Hot Property: Trevor Noah nabs a modern mansion in Bel-Air
Trevor Noah, host of “The Daily Show,” has shelled out $20.5 million for an eye-catching estate in Bel-Air, according to sources not authorized to comment on the deal.
Set on a 1.31-acre promontory lot, the 10,044-square-foot home is entered through a pivoting front door made of paneled wood. Polished glass, leathered marble and limestone accent the open-concept floor plan.
In addition to five bedrooms and seven bathrooms, the contemporary house contains a chandelier-topped dining area, a double-island kitchen and a wet bar with a 500-gallon aquarium. Pocketing doors connect two living rooms to the backyard.
On the corner of the second story, the 2,200-square-foot master suite takes in city views through walls of glass and a wraparound balcony. Amenities such as a wine cellar, a movie theater, a cigar room, a cabana and a three-car auto gallery fill out the rest of the house.
Lawn abuts a 62-foot swimming pool with a cantilevered edge.
James Harris and Mauricio Umansky of the Agency held the listing. Jonah Wilson of Hilton & Hyland represented Noah.
A native of South Africa, Noah has found success in comedy and television. After joining “The Daily Show” as a correspondent in 2014, he succeeded Jon Stewart as host the following year and inked a five-year extension in 2017.
Shazam! That’s a beachfront spread
The oceanfront estate of late actor Jim Nabors, known for his role as television character Gomer Pyle, has sold in Hawaii for $12 million, or $2.888 million less than the asking price.
Located on the shores of Honolulu’s Ke’ahamoe Bay, the estate centers on a plantation-style home of nearly 5,900 square feet. Built in 1950, the two-story house has five bedrooms, six bathrooms and a second-story living room that opens to a covered lanai.
A guest suite with an additional bedroom and bath is on the first floor and has a covered lounge area that opens directly to the swimming pool. Across from the pool is a cabana with a wet bar.
Dotted with tall palms and tropical landscaping, the Diamond Head property has 170 feet of beach frontage.
Nabors, who died in 2017 at 87, bought the ocean-view property in 1992, records show.
The accomplished singer and actor was one of television’s most beloved personalities in the 1960s, playing the lovably naive Pyle on “The Andy Griffith Show” and “Gomer Pyle, USMC.”
Patricia Choi of Hawaii Life Real Estate Services was the listing agent. Ann Kwock of Trinity Properties represented the buyer.
Billionaire gets a closer shave
An extravagant Bel-Air mega-mansion doubling as a monument to opulence just got a whole lot cheaper. The spec house, which listed for a quarter of a billion in 2017, is back on the market for $150 million.
Once the nation’s priciest listing, the estate’s towering price tag has now been shaved twice. Developer Bruce Makowsky trimmed it last year to $188 million. With the latest price cut of $38 million, he’s just trying to be realistic.
“I don’t think anybody’s ready to spend $250 million on a house,” Makowsky said. “At $150 million, it gets opened up to a much wider audience.”
Dubbed Billionaire, the home has just about everything but a buyer. Within the four stories and 38,000 square feet are 12 bedrooms, 21 bathrooms, five bars, three kitchens, a candy room, a 40-seat movie theater and a four-lane Louis Vuitton-appointed bowling alley.
Two wine cellars are stocked with Champagne, and an auto gallery is filled with a $30-million fleet of exotic cars and motorcycles — including a Bugatti, a vintage Allard and a custom Rolls-Royce. A Hobie Cat sailboat sits on a deck outside. A helicopter tops the roof.
The backyard is anchored by an 85-foot-long infinity-edge pool with a swim-up bar. In addition, there are 17,000 square feet of entertainment decks that take in 270-degree views from downtown to the ocean.
Should the mansion sell for $150 million, it would be the most expensive home ever sold in Los Angeles County — by far. The current record belongs to an oceanfront property in Malibu’s Carbon Beach that hotelier Peter Morton sold last year for $110 million.
Makowsky said his offering is much nicer, but if the market dictates the most someone will pay, he wants to bring Billionaire down to a range where it can reasonably sell. That level of wealth exists, he said.
“People are spending $70 million on a private jet or $250 million on a yacht like it’s nothing,” Makowsky said. “Those aren’t their primary homes.”
Branden Williams and Rayni Williams with Hilton & Hyland and Shawn Elliott of Nest Seekers are the listing agents.
A smash hit in the Beverly Hills area
It appears Cher found someone in the housing market — to borrow from the title of her 1987 hit song.
The singer and actress has sold a home in the Beverly Hills Post Office area for slightly more than $2.07 million.
The country English-style house, built in 1957, sits on more than half an acre of grounds with mature trees, decking and a meditation area. A koi pond is fed by a man-made waterfall.
Inside, the two-story has about 3,100 square feet of living space, reclaimed wood floors and exposed beams. A breakfast booth adjoins the eat-in kitchen.
The four-bedroom, three-bathroom house came on the market in July for $2.499 million. Actor Ed O’Neill and his wife, Catherine Rusoff, are former owners of the property.
Cher, 72, gained fame as part of the 1960s duo Sonny and Cher. She won an Oscar for her role in “Moonstruck” (1987) and starred last year in the romantic musical comedy “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.”
Branden Williams and Rayni Williams of Hilton & Hyland had the listing.
Williams sisters serve up Florida property
Venus and Serena Williams are hoping to court a buyer in Palm Beach County, Fla. The tennis stars have listed a home that they co-own in a Palm Beach Gardens golf community for sale at $2.695 million.
A gated brick motor court sits beside the home, which boasts six bedrooms and eight bathrooms in 8,489 square feet of living space.
White walls and tile floors keep the living spaces light and bright. The open floor plan includes a column-lined foyer, a living room with floor-to-ceiling windows, a center-island kitchen, a formal dining room and a coved breakfast nook.
The one-acre grounds also hold a four-car garage, a pavilion and a brick-paver patio flanked by landscaping. The patio wraps around a swimming pool and spa.
Venus Williams, a former Women’s Tennis Assn. No. 1-ranked singles player, has won seven Grand Slam singles titles in her career to go along with 14 Grand Slam doubles titles.
Serena Williams has held the top female tennis ranking for 319 weeks over the course of her career, which includes seven Wimbledon titles, seven Australian Open titles, six U.S. Open titles and three French Open titles.
Michael and Andrew Leibowitz of Leibowitz Realty Group are the listing agents.
Turning the page in Hollywood Hills
Ellen Page’s Hollywood Hills home is on to the next chapter. After buying the Midcentury estate from tennis star Venus Williams five years ago, the “Juno” actress has sold it for $2.1 million.
Nestled into a Nichols Canyon hillside, the 1950s home is approached by a covered walkway. A stacked-stone fireplace anchors a great room with a dining area. Clerestory windows and walls of glass brighten the space.
Set under a skylight, the galley-style kitchen features terrazzo floors — in contrast to the hardwood that lines the rest of the home’s 1,528 square feet. There are three bedrooms, two bathrooms and an office with built-ins.
Sliding glass doors lead outside, where a viewing deck adjoins a swimming pool and lawn. The half-acre grounds take in canyon and tree-top views.
A native of Canada, Page received an Academy Award nomination for her role in 2007’s “Juno.” Her more recent credits include “To Rome With Love,” “X-Men: Days of Future Past” and “Flatliners.”
She bought the property from Williams in 2014 for $1.799 million.
Juliette Hohnen of Douglas Elliman held the listing. Jason Woodruff of Keller Williams represented the buyer.
jack.flemming@latimes.com | Twitter: @jflem94
