More stories

  • in

    Superstars Like Rihanna Are Renting Off-Market Private Properties to Stay at When They Travel

    When a celeb goes on vacation, they could stay at a luxury resort with tons of amenities and people to tend to their every need. Or they can rent out a private home, often one that isn’t available on the rental market and that might actually be owned and occupied by a family.

    The Wall Street Journal got a peek inside several U.S. properties where celebrities have resided in recent years, whether during a vacation or while working in a city where they don’t have their own home base. Many of these stays are handled in off-market, behind-the-scenes deals, and sometimes they can displace homeowners. But for the price that’s being paid, many find the inconvenience worth it.

    For example, Spyro Malaspinas, a cybersecurity expert who lives in Paradise Valley, Arizona, rented out his five-bedroom home to Rihanna during this year’s Super Bowl. He bought the place for $7.3 million last year, and had no intention of renting it out to anyone. But when a property management firm he works with inquired with an offer for $500,000 a week, Malaspinas couldn’t say no. And at the time, he didn’t even know it was Rihanna who would be shacking up in his home. (Rihanna didn’t respond to the WSJ’s request for comment. Most other celebrities also didn’t respond, or they declined to comment to the newspaper.)

    Similar deals have played out across the country, as stars and notable names try to find getaways that meet their exacting standards. In the summer of 2020, Mariah Carey rented a Bedford Corners, New York home owned by the former financial exec Jay Dweck. For $125,000 a month, the singer was able to enjoy the property’s six bedrooms, theater, 900-gallon aquarium, and violin-shaped swimming pool. Dweck, meanwhile, relocated to an Airbnb. After Carey’s stay, the home’s wooden floors had to be replaced—to the tune of $90,000—thanks to pock marks from her high heels. “She’s not the kind of person where someone says, ‘Mariah, take your shoes off,’” Dweck said.

    The celebrity rental process requires a lot of dealmaking on the back end, with real-estate agents and others tapping into their networks to see what they can make work. Often, assistants or travel agents are liaising for VIPs, leaving their identities a secret and sometimes giving just a few days of lead time. And these renters are meticulous as to what they have in the house: Some bring their own bottled water, linens, flowers, air purifiers, or scents. One even had their bed shipped to Hawaii for vacation, a real-estate agent based in the state told The Wall Street Journal. Of course, none of that compares to how Prince made some crazy alterations to NBA star Carlos Boozer’s Bel Air manse in the early ’00s, including turning the weight room into a night club.

    At the end of the day, the quick turns and need to abandon ship might not be so bad for homeowners, though. Malaspinas said that the income he gained from Rihanna’s stay will cover his mortgage payments for two years. And he hasn’t actually moved back into his Paradise Valley home just yet—offers of “crazy amounts of money” have come in for him to sell the place.

    So although his rental allowed Rihanna to lie low for the week, it’s given Malaspinas more visibility than ever. More

  • in

    You Can Now Rent Rihanna’s Swanky Beverly Hills Mansion for $80,000 a Month

    On top of Rihanna’s myriad other business endeavors—she sings, she’s a cosmetics mogul with her own Fenty Beauty brand, she’s a lingerie tycoon and fashion designer—the “Umbrella” crooner is also a budding real estate mogul, with five multimillion-dollar homes in Los Angeles alone. And if you’ve got an extra $80,000 burning a proverbial hole in your pocket, you could have the honor of calling Rihanna your landlord for a full month.

    With five bedrooms and seven bathrooms spread across 7,600 square feet of mansion-sized living space, the Coldwater Canyon mansion is the ideal place for any oligarch to recover from the COVID blues in style. Rihanna purchased the house late last year for $13.8 million, adding to her impressive cache of homes. She also owns the house right next door, picked up in March for $10 million, along with a $6.8 million Hollywood Hills estate, a high-floor condo along the Wilshire Corridor, and her longtime main residence—a $5.5 million penthouse in L.A.’s The Century skyscraper.

    A stunning sunset view of the home from the enclosed backyard. 

    Realtor.com

    The newly-listed rental estate is sited on a coveted cul-de-sac in the mountains above Beverly Hills, where the lucky new renter just might wind up rubbing elbows with high-profile nearby neighbors like Sir Paul McCartney. Originally built in the 1930s, the estate was long owned by novelist Mary Sheldon, daughter of “I Dream of Jeanie” creator Sidney Sheldon, who sold the dated house to entrepreneur and investor Daniel Starr; Starr demolished and rebuilt nearly every inch of the house before Rihanna swept into the real estate picture.
    David Parnes and James Harris of The Agency hold the listing.

    Views of the common areas throughout the home. 

    Realtor.com

    Securely hidden away from the street by soaring hedges and gates, the mansion is accessed via a sloping driveway that drops out at a detached two-car garage. A curved set of stairs leads up to the house, which sports a contemporary façade featuring white paint set against a black metal roof and black trim. Once inside, the modern yet traditional interiors give a nod to the trendy modern farmhouse via an open floorplan accented by French white oak hardwood floors.
    A glass front door pivots into the foyer overlooking a central courtyard replete with an al fresco terrace, pool and spa, cabana and firepit lounge area.

    Backyard seating centered between the main and guest houses. 

    Realtor.com

    Among the main-level highlights: a living room with a fireplace and floor-to-ceiling Fleetwood glass sliding door that opens to the outdoors, plus a walk-in bar area that services an intimate family room/lounge/library space with another fireplace and built-in bookshelves.
    There’s also a gourmet marble-clad kitchen outfitted with dual islands, high-end appliances and a breakfast banquette boasting tufted black leather seating.

    The refined bar area equipped with a fireplace. 

    Realtor.com

    Heading upstairs, one will find a master retreat overlooking Coldwater Canyon, which is showcased by a custom walk-in closet with black lacquer cabinetry, and a spa-like bath encased in veined marble that opens to a private outdoor sitting area.
    The place also has its own gym and media room, along with a guesthouse.
    Check out more images of the mansion below.

    Realtor.com

    Realtor.com

    Realtor.com

    Realtor.com

    Realtor.com

    Realtor.com

    Realtor.com

    Realtor.com

    Realtor.com More

  • in

    Luxe Rentals in the Hamptons Skyrocket as the Wealthy Look to Quarantine Away From the City

    “People were calling on a Wednesday and wanting move in by Friday. They’d sign the lease, wire the funds and be on their way,” says Gary DePersia, noted Corcoran broker who has specialized in Hamptons’ luxury real estate for over 25 years. “It started in mid-March when people realized there would be a shutdown. The calls haven’t stopped.” […] More