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      Diane Sawyer’s Coastal New England Oasis Sells for Close to Asking

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      Once again Diane Sawyer is associated with breaking news—but this time, the latest juicy tidbit is centered around her own New England home. Barely two months after the TV broadcast journalist’s longtime residence known as “Chip Chop” first hit the market, the sprawling seaside compound has already traded hands for a smidge under the $24 million asking price, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

      Records show the speedy buyer is David Malm, managing partner of Webster Equity Partners, who paid $23.9 million for the 20-acre estate resting in the coastal enclave of Martha’s Vineyard. Per WSJ, the investor now lays claim to $100 million worth of luxury homes on the Massachusetts island and neighboring Nantucket, including a historic house on Edgartown’s inner harbor he paid $15 million for earlier this year.

      Designed in the late 1930s by Neoclassical architect Eric Gugler and ultimately completed in the mid-1940s, the property was purchased by the news anchor and her late film director husband Mike Nichols in the mid-1990s for $5.3 million. The couple subsequently undertook an extensive restoration in conjunction with Tate Builders, which included adding dormers, and replicating antique windows and doors.

      Originally built for stage actress Katharine Cornell, and designed by Neoclassical architect Eric Gugler, the New England-style home is topped with 10 chimneys.

      Nestled on two separate parcels of land tucked between Vineyard Sound and Lake Tashmoo, and boasting a combined mile of private shoreline, the seaside spread features a wood-shingled, New England-style main house boasting three bedrooms in nearly 5,000 square feet of living space.

      Numerous additional structures include a two-bedroom caretaker’s cottage and a pair of modern beach cottages affectionately referred to as “The Shacks” because of the fishing shacks they replaced, plus two more detached guest bedroom suites known as the Pond and Ocean pavilions. There’s also a swimming pool and Har-Tru tennis court on the premises.

      Several ancillary structures are scattered across the 20-acre property.

      The 77-year-old anchor known for programs such as ABC World News Tonight, Good Morning America and 20/20, previously told WSJ she is selling this “magic place” because “the rhythms of summer have changed” as her family has grown, and “there is less free time for long visits to the island.”

      The listing was held by Mark Jenkins of Wallace and Co. Sotheby’s International Realty; Malm was repped by Tom Wallace of Wallace & Co. Sotheby’s International Realty.

      Click here for more photos of Diane Sawyer’s New England compound. 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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      Bret Baier Is Looking to Flip His Amenity-Packed Washington, D.C., Estate for $32 Million

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      Now that Bret Baier has upgraded into a new $37 million mansion in the Sunshine State’s affluent Palm Beach community, the chief political anchor of Fox News Channel, and anchor and executive producer of the network’s Special Report program, has decided to put his residence the upper northwest section of Washington, D.C., back on the market, as was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

      The asking price is a speck under $32 million—or $32.5 million more than the Baier and his longtime wife Amy forked over for the 1.5-acre property a little more than five years ago, back in September 2018, before they spent a reported three years and $25 million to completely rebuild every inch of the existing premises in collaboration with developer Michael Banks and architect David Jones.

      Should the house go for anywhere near the hefty list price, it would set a record for the city, topping the sale of a circa-1810 mansion that traded for $24.5 million back in 2007.

      The limestone-clad mansion is fronted by a cobblestone motorcourt boasting a central fountain.

      Studio Trejo/Mid-Atlantic Drones for TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

      Completed in April 2022, and Inspired by France’s Hotel Chateau du Grand-Lucé, the stately limestone and mansard-roof structure features five bedrooms and nine baths spread across 16,250 square feet of Thomas Pheasant-designed living space.

      A gated driveway empties out at a spacious cobblestone motorcourt bolstered by a marble fountain and flanked by a pair of three-car garages. Arched double doors beneath a portico entryway lead into the main level of the multi-level home, which greets with a soaring rotunda-topped foyer displaying a decorative Nero Marquina marble floor imported from Italy and curving floating staircase.

      A grand entry foyer is decked out with Nero Marquina marble flooring from Italy.

      Studio Trejo/Mid-Atlantic Drones for TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

      From there, the fireside living room has a temperature-controlled wine display, seated wet bar and French doors spilling out to a terrace, and a formal dining room flaunts another fireplace, plus a bespoke wood-and-glass table that seats 14. A gourmet kitchen is outfitted with an eat-in island, top-tier Miele, Wolf, and Sub-Zero appliances, and an adjoining breakfast nook that connects to a glass-lined family room.

      Upstairs, an opulent master retreat hosts a fireplace, sitting area, an expansive balcony, and dual walk-in closets and luxe baths. Additional en-suite bedrooms can be found on the third floor and lower level, which also has a wet bar-equipped lounge, game room with golf simulator, movie theater, gym, sauna and an indoor basketball court spanning two stories.

      A two-story indoor basketball court occupies the home’s lower level.

      Studio Trejo/Mid-Atlantic Drones for TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

      Outdoors, the tired grounds were crafted by landscape architect Richard Arentz, and hold a 56-foot pool and spa, chipping and putting green, and numerous spots ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining. There’s also a whole-home 72-kilowatt generator, as well as eight geothermal wells providing 20 tons of cooling capacity.

      Per WSJ, Baier visited Florida frequently during Covid and decided to move there full-time this past summer. He will continue to commute weekly to Washington, where he hosts his live shows, and look for a smaller place there. Baier—whose net worth is estimated at $72 million—also happens to own a second home in Palm Beach that he paid fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger $12 million for in 2022, according to the South Florida Business Journal.

      The listing is held by Daniel Heider and Jaclyn Mason of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty.

      Click here for more photos of Bret Baier’s Washington, D.C., house.

      Studio Trejo/Mid-Atlantic Drones for TTR Sotheby’s International Realty More

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      A Prominent Attorney Is Seeking $33 Million for This Historic Montecito Gem

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      Back in 2004, Robert Lieff and his then-wife Susan paid $4.5 million for a historic residence in the seaside enclave of Montecito and then spent another $2 million on renovations. A year later, the couple divorced and the home went to Susan, with Lieff relocating to Napa and San Francisco to be closer to Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, the plaintiff law firm he founded in 1972 that’s widely known for representing landmark civil cases such as the Exxon Valdez oil disaster.

      Fast-forward a few years, and Lieff ultimately ended up repurchasing the place from his ex-wife for nearly $12 million in summer 2012. “I knew I would get this house back sooner or later,” he told The Wall Street Journal at the time. “I always wanted this house.” 

      But that was then; and now, over a decade later, Lieff and his current wife Gretchen have decided to put the Spanish Revival mansion dubbed “Los Sueños” (translated to “The Dreams”) up for sale, asking a hefty $33 million. The listing is held by Cristal Clarke of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties.

      A lengthy tree-lined driveway empties out at a motorcourt bolstered by a central fountain.

      Jim Bartsch

      Built and designed by noted Santa Barbara architects George Washington Smith and Lutah Riggs way back in the late 1920s for Rachael Ogilvy Douglas, daughter of a linen manufacturer, the dwelling was later owned in the ’80s by Joan Cohn Harvey, the widow of Columbia Pictures President Harry Cohn. During their tenure, the Lieffs restored the premises and updated a garden originally designed by landscape architect A.E. Hanson.

      Tucked away behind a lengthy gated and tree-lined driveway, on a parcel spanning just over 3 acres, the white stucco and terra-cotta-roof structure features seven bedrooms and nine baths in almost 11,000 square feet of living space adorned throughout with a mix of marble and hardwood floors, custom chandeliers and groin-vaulted ceilings. There’s also a four-story tower guesthouse, which has a spiral staircase that travels from a bottom living area up to a kitchen, bath and top-floor bedroom offering ocean views.

      A fountain-clad motorcourt greets, with the front door opening into an entry foyer that flows to an impressive central hallway displaying black-and-white marble floors, a soaring rib-vaulted ceiling, and fanlight-topped French doors spilling out to a red brick terrace nestled alongside a square pool flanked by sculptures. Back inside, a formal living room is adorned with a fireplace and trio of green-trimmed French doors leading out to a balcony, while the gourmet kitchen is outfitted with an eat-in island, top-tier stainless appliances, a butler’s pantry and an adjoining breakfast nook.

      A striking wood-paneled living room has a fireplace and multiple doors opening to a terrace.

      Jim Bartsch

      In addition to a formal fireside dining room boasting checkered marble floors and handsome wood-paneled library/office, a hotel-like master retreat sports a fireplace, sitting area, and dual walk-in closets and baths; and outdoors, the manicured grounds are dotted with rose gardens, olive trees and an orchard, and host the aforementioned courtyard and pool, along with a tennis court and four-car garage.

      Lieff, 87, and his wife Gretchen, a former TV journalist, also own and operate wineries in the California cities of Napa and San Luis Obispo.

      Click here for more photos of Robert Lieff’s historic Montecito estate.

      Jim Bartsch 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

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      Extreme Guitarist Nuno Bettencourt Strums out of Viewtastic Hollywood Hills Retreat

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      Nuno Bettencourt needs more than words! In this particular scenario, the veteran Portuguese-American musician is seeking a fairly substantial chunk of change for his longtime residence that just popped up for sale atop the Beachwood Canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles.

      The 57-year-old lead guitarist of the iconic Boston rock band Extreme—who also regularly tours with pop superstar Rihanna—is asking just under $4 million for the contemporary architectural-style spread, or around $1.8 million more than he paid for the place a little over a decade ago, back in spring 2013.

      Built back in the early 1990s, but since updated, the home features five bedrooms and six baths filtered across a little more than 5,500 square feet of open-plan living space boasting dark hardwood floors, high vaulted ceilings, skylights and an elevator, plus stellar views of the Downtown L.A. skyline, Griffith Observatory, Hollywood Sign, Lake Hollywood and Pacific Ocean beyond.

      Some of the most spectacular scenery in Los Angeles is available from almost every vantage point.

      Cris Nolasco/Nolasco Studios

      Nestled on roughly a third of an acre of land, the multi-story gray stucco structure is fronted by a trio of glassy side-by-side garage bays, with the front door opening into a soaring living room flaunting an attractive wood-encased fireplace, seated wet bar and sliding glass doors spilling outside.

      Other main-level highlights include an office space, a cozy den and formal dining room, along with a gourmet kitchen outfitted with an eat-in island, high-end stainless appliances and an accompanying breakfast nook; and upstairs, a spacious master retreat is decked out with a sitting area, private balcony, walk-in closet and dressing area, as well as a spa-inspired bath equipped with a soaking tub, separate shower and sauna.

      The studio where Extreme recorded its latest almost Six has been converted into a guesthouse.

      Cris Nolasco/Nolasco Studios

      The outdoor setting definitely steals the proverbial rock show, complete with an upper-deck oasis hosting a pool and spa nestled alongside a sundeck and an open-air cabana. There’s also a guesthouse that was previously used as a recording studio.

      Extreme achieved its greatest success with the 1990 album Pornograffitti, which peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 and went on to earn a double-platinum certification. The album featured the hit singles Hole Hearted and More than Words, the latter of which remains one of the most popular rock songs of all time with more than a half-billion streams and upwards of 633 million YouTube views.

      The group recently released its first studio album since 2008; Six was recorded at Bettencourt’s home studio and landed at No. 10 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart, with 12,500 copies sold during the first week.

      The listing is held by Cindy Lorimer and Peter Lorimer of PLG Estates.

      Click here for more photos of Nuno Bettencourt’s Hollywood Hills house.

      Cris Nolasco/Nolasco Studios More