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      Jeff Bezos Pays Record Price for a Waterfront Estate on Miami Beach’s “Billionaire Bunker” Island

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      It looks like Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump are getting another mega-rich neighbor in Florida. Jeff Bezos and his helicopter-flying fiancée, Lauren Sanchez, are reported by Bloomberg to be the secret buyers who shelled out $68 million for a waterfront estate on Miami Beach’s Indian Creek Island. The off-market deal was sealed in June, a couple of months after Bezos took delivery of his half-billion-dollar boat, Koru, and shortly after the couple got engaged.

      The transaction sets a new price record for the ultra-exclusive island enclave, which is commonly referred to as the “Billionaire Bunker” due to the unusual number of billionaires who own homes on the tiny island. The previous record of $49.9 million was set in 2019. 

      With fewer than three dozen waterfront homes surrounding a private 18-hole golf course, the island is only accessible via a single bridge or by boat. Security is paramount, and hence, the bridge entrance is heavily guarded, and a private security force patrols the island, on land and on water, 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

      An aerial view of the 2.75-acre waterfront estate.

      Apple Maps

      The property was not officially on the market, but tax records and other resources indicate the single-story mansion was built in 1965 and expanded in 1985 to around 10,000 square feet, with three bedrooms and three bathrooms. The two-parcel spread encompasses 2.75 acres and includes a long driveway that passes under a porte cochère at the front of the house, while a secondary driveway provides access to the garage. There’s also a waterside swimming pool. 

      Bezos is also reportedly interested in the neighboring estate, an even larger and more opulent 19,000-square-foot palace that last sold in 2014 for $28 million and is now on the market with a sky-high price of $85 million.

      Kushner and Trump are shacked up in a rented condo while they renovate the 8,500-square-foot Indian Creek Island home they bought in 2021 for $24 million, and last year, former Victoria Secret model Adriana Lima sold up for about $40 million to Colombian banker Jaime Gilinski, who now owns five contiguous properties on the island. Other folks who have staked their claim on the island include Julio Iglesias, Carl Icahn, Tom Brady, hedge funder Edward Lampert, retired Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula, and car dealership mogul Norman Braman.

      Bezos, who has been renting Kenny G’s bluff-top Malibu compound for $600,000 a month while his $165 million Beverly Hills mansion undergoes renovations, maintains a vast cross-country portfolio that includes a sprawling compound in Seattle’s tech-tycoon-packed Medina neighborhood, several apartments in New York City, a couple of homes in Washington, D.C., and a 14-acre spread on the Hawaiian island of Maui.

      An aerial view of Miami Beach’s Indian Creek Island, aka the Billionaire Bunker.

      Apple Maps More

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      This Media Mogul’s Sprawling Hollywood Hills Estate Just Hit the Market for $60 Million

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      In early 1987, Mexican media tycoon Emilio Azcarraga Milmo paid $2.3 million for the famed Sunset Plaza Apartments building. Located in the lower Hollywood Hills just a short walk north of the Sunset Boulevard, the 1930s structure was designed by prominent architect Paul R. Williams and occupied through the decades by a litany of Tinseltown stars: Carole Lombard, Charles Farrell, Katharine Hepburn, Mitzi Gaynor and Bernadette Peters, to name a few.

      Months after acquiring the building, Milmo demolished it to build a lavish private estate that became his part-time residence. Designed by noted Mexican architect Tomas Cajiga, the hacienda-style compound was completed in 1990. Following Azcarraga Milmo’s 1997 death from pancreatic cancer, that estate was put up for sale at $16 million, though the ask was eventually slashed to $10 million. After the property did not sell, it eventually became a residence of Milmo’s son, billionaire Emilio Azcarraga Jean.

      Now offered at a whopping $60 million, indicative of how home values in the surrounding area have soared, the property is an anomaly in many ways. After all, 2.3 acres of usable land is an extremely rare find in the tightly-packed Hollywood Hills, particularly on a property so close to the Sunset Strip and West Hollywood. The estate’s gardens are also some of the most elaborate and manicured in the entire surrounding neighborhood, more akin to a palatial estate in Holmby Hills or Beverly Park.

      The estate includes an 11,000-square-foot main house, plus a separate guesthouse.

      Google

      The setting is also quirky. Though impressively private thanks to enormous hedge walls and mature trees, the house sits directly across the street from a large apartment complex, and it’s immediately next door to a spacious parking lot used by businesses on one of the Sunset Strip’s busiest blocks.

      Perhaps that’s why, despite the sky-high $60 million price tag, the place is being marketed as a development opportunity. According to the listing, which provides no interior photos of the residence, the estate is “an ideal canvas for visionary developers” and could be used to construct several new homes or multiple apartment buildings.

      But much like the loss of the Sunset Plaza Apartments, destruction of the Azcarraga Milmo estate would be a shame. Featuring appointments “suitable for royalty,” the Mexican Colonial-style property includes two dining rooms adorned with hand-cut stone and centuries-old wood beams, a chef’s kitchen, wine cellar and a library. Outside, stunningly sculpted grounds are decorated by the aforementioned lush gardens, grassy lawns and numerous fountains. There’s also a rectangular swimming pool abutted by a stone patio. And in addition to the 11,000-square-foot main house, the property includes a 2,000-square-foot guesthouse and off-street parking for more than 20 cars.

      Alejandro Aldrete and Mauricio Umansky of The Agency share the listing.

      Azcarraga Jean remains chairman of Televisa, Mexico’s largest television broadcasting company, though in 2018 he stepped away from the CEO role following two decades at the reins. The 55-year-old owns a number of other homes around the world; in 2016, he reduced the asking price of his 257-foot yacht from $144 million to $102 million. More

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      Welcome to Dirt’s New Home

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      Published on July 31, 2023

      Colin Miller

      Beginning from August, Dirt has a brand new home here on Robb Report’s real estate pages. The team that brought you Dirt.com and its newsletters will be contributing to Robb Report’s celebrity homes coverage, in addition to expanding its reporting on historic and extraordinary homes from around the world. So you can find all the expert analysis and breaking real-estate news from our sister publication here, from tomorrow. More

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      James Cameron’s Massive Santa Barbara Ranch Just Hit the Market for $33 Million

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      It’s fitting that the director of Titanic would live on a massive piece of property. But that won’t be the case for too much longer.

      James Cameron has listed his Santa Barbara mansion for a cool $33 million, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. Sitting on 100 acres of land, the estate is located in the Hollister Ranch community, a private residential neighborhood that restricts development to leave room for local wildlife.

      The main home is an 8,000-square-foot behemoth with five bedrooms, the listing agent Emily Kellenberger of Village Properties/Forbes Global Properties told the WSJ. (She shares the listing with Jeff Kruthers of Hollister Ranch Realty.) Inside, you’ll also find two offices, a gym, a game room, and a media room. Cameron and his wife spent a year remodeling the house, putting in quartzite floors and restoring the original wood.

      The kitchen

      Blake Bronstad

      “The previous owner had had a lot of marble,” Cameron told the newspaper. “We brought it back down to something that felt connected to the land.” He added that an upstairs room with views of the ocean was used as his library and office, where he wrote parts of Avatar and its more recent sequel.

      A 2,000-square-foot guesthouse sits elsewhere on the property, along with a tennis court and a lagoon-style pool surrounded by palm trees. Cameron used a 24,000-square-foot equestrian barn to store a helicopter and other vehicles, with a helicopter landing pad helpfully available as well.

      Cameron and his wife are both big environmentalists, so the property plays into that aspect of their lives too. Organic gardens throughout the estate have allowed the couple to grow much of their own food, while solar and wind power supply up to 100 kilowatts, with enough storage to stay off the grid indefinitely. Plus, the property is water-autonomous, with wells for both agricultural water and drinking water.

      The primary bedroom

      Blake Bronstad

      The couple has decided to ditch their property as a way of reducing their carbon footprint, Cameron told The Wall Street Journal. They also own 5,000 acres in New Zealand, 10,000 acres in Saskatchewan, and a home in Crested Butte, Colorado, and they spend time near both Los Angeles and Austin, Texas.

      “One major criticism, especially if you’re seen as a high-visibility, or high-net worth person is, ‘Oh, you’ve got all these properties all over the place. That’s not very sustainable,’” Cameron said. “We’re trying to walk the walk of sustainability.”

      Here, that means walking away from the coastal manse, and allowing someone else to enjoy its bountiful grounds.

      Click here to see all the images of James Cameron’s home. More

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      French Montana’s Sprawling Los Angeles Mansion Hits the Market Nearly $23 Million

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      Moroccan-born rapper French Montana, born Karim Kharbouch, is saying goodbye to his Los Angeles home.

      The “Unforgettable” artist first purchased the home in late 2020 from basketball player Paul George, a forward on the Los Angeles Clippers, for $8.4 million, and is now spinning off the home for a whopping $22.75 million. After purchasing the home, he embarked on an extensive remodel with Iqosa Interior and Architecture Design to suit his vision for the property.

      The great room.

      Mike Kelley courtesy of The Fridman Group

      The home is located in the exclusive guard-gated enclave called Ashley Ridge, part of the glitzy, celebrity-filled Hidden Hills community. It’s sited on a 1.5-acre parcel of land, and you’re welcomed in via a private circular driveway with lush, manicured landscaping and towering mature trees with leafy canopies. The residence spans 16,000 square feet and has seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms, ideal for those who love to entertain or those with a large family. 

      The custom-built estate features bespoke wooden ceilings and oak beams, limestone floors, grand skylights, custom lighting, carved wooden doors, and marble fireplaces. No detail or expense was spared when it came to materiality. There are also floor-to-ceiling windows and custom glass sliding doors that overlook the pastoral grounds and welcome in plenty of natural light. There’s a spacious chef’s kitchen, which feels bright and airy thanks to vaulted beamed ceilings and open skylights. The home has a minimalist, natural aesthetic with indoor greenery at every turn.

      The chef’s kitchen.

      Mike Kelley courtesy of The Fridman Group

      The heart of the home is the 4,000-square-foot great room with vaulted wooden ceilings, motorized skylights, sliding glass doors that open to the backyard, a bar, and two large living areas with fireplaces. The primary suite is also of note and occupies a wing of the house. There are vaulted wooden ceilings, a two-sided fireplace, a lounge with a kitchenette, massive walk-in closet, and a spa-like bathroom with a built-in sofa near the glass-enclosed shower and soaking tub. 

      Amenities include a movie theater, gym, steam shower, wrapping room, bonus room, library, walk-in wine cellar, outdoor kitchen, custom barbecue, fire pit, fountains, five-car garage, RV storage space, and a full-size basketball court. The outdoor areas are resort-like with a pool and spa, stone deck, incredible landscaping, and an outdoor entertainment area with a music and TV center. There  are also fruit and shade trees located throughout the property.

      The primary suite.

      Mike Kelley courtesy of The Fridman Group

      According to listing agent Tomer Fridman of The Fridman Group at Compass, Montana is deciding to sell so he can focus on expanding his portfolio globally, possibly in Miami, New York, and Paris. 

      Click here for more photos of French Montana’s L.A. house. 

      Mike Kelley courtesy of The Fridman Group More

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      Mischa Barton’s Former Beverly Hills Estate Hits the Market for $10 Million

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      A new California listing just hit the market with ties to one of The O.C.’s star actresses.

      Set on over an acre of land, a Beverly Hills compound once owned by Mischa Barton can now be yours for $10 million. The six-bedroom, nine-bathroom Bowmont estate offers four beds in the main residence and one in each of the two guest houses. You’ll find most of the luxe amenities inside the 10,305-square-foot main residence that range from great rooms with soaring ceilings to a home theater to a backyard pool. Scenic views from the property also make you feel as though you’ve left the City of Angels behind and landed in Northern Italy.

      The living room with a fireplace, set next to an office area

      Upon your arrival at the estate, the main residence’s stony facade covered in cascading greenery welcomes you inside. A decorative iron door allows you to enter the interior, where you’ll spot exposed wood-beam ceilings and stone flooring—both of which are key design details you’ll notice are carried throughout the abode. The heart of the manse, on ground level, features a light-filled space surrounded by an iron-rail staircase and the nearby formal dining room. A spacious chef’s kitchen fitted with wooden cabinetry, a massive island with seating, and top-of-the-line appliances can also be found on the same floor, alongside a breakfast eating area.

      The formal living room features a decorative fireplace alongside an excess of windows and doors that lead out to the verdant grounds. An office space sits to the right of the living room space. One floor above lies the grand primary bedroom that also houses a fireplace, as well as a private balcony with scenic views of the grounds. The complimentary primary bathroom has two steam showers, a soaking tub, and four tall windows that let the light in. And to store your designer wardrobe, the space also includes two closets with excess space and views of L.A. Other luxe amenities you’ll find inside the home include a game room, a wine cellar, a home gym, and a theater room for entertaining.

      Inside the spacious primary bedroom

      Outdoors lies a backyard oasis beneath a covered loggia that is engulfed by lush greenery. Elsewhere on the grounds, you’ll find the lap pool set next to ample space for lounge seating—not to mention breathtaking views of the horizon and Italian cypress trees. A patio area, closer to the residence, also boast a spacious layout for outdoor dining and city views. When you’re ready to explore the grounds further, a stone pathway in the backyard leads you to additional views from the opulent estate.

      Aaron Kirman, Cindy Ambuehl, and Daniel Millstein of AKG | Christie’s International Real Estate hold the listing.

      Click here for more images of the home.

      Anthony Barcelo More

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      Rod Stewart’s Maximalist $70 Million L.A. Château Comes With Its Own Soccer Field

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      It seems like Rod Stewart no longer thinks his Los Angeles mansion is all that sexy.

      The British rock star just listed his massive North Beverly Park estate for an eye-popping $70 million, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. Listing agent Michelle Oliver of Douglas Elliman wouldn’t say why Stewart had decided to give up his abode, which he bought in 1991 for a mere $12 million, and the musician’s spokesperson didn’t respond to the WSJ’s request for comment.

      The great room

      Ryan Lahiff

      The nine-bedroom main house was designed by the architect Richard Landry to look like a European château, with an imposing yellow exterior and double doors. To get to the building, you have to navigate down a long driveway featuring a motor court with a classical fountain. Once inside, you’re greeted by marble floors and Corinthian columns—ornate details that continue throughout the house, in touches such as wood paneling and crystal chandeliers.

      The primary suite contains a large sitting room, spacious closets, and a fireplace, with an outdoor terrace that looks out over the pool. The rest of the house, meanwhile, is ideal for entertaining: A formal dining room has space for 20, and a great room on the main floor comes with a bar and a raised platform where a grand piano currently sits. Elsewhere, there’s a stately library and a speakeasy decked out in green wood paneling.

      The pool area

      Ryan Lahiff

      Outside, on the almost three acres of land, you’ll find a three-story guesthouse and a full-on soccer field (Stewart is apparently a major fan of footie, according to Oliver). If you prefer indoor exercise, you can choose between two gyms on the property.

      Recently, Stewart’s former neighbor Mark Wahlberg sold his Beverly Park home for $55 million, although he had initially listed it for $87.5 million. In that same vein, Stewart’s 33,000-square-foot estate pairs its ostentatious price tag with similarly maximalist decor. But unlike the mega-expensive L.A. homes that lean modern, Oliver told The Wall Street Journal, Stewart’s manse is “something that looks different and stands out . . . This is truly bespoke.” We wouldn’t expect anything less from the man who made a hit of “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?”

      Click here to see all the images of Rod Stewart’s home. More

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      Miami Heat Guard Victor Oladipo’s $10 Million Florida Mansion Comes With a Pro-Level Recording Studio

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      The Miami Heat are currently experiencing a Cinderella run in the NBA playoffs, reaching the finals to face off against Denver Nuggets. One of their shooting guards, however, is still looking for the shoe—er, house—that fits.

      Victor Oladipo, who’s out for the rest of the season following an injury in April, has listed his Miami Beach home for $10 million, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. The 6,500-square-foot mansion, listed by Liz Hogan at Compass Real Estate, features seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms and sits on a gated island with a host of amenities.

      One of the bedrooms

      Charles at Photostetic

      The modern estate, which was built in 2020, is larger than most other homes in the area, as it sits on one and half lots, rather than just one. That, however, isn’t quite roomy enough for Oladipo, who’s planning to buy a place with more space for his daughter to enjoy. “I would love for my daughter to have a tennis court, or just land so she can run and play around,” he told the WSJ.

      If you feel like the Hibiscus Island property offers more than enough square footage, though, you’ll be able to enjoy the home’s soaring ceilings and panoramic doors, which allow for stunning views. A number of the bedrooms come with en suite bathrooms, and the primary suite is complemented by two walk-in closets.

      Outside, a large pool is accompanied by outdoor seating where you can lounge or enjoy a meal. The guesthouse was revamped by Oladipo to contain a $50,000 recording studio, where he’s been recording songs for his next album. (The basketball player is also a vocalist, and he released an Afrobeats album in February.)

      The backyard

      Charles at Photostetic

      Oladipo bought the island estate back in 2021 for $7.8 million, choosing it in part because of its location just three miles from the Heat arena. In the first quarter of this year, homes in the Miami Beach area sold for an average of $5.4 million, a 24.2 percent increase from the year prior, according to a Douglas Elliman report cited in The Wall Street Journal.

      That puts the price of Oladipo’s home at almost double the neighborhood average—but how many of those other properties have an NBA pedigree?

      Click here to see all the photos of Victor Oladipo’s home. More