Hot Property: Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood buy Malibu beachfront house

Let’s tip our 10-gallon hats to Garth Brooks and wife Trisha Yearwood, who just bought a house along the Malibu beachfront that had been listed at $5.45 million. Public records did not disclose the purchase price.

Brooks is the top-selling solo artist of the 20th century, according to the Recording Industry Assn. of America, and Malibu no doubt looks forward to the additional paparazzi that the King and Queen of Country will bring to the beach scene this summer. The last paparazzo who was tossed into the ocean with his camera is said to be drying off nicely.

The house is behind gates and sits on half an acre with beach access. The one-story house has about 3,700 square feet and, according to the listing, includes three bedrooms and 3 1/2 bathrooms. The master bedroom has hardwood floors; flooring elsewhere is stone and carpet. There is an outdoor patio with a fireplace and ample space for entertaining.

The wooded property is secluded, but those paps are a tenacious lot. Altercations between the photographers who follow celebrities and local residents erupted twice in recent weeks, making international headlines.

In May, Brooks became the first artist to receive the Academy of Country Music’s Crystal Milestone Award in recognition of his 128 million record sales. His most recent release, “The Ultimate Hits,” has been certified five times platinum, according to his website.

In 1997, Yearwood won Grammys for best female country vocal performance for “How Do I Live” and best country vocal collaboration (with Brooks) for “In Another’s Eyes.”