Hot Property newsletter: There’s plenty of sport in real estate
You could say nothing is happening in our sports-starved world and you’d be largely correct. But off the court, away from the field and out of the arena, sports figures past and present keep popping up in relation to real estate listings. Among them are several NBA names, a former pro football player and a retired Major Leaguer.
Our Home of the Week is an estate in Holmby Hills once owned by vaudeville star Fanny Brice. Built in 1938 and since expanded, the house retains its Old Hollywood vibe with hand-carved marble and stone fireplaces, medallion inlaid floors and coved ceilings. The two-acre property is listed at $62 million.
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— Neal Leitereg, Jack Flemming and Lauren Beale
The showplace of Showtime
A Georgian-style manor in Bel-Air once owned by Lakers owner Jerry Buss is on the market for $5.8 million.
He sold the house for $775,000 in 1984 — five years after he bought the Lakers, kicking off the team’s legendary Showtime era.
The acre property contains a 4,400-square-foot home with four bedrooms, a tennis court and a swimming pool. Patios, lawn and gardens surround the backyard swimming pool.
Buss, who died in 2013 at age 80, was a businessman and real estate mogul. He was elected into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.
King James’ old domain
Lakers star LeBron James’ former Florida mansion — which he bought in 2010 shortly after signing with the Miami Heat — is for sale at $13.95 million.
The four-time NBA most valuable player paid $9 million for the three-story spot and owned it throughout his four-year stint with the Heat. After departing to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers, he sold in 2015 for $13.4 million.
The half-acre waterfront compound, overlooking Biscayne Bay, includes a 12,000-square-foot main house, a detached guesthouse, an infinity pool with a swim-up bar and a dock with room for two 60-foot yachts.
Among the rooms are a living room with a wet bar, a stark black office, a theater, wine cellar, gym, playroom and six bedrooms.
James, 35, currently resides in Brentwood. The 16-time All-Star led both the Heat and the Cavaliers to NBA championships before signing with the Lakers in 2018.
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Ex-Raider takes a loss
Oakland native and retired Raider Langston Walker just took a loss in his hometown, selling his contemporary home for $1.75 million. That’s $100,000 shy of what he paid for it in 2007, records show.
The offensive tackle made some changes during his 13-year stay, adding neutral tones, maple floors and hand-painted murals in the guest bedroom. In total, the house has four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms in just over 4,000 square feet.
A hillside deck takes in sweeping views of the Bay Area.
Walker was selected by the Raiders in the second round of the 2002 NFL draft. The 40-year-old played in 120 games during his time in the league, including a two-year stint with the Buffalo Bills.
Putting estate out to pasture
Former basketball forward Horace Grant, who won four NBA championships as a member of the Bulls and Lakers, has listed an equestrian estate in California’s Central Coast area for sale at $1.699 million.
A five-bedroom main house, two garages, a stable and a fenced corral sit behind gates on five acres in Arroyo Grande. There are five bedrooms, four bathrooms and more than 4,200 square feet of living space.
A stone patio with a fireplace takes in field and mountain views. Also on the grounds are a playground and a sports court.
The 54-year-old Grant, known for his signature goggles, played for Orlando, Seattle, Los Angeles and Chicago during his 17-season NBA career.
River house proves a hit
Retired Major Leaguer Matt Holliday just hammered out an $8.5-million deal for the sale of his riverfront Florida mansion.
The estate spans about two-thirds of an acre in Jupiter, where multiple Major League Baseball teams hold their spring training — including the St. Louis Cardinals, with whom Holliday won a World Series title in 2011.
The property, with 105 feet of waterfront, contains a custom pool, a lanai with an outdoor kitchen, a dock with two boat lifts, a Mediterranean-style main house and a guesthouse. There are seven bedrooms and 10 bathrooms in more than 9,100 square feet of space including a wine cellar and a theater with a wet bar.
The seven-time All-Star, 40, retired two years ago following a career that saw him rack up more than 2,000 hits, 1,000 RBI and 300 home runs. The power-hitting left fielder played with the Rockies, Athletics, Cardinals and Yankees during 15 seasons.
His favorite room
Will Yun Lee, who plays Dr. Alex Park on ABC’s “The Good Doctor,” makes the most out of space that was once the garage of his Tarzana house. The home gym serves as Lee’s taekwondo studio and a place for therapy for his son, who has a rare brain disease. Among the punching bags, shields and mats is a framed photo paying homage to Lee’s father — a taekwondo grandmaster.
From the archives
Ten years ago, television personality Kim Kardashian bought a furnished estate in the Beverly Hills Post Office area for about $3.5 million. The Tuscan-style house included five bedrooms — one of which she planned to convert into a walk-in closet.
Twenty years ago, singer Tina Turner sold a Studio City home for $725,000. Built in 1956, the post-and-beam-style house had been lived in by her mother while Turner resided in Zurich.
Thirty years ago, game-show host Alex Trebek purchased 35 acres in the Hollywood Hills where he planned to build a home for himself, as well as develop others. “I don’t know yet what style house I will build,” CBS-TV’s “Jeopardy” star said. “But . . . it will be a monster.”
What we’re reading
Architectural Digest takes readers inside actress Dakota Johnson’s Midcentury Modern home, where an entire wall of the living room is actually a series of oversized front doors. The quirky Los Angeles house contrasts the warm of dark wood walls with white beamed ceilings and polished concrete floors.
Also open to arm-chair looky-loos via The Hollywood Reporter is the L.A. house used in the film “The Big Lebowski.” Owner James Goldstein, an 80-year-old bon vivant and NBA super-fan, has expanded his Midcentury Modern villain’s lair and party house in phases to include a European-style discotheque he calls Club James.
