Hot Property newsletter: Here there be giants

You gotta give it to the L.A. luxury housing scene. Just your average fall day and an A-list actor of spy film fame decides to put his place on a Malibu beach up for sale at $100 million. Then days later an NBA big man closes on a Mediterranean-style compound on the Westside for $37 million. What’s next? There’s a lot more autumn still to come.

Our Home of the Week is a Spanish Revival-style residence in Hancock Park. Built in 1929 and remodeled to museum-like standards, the 3,300-square-foot house pairs original details, such as arched doorways and coved ceilings, with smart home amenities. The asking price is $2.299 million.

Once you’re done reading about these deals, visit and like our Facebook page, where you can find more Hot Property stories.

— Jack Flemming and Lauren Beale

007 takes his best shot

James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan has put his Thai-inspired retreat in Malibu on the market for $100 million.

The mammoth price tag makes it the eighth-priciest home now on the market in L.A. County. The Irish American actor stands to realize a good return on his investment. He created the compound in 2000, buying one lot for $5.1 million and another for $2.25 million.

The oceanfront retreat spans more than an acre with two homes that combine for five bedrooms and 14 bathrooms. Beyond a pair of carved teak gates are grounds filled with palm trees, tropical flowers, travertine courtyards and wraparound lanais.

Brosnan, 67, starred in four James Bond films from 1995 to 2002: “GoldenEye,” “Tomorrow Never Dies,” “The World Is Not Enough” and “Die Another Day.”

King James has a new castle

Lakers star LeBron James’ super-skills include competing for an NBA championship in Florida while closing on a Mediterranean-style compound in the Beverly Hills Post Office area for $36.75 million.

Spanning 2.5 acres, the property includes a Mediterranean-style main home, two guesthouses, a screening room, a swimming pool, a pool house and a tennis court.

The primary residence, built in the 1930s and since updated, spans 9,100 square feet with two bedroom suites and seven fireplaces. Dramatic skylights brighten a dining room with a fountain, and beamed ceilings top the office and indoor-outdoor living room.

An MVP runner-up this year in his 17th season, James is considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time. A three-time NBA champion, four-time MVP and 16-time All-Star, the 35-year-old led the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers to NBA titles before signing with the Lakers in 2018.

Feel free to clap along

Pharrell Williams has sold his ultramodern mansion in the Beverly Hills Post Office area for $14 million. The Grammy-winning artist bought the striking estate from Tyler Perry two years ago for $15.6 million.

Set on four gated acres, the dramatic glass-covered home is surrounded by koi ponds, a grotto-style swimming pool and a tennis court.

The 17,000 square feet of living space centers on a sky-lit atrium with fountains. Yes, we’d call that a room without a roof. There are 10 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms.

A singer, rapper, producer and fashion designer, Williams, known simply as Pharrell, has won 13 Grammys and received two Oscar nominations — one for his hit song “Happy” and another for producing the film “Hidden Figures.”

Hoping to nail down a buyer

It’s shaping up to be a short stay in Hancock Park for Armie Hammer. A year after buying a 1920s Tudor in the L.A. neighborhood for $4.72 million, the actor is asking $5.8 million for the home.

Ivy, brick and half-timbering bring period charm to the exterior of the 93-year-old residence. Inside, original details such as arches, moldings and stained glass windows adorn the living spaces.

The 6,275 square feet of living space contains seven bedrooms and six bathrooms. The quarter-acre grounds feature a massive patio alongside a swimming pool, spa and waterfall.

The great-grandson of oil tycoon Armand Hammer, Armie Hammer has been acting since the mid-2000s with standout roles in “The Social Network, “The Lone Ranger” and “On the Basis of Sex.” The 34-year-old also received a Golden Globe nomination for his part in the 2018 romantic drama “Call Me by Your Name.”

From the archives

Thirty years ago, Danny Devito of “Taxi” fame and his wife, Rhea Perlman of “Cheers,” bought a Beverly Hills house that had been listed at $10.3 million. The two-story Colonial-style home of about 7,500 square feet sat on two acres.

Twenty years ago, Mira Sorvino, the Oscar-winning actress from “Mighty Aphrodite,” picked up a property on the Westside for about its $2-million asking price. The acre site included a 4,000-square-foot contemporary main house, a 3,500-square-foot guesthouse and a swimming pool.

Ten years ago, “Twilight” star Peter Facinelli and his wife at the time, actress Jennie Garth, were hoping for a bite on their $5.995 million home listing in Toluca Lake. The 8,416-square-foot house, built in 1937, had once been owned by country singer and actor Tex Ritter and was the childhood home of his son, actor John Ritter.

What we’re reading

We’ve seen many an interior ruined by owners who splash white paint around. Apartment Therapy, however, found a woodsy cabin in New York that was given a clean, updated look simply by painting portions of the knotty pine. It’s an impressive before and after.

Dwell took readers inside a copper-clad contemporary home set among trees on an acre in Montecito. Yes, they said copper. Think of it as a kind of fire-resistant armor. And no, it’s not shiny. The surface weathered to a dark tone that blends well with the wooded surroundings. Polished concrete floors and simple white walls topped by rough-looking laminated veneer complete the interiors.