Would you purchase an infamous mansion in Los Angeles even though you heard it was haunted? One man did. Despite rumors that the place is occupied by spirits, the 15,000-square-foot mansion in Los Angeles, California has been sold to billionaire Steven B. Dunn, owner of Munchkin, Inc. The new owner purchased the property late July for $11.2 million, much less than the asking price of $12 million.
Before the sale, however, the luxurious Beverly Hills mansion was the temporary living space of 11 American Idol contestants, many of whom swore the place was haunted. So just what did the American Idol contestants see while living at the mansion? One contestant said they saw a bed sheet floating down a hallway. Another, James Durbin, told Ok Magazine that he saw a hand in the garage and swore others saw it, too. And if that wasn’t enough, Season 8 contestant, Anoop Desi, told People Magazine that Alison Iraheta said she communicated with a “friendly but mischievous spirit,” whom she named “Phyliss.” Apparently the complaints were so bad that the show’s producers moved the 11 contestants from season 10 into a new property.
But the home is a beauty, which is why it was destined to be sold. Situated on two acres of land in the coveted Bel Air area, the “haunted” mansion features nine bedrooms, nine bathrooms, a large pool and a motor court that can fit nearly 100 cars. The grand interior is graced with marble nearly everywhere while the impressive exterior features tropical waterfalls, a pool table and a koi pond.
In addition to the ghost stories, contestants also complained that the mansion was in “poor” condition. Stefano Langone claimed the place was “falling apart,” while Naima Adedapo said it was “not up to par.” Apparently the place had a spider infestation, flickering lights and a leaky roof caused by a recent rainstorm. And even though the mansion featured nine bathrooms, the girls from season 10 had to share one.
Ghost stories and a few minor dents didn’t stop Dunn from purchasing the mansion. In 2008, Dunn’s baby product company made more than $100 million in sales.
Actor Charlie Sheen is in the headlines once again. Except this time it’s not because of a scandal or improper behavior, at least we don’t think so. It is reported that former “Two and a Half Men” star Sheen is packing up his things and moving to a new home. After putting up an offer to purchase a new pad, Sheen has listed his current residence in between Beverly Hills and Sherman Oaks, California for $7.2 million.
Dubbed the Sober Valley Lodge, Sheen’s Mediterranean-style mansion in the gated Mulholland Estates boasts five bedrooms, seven bathrooms and about 8,000 square feet of spacious living space. Listing information shows the home includes three fireplaces and a three-car garage. It is also touted as having a private screening room and an impressive outdoor kitchen with dining area, pool and spa.
Sheen purchased the mansion in May of 1997 for $2.5 million. According to several media outlets, YouPorn.com approached Sheen’s realtor with a cash offer to purchase the mansion.
Although everyone knows that he is currently unemployed (Sheen was fired from “Two and a Half Men” in March and replaced by Ashton Kutcher, former star of “That 70s Show”), the actor does not seem to be selling his mansion because he can’t pay the mortgage. According to a Forbes report, Sheen made nearly $40 million over the past year. In fact, in March, Sheen purchased another mansion in the same gated community. The second property is also on the market.
It is reported that Sheen initially purchased both homes to give one to ex-wife Denise Richards and another to soon-to-be ex-wife Brooke Mueller. However, it seems Sheen has changed his mind and decided to list both properties.
So where will the infamous actor call home? Although he has not yet purchased a new home, Sheen made a deal to buy a new Beverly Hills mansion in the same neighborhood, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The A-list neighborhood is also home to other celebrities, including model and “Project Runway” host Heidi Klum and her singer-husband Seal. They have listed their Beverly Hills mansion for $6.9 million. Their listing agent told the Los Angeles Times that the couple is selling because their family has outgrown the mansion.
Donald Trump continues to get his name in the headlines. He started out in the 1960s by taking it upon himself to turn a profit on an apartment complex in Cincinnati that had been foreclosed. He succeeded and left Ohio for the soon-to-be shinier glories of Manhattan. At the time, the financial crisis of the ‘70s had bestowed neglect and cheerlessness on much of the island’s real estate. But these dire circumstances would prove advantageous and immensely lucrative to The Donald, as he is more-or-less affectionately called. Trump would come to special public prominence a decade later thanks to his 1987 revitalization of Central Park fixture, Wollman Rink.
The properties he subsequently purchased through his company magnified his public profile, but his personal real estate deals have also garnered public praise and abuse. That’s something Trump seems to relish, especially because it benefits his business. Multi-million dollar licensing fees, anyone?
725 Fifth Avenue, or Trump Tower, is probably the first place Donald Trump calls home. The Tower’s three uppermost floors (or highest 30,000 square feet) comprise his apartment. He shares his building with one Saudi prince — with a correspondingly single floor allotted to him — and each year’s reigning beauty queen from the Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, and Miss Universe contests. Less prominent figures, of course, are also free to snap up a room or two of the building for themselves. Forbes magazine offers a $300 million value estimate of the property which has a Gucci store on location.
Other Trump properties of note:
- Maison de L’Amitié in Palm Beach, Florida: Purchased by Trump in 2004 for $41 million; renovated with $25 million (at Trump’s behest) by “The Apprentice” Season Three winner Kendra Todd; and sold for $95 million in 2010.
- Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida: A $10 million, 1985 Trump purchase that would host Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley’s wedding celebration.
- Seven Springs Estate in Bedford, New York: Bought in 1995 for $7.5 million and site of one of Trump’s planned golf courses; residents objected and Trump turned it instead into a luxury homes development project — currently on hold.
- Trump National Golf Course in Rancho Palos Verdes, California: This Trump estate is selling for $12 million.
There you have it folks — just another diverse investment portfolio of the rich and famous. And long-form or short-form birth certificates, even if Trump doesn’t make it into the Oval Office, he’s likely to continue making headlines and excellent profits on personal and company-owned real estate deals.
Whether you’re trying to sell a modest three bedroom home in Idaho or a luxury condo in New York, presentation is everything. But you don’t have to tell that to Derek Jeter. When the popular New York Yankees shortstop tried to sell his New York penthouse back in September, no one stepped up to the plate to purchase the place. Why? According to Yahoo! Sports, the $20 million listing revealed photographs of empty rooms with parts that needed some serious TLC.
Who wants to live in a cold tomb, even if it has iconic views of the Manhattan skyline? Original listing photographs of Jeter’s luxury condo on the coveted 88th floor of Trump World Tower in Manhattan depicted an empty, cold palace, much like a tomb. It was hard to imagine that anyone lived there at all. One photograph even captured a kitchen without a range.
Since then, however, the listing has been revamped with new photographs giving off a whole new vibe. The 5,425-square-foot pad now looks livable. The photographs feature completely furnished rooms with warm, contemporary furniture, rugs, fixtures and even flowers.
Prospective buyers will love the pad’s 16-foot, giant windows, four spacious bedrooms, 5.5 baths, a large chef’s kitchen, dining room, den and living room area with a fireplace. The luxury condo also features state-of-the-art electronics such as a Lutron lighting system and a Crestron home audio/visual system.
Although Jeter has updated his listing photographs, the Manhattan bachelor pad is still going for $20 million. So where is Jeter moving to? According to Business Insider, he’s building a 30,875-square-foot mansion in Tampa.
You may also be interested to read about LeBron James’ Miami mansion.
You might recall back in 2007 that Tiger Woods and his then-wife Elin purchased a $35 million property in Jupiter, Florida. However, they didn’t move into it at the time, as they planned “major renovations” for the estate. $15 million and one costly divorce later, Woods has the place to himself, as Yahoo! Sports reports that the work is complete and Woods has a $50 million bachelor pad.
Aerial pictures taken by Jeff Lichtenstein Realty show many of the additions to the original 9,729-square foot estate on a 12-acre complex. This includes a 6,400-square-foot gym/media room/bar, an elevator, a reflecting pond and a slim lap pool. As you might expect, golf plays a major role in the layout, with several golf practice facilities located on the premises. Lichtenstein noted there appears to be different tee box for Woods to practice his driver, irons or short game.
One interesting element noted by Lichtenstein is that the house is set far inland, which is different than most homeowners in Florida who want their homes to be built directly on the water. Lichtenstein speculated that Woods wanted his practice facility to be closer to the water – suggesting that he’ll be spending a lot of time on the golf links in the coming years.
