a Silicon Valley address, has not yet been publicly identified.

      Behind gates, a brick walkway leads to the home’s column-ringed entry; inside are five full levels with a total of five bedrooms and five bathrooms in a generous 6,300 square feet of living space. Guests are greeted by a stately foyer with a grand staircase holding court near a light-flooded, fireplace-equipped living room.

      While the 111-year-old house has clearly been extensively modified over the years – and the interiors are distinctly contemporary, albeit in a relaxed and casual manner – the place is livable and unmistakably charming. And interesting or original features abound: the dining room features intricate coffered ceilings, there’s a nifty sunroom in one of the bedrooms, and the robin’s egg blue kitchen has stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge, plus premium Sub-Zero appliances and a convenient wet bar.

      Four of the home’s bedrooms are located on the second floor, while the primary suite takes up nearly all of the structure’s top floor. There are also two semi-subterranean lower levels – a primary lower level that includes a media room, mud room and the attached two-car tandem garage, and a “lower lower” level with a big bonus room. 

      Both lower levels have direct access to the backyard garden, which is compact but includes serene olive trees, romantic sitting areas and what appears to be a covered hot tub.

      Roberts, 56, still maintains many other homes. Among them are a penthouse in New York City’s West Village, a sprawling New Mexico ranch and an estate on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. But for many years, her primary residence has been a blufftop mansion on Malibu’s Point Dume. More

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      in Vacation Homes

      This $3 Million Villa in Costa Rica Looks Out Over the Pacific Ocean From Its Treetop Perch 

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      Like other homes that blend in with their natural surroundings, this brand-new villa in the rugged North Pacific region on the West Coast of Costa Rica is discreetly tucked away with just a few other homes in the lush, dense jungles of Guanacaste. 

      The Sunset Villas are a collection of four residences nestled within the 3,000-acre Costa Elena resort community and ocean club near the border with Nicaragua. On the market for $2.95 million, the hilltop pad is perched in the treetops next to the Guanacaste Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Altogether, the boxy and modern two-story home has four bedrooms, plus a one-bedroom bungalow, and a total of six bathrooms in more than 5,000 square feet of living space. 

      One of the four Sunset Villas at Costa Elena in Guanacaste is now for sale.

      Canadian studio DesignAgency and El Salvador-based architect Eva Hinds were tapped to design the interiors, which have a modern, tropical vibe. Think polished concrete floors, tons of teak wood, and neutral furnishings coupled with massive floor-to-ceiling windows and oversized glass doors that provide panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. All of the bedrooms are ensuite and have a private balcony, so you can take in the epic sights from a bunch of different vantage points.  

      Elsewhere, the digs are equipped with a gourmet chef’s kitchen with stainless appliances, plus a sprawling outdoor pool deck with daybeds, a grill, and a sleek infinity-edge pool. From here, you can look out over Salinas Bay and catch a glimpse of the Orosi Volcano and Bolaños Island. 

      Each of the five bedrooms has a private terrace.

      Owners of the Sunset Villas will have a concierge service and property management team at their disposal and will be given the option of entering the home into Inspirato’s rental program. You’ll also have access to Costa Elena’s three beach clubs, numerous restaurants, fitness facilities, hiking and biking trails, and a nature preserve. Of course, if you’re looking for a little off-site adventure, the 10 miles of coastline are the perfect place for kit surfing, fishing, snorkeling, and more. 

      At the helm of the master-planned Costa Elena is Nicaraguan native and billionaire Don Carlos Pellas. The Pellas Development Group is best known for its work throughout Central America, including Guacalito de la Isla, also known as Nicaragua’s first five-star resort community, in addition to Santa Maria Golf & Country Club in Panama. 

      Click here to see all the photos of Costa Elena’s Sunset Villa. More

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      in Luxury

      A Lavishly Customized South Florida Mansion With Broadway Ties Returns for an Encore

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      For a couple of years now, Al Tapper has been trying to find someone to assume the stewardship of his extravagant South Florida residence known as “Villa Museo” with no takers. Sited in the tony seaside city of Boca Raton, the 19th century-inspired spread took a brief absence from the open market but has now returned, this time with a reduced asking price of $7 million.

      That’s $2 million less than the noted Broadway playwright and composer originally wanted for the place. But it’s still lots more than the $1.5 million he paid for the property back in spring 2000, before he spent three years and millions of dollars customizing the premises. Currently chock full of about $1 million worth of distinctive antique furnishings procured by the avid art collector mostly from New York’s renowned Sotheby’s and Christie’s auction houses—all of which can be included in the sale for an additional cost—the ornate abode is being offered by Bonnie Heatzig of Douglas Elliman.

      A soundproof movie theater features stadium seating and recliners, as well as its own ticket booth and snack bar.

      Resting amid a double parcel of land spanning over two-thirds of an acre, within the Coventry subdivision of the exclusive gated Woodfield Country Club community, the waterfront property features a five-bedroom, seven-bath home with a little more than 6,500 square feet of single-level living space adorned throughout with high ceilings, museum-quality lighting, arched windows, carved columns, and walls lined with limestone, mahogany and pecky cypress. There’s also a gym, plus a detached building that houses an art deco-style movie theater sporting stadium seating, a ticket counter and concession stand.

      Other highlights include a formal living room displaying a massive fireplace topped with stone grills, along with a library, formal dining room, and family room and kitchen outfitted with floors culled from a 400-year-old French church. A sumptuous master retreat has “light oak floors that have been stenciled to replicate wood inlays of elaborate parquet floors that were the norm in the late 1800 European manors,” and a carved Louis XVI double bed that has been reconfigured into a king-sized bed.

      For the formal dining room, the owner wanted to recreate the feel of a “fantasy garden.”

      The amenities continue outdoors, where the grounds are laced with walking paths, fruit trees and tropical plants, and host an oversized freeform pool and spa, numerous spots ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining while overlooking a serene lake, and an attached three-car garage; and topping it all off is a transferrable golf membership at Woodfield Country Club, which includes access to an 18-hole championship golf course that was recently redesigned and renovated by architect Kipp Schulties to the tune of around $8 million.

      A longtime venture capitalist, as well as a film producer, Tapper also reportedly still maintains a New York City penthouse, and Cape Cod home and office in his native state of Massachusetts.

      Click here for more photos of Villa Museo. More

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      in Luxury

      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