Hot Property Newsletter: That blast from the past
What the real estate world needs now apparently is nostalgia. How else can you explain a home from a popular early ’70s sitcom going for nearly twice its asking price in Studio City? Now that’s what we call a hot property.
Our Home of the Week features a penthouse overlooking the bustling Wilshire Corridor in Westwood. Among building amenities that come with the three-bedroom $4.288-million unit: an oak-clad wine tasting room and a rooftop sky deck dressed to the nines. Take the video tour with Fox 11.
Once you’re done reading about these deals, visit and like our Facebook page, where you can find Hot Property stories and updates throughout the week.
– Neal J. Leitereg and Lauren Beale
A TV classic
The bidding for “The Brady Bunch” house in Studio City resulted in HGTV paying $3.5 million — or $1.615 million more than the list price.
The home received a total of eight offers from parties including stage and television producers, corporations and singer-dancer Lance Bass.
The show’s opening and closing scenes as well as numerous interludes were shot at the house. Interior scenes for “The Brady Bunch” episodes were filmed in a studio.
A rock-wall fireplace and wood-paneled walls are among classic details still found in the living room, which features a built-in bar.
There are two bedrooms, three bathrooms and about 2,500 square feet of living space.
Where Johnny Carson hosted
The former Johnny Carson estate in Malibu is now for sale at $65.2 million. That’s about a 20% reduction from the original asking price of $81.5 million.
Currently owned by fashion mogul and film producer Sidney Kimmel and his wife, Caroline, the Point Dume estate measures slightly more than four acres.
At the heart of the property is a modern showplace designed by Malibu architect Ed Niles. Built in 1978, the 7,083-square-foot house, pavilion and separate guesthouse include a total of five bedrooms and 10 bathrooms.
The ocean-view grounds contain waterfalls, a koi pond and a swimming pool. There’s also a sunken tennis court that was given to former “Tonight Show” host Carson as a gift from NBC.
The Kimmels acquired the home and two adjacent parcels from Carson’s widow, Alexis, in 2007 for about $46 million, records show.
Quietly moving on
Actress Drew Barrymore has made a move out of her Hollywood Hills home, selling in a $16.5-million deal completed outside the Multiple Listing Service.
The gated compound centers on a sprawling Midcentury ranch house that dates to 1957. The acre-plus property also has a guesthouse, a guard house, a swimming pool.
The two-story home has about 8,000 square feet of living space including four bedrooms.
The 43-year-old Barrymore bought the house in 2002 for slightly more than $4.35 million. She is known for her film roles in “The Wedding Singer,” “50 First Dates” and the “Charlie’s Angels” films.
Giving up his in-town retreat
Shock rock legend Alice Cooper has a duplex in Echo Park for sale at $1.299 million. No, this isn’t an investment property he happens to own, it’s space he has used as a writer’s retreat when in town creating music for himself and the Hollywood Vampires.
The two-unit house was built in 1927 and maintains its original Spanish-style roots with arched windows and passages. The 2,027 square feet of interiors, however, look fresh and new with updated kitchens, bathrooms and light walls. The singer-songwriter-actor completely renovated the duplex when he bought it in 2006 for $700,000.
One unit contains two bedrooms and two bathrooms, while the other is a one-bedroom, one-bathroom studio. The place has been staged with some of his own memorabilia.
The heavy metalist, 70, got his start with the band Alice Cooper in 1964. Hits included “I’m Eighteen” and “School’s Out.” The band was later inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
His next re-release
No Doubt bassist Tony Kanal has a remodeling project in the works. The sometimes house flipper picked up a Los Feliz Traditional through a limited liability company for $1.66 million.
Built in 1935, the fixer retains many original details including an ornate portico, interior arches, hardwood floors and a wood-paneled den. There’s plenty to work from here.
Set a few steps up from the street, the house contains four bedrooms and three bathrooms within its 2,672 square feet.
Kanal, 47, has worked with Gwen Stefani, Pink and Linkin Park, among other acts.
Guitarist to pick … a buyer
R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck has listed his condo in a downtown Seattle high-rise for $1.475 million.
The unit takes in 180-degree city, mountain and water views from its glass walls and balcony. There are two bedrooms and two bathrooms within the 1,387 square feet of living space. Building amenities include concierge services, a gym, a clubroom, a spa and a rooftop dog run.
Buck, 61, is co-founder of the band R.E.M., whose hits included “Losing My Religion,” “Everybody Hurts” and “Fall on Me.” The songwriter-producer was with the alt rock group from 1980 to 2011, then launched a solo career.
Trivia bonus points if you know what the name R.E.M. stands for. Yep: Rapid eye movement.
From the archives
Ten years ago, Bond girl Denise Richards listed her place in Hidden Hills at $4.25 million. Her Traditional-style 5,600-square-foot house looked to be right out of New England. It had five bedrooms, including a master retreat with a sitting area.
Twenty years ago, rock star David Bowie sold a Beverly Hills condo that he owned for seven years to rap star Heavy D for $850,000. The residence had three bedrooms, a sitting room and two fireplaces within its 2,300 square feet. Bowie bought it for $920,000.
Thirty years ago, TV talk-show host Mike Douglas listed a two-story estate adjacent to the bungalows of the Beverly Hills Hotel for $3.9 million. The property included five bedrooms, eight baths, a sunken tennis court and a pool.
What we’re reading
The struggle between a homeowner and public coastline is flaring up in Laguna Beach, reports the Los Angeles Times. At the center of the dispute is a seawall that protects the house. But the structure also inhibits the natural sand flow, according to coastal officials. If the wall remains, sand will continue to disappear in front of the home, washing away a section of what is known as Victoria Beach.
An eye-popping sculptural house in Monterey Bay’s La Selva Beach area is on the market at $1.4 million. Think of a giant marshmallow with protruding ’70s-style television screens. Or better yet, click in to ApartmentTherapy.com to see for yourself. We’d be interested to see your descriptions of the quirky one-bedroom in our comments section.
