Hot Property newsletter: L.A. music makers turn dealmakers
We lead off this week with a trio of musicians from a mash-up of musical groups and genres, namely One Direction, Semisonic and the Band. Imagine what that would sound like.
Then we’re throwing in the former home of one of the original Jackson 5. Which one? Hint: His brothers called him the “dancingest Jackson,” and he was very close to Michael. Bonus points if you can name him.
Our Home of the Week is a 14,282-square-foot showplace set on an acre above the Bel-Air Country Club. Priced at $38.5 million, the seven-bedroom contemporary mansion features soaring ceilings, a voluminous living room, and indoor and outdoor swimming pools. Because who doesn’t need two pools?
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.
— Jack Flemming and Lauren Beale
A new direction for singer
Singer-songwriter Liam Payne of One Direction fame has sold his leafy Spanish-style compound for $10.161 million.
Encompassing nearly five acres above Malibu, the scenic retreat is protected by a gate house and private bridge that leads to resort-like grounds with rolling lawns, manicured gardens, koi ponds and a swimming pool.
The compound includes a 9,700-square-foot Spanish-style main house, a guesthouse, a recording studio, a pool house and a Japanese-inspired meditation space with stone columns and disappearing walls of glass on all four sides.
Payne, 27, rose to international recognition as a member of One Direction, the boy band that appeared on “The X Factor” and went on to sell more than 70 million records worldwide. Following the group’s hiatus in 2016, Payne started a solo career and released his debut album, “LP1,” in 2019.
When will it be closing time?
It’s listing time for Dan Wilson, the singer-songwriter who received a Grammy nomination for his 1998 hit “Closing Time.” The Semisonic frontman has offered up his Sherman Oaks home for $2.5 million, about $1 million more than he paid a decade ago.
The 1970s Tudor single-story has been updated and features ceiling beams and dark hardwood floors. Built-ins line the living room and kitchen.
There are four bedrooms within the nearly 3,700 square feet of living space. One is set up as a “sanctuary room” with a soundproof section. The half-acre grounds contain a swimming pool, a spa and a garage with an office.
Wilson, 59, gained fame with the bands Trip Shakespeare and Semisonic, whose hits include “Closing Time” and “Singing in My Sleep.” He has released three solo albums and received two Grammys: one as a songwriter on the Chicks’ “Not Ready to Make Nice” and one as a producer on Adele’s 2011 album “21.”
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Guitarist wants to change keys
New year, new price for Robbie Robertson. The jack-of-all-trades musician and lead guitarist from the Band has relisted his Beverly Hills Post Office home for $4.2 million — about $700,000 less than his original ask.
The two-story home has open-concept main living spaces with clean lines, walls of glass and dark walnut floors. A floating staircase ascends to the top level, which houses a gym, an office and the main bedroom. In total, the 3,200-square-foot floor plan has five bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms.
The backyard contains a covered dining patio, a pair of fire pits, and a swimming pool and spa fed by waterfalls.
Robertson, 77, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Band, the rock group that served as Bob Dylan’s backing band, before rising to stardom with hits including “The Weight” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.”
A Motown pedigree in Encino
Selling this Encino home was as easy as ABC. The Hamptons-style compound, which was once owned by Marlon Jackson of Jackson 5 fame, has sold for $3.45 million, finding a buyer just two days after relisting.
The estate spans just over an acre and includes a 6,700-square-foot main home, a three-story guesthouse, a swimming pool, a spa and a lighted tennis court.
The Cape Cod-inspired home has an oversized living room, a wet bar and four bedrooms. The guesthouse adds two more bedrooms and an office.
Jackson, 63, rose to fame as a member of the Jackson 5 with hits such as “ABC,” “I’ll Be There” and “I Want You Back.” He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the group in 1997 and also released a solo album titled “Baby Tonight.”
Pioneer of the L.A. look
Famed architect Paul Revere Williams was a prolific designer of residential and commercial buildings and the first Black person admitted to the American Institute of Architects. Along the way, he gained a reputation as “architect to the stars” for the classic homes he created for A-list celebrities. But Williams was much more than that, writes Carolina A. Miranda, arts and urban design columnist for The Times.
Williams’ designs shaped the city.
From the archives
Thirty years ago, actress Priscilla Presley bought a four-acre Lake Arrowhead estate for $1.24 million. The 4-year-old house had a small theater within its 6,000 square feet. A thatched-style roof gave the getaway a Hansel-and-Gretel look.
Twenty years ago, rock star Ozzy Osbourne sold his Beverly Hills home for about $3.5 million. The Italianate house had a two-story foyer, a butler’s pantry and four bedrooms. The property included a guesthouse, a pool, a spa and gardens.
Ten years ago, motorcycle manufacturer and reality show star Jesse James, the ex-husband of actress Sandra Bullock, sold his 3,600-square-foot Sunset Beach home for $4.5 million. The four-bedroom Mediterranean villa sat along the sand in Orange County. A glass-enclosed lanai with a swimming pool, a grotto, a waterfall, a waterslide and automated tiki torches overlooked the beach.
What we’re reading
A headline with the words “Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired” is such clickbait. And we fall for it every time. We give Dwell the win for pairing that phrase with an asking price of $370,000. Set in a Milwaukee suburb, the minimalist Midcentury Modern house is considered Prairie style and combines wood cladding with stacked stone. The 3,000 square feet of living space makes good use of built-ins, another nod to Wright. The two-level home sits on 1.2 wooded acres.
For those interested in homes designed by the actual name architect, Architectural Digest recently compiled a handy round up of seven such places on the market. An I.M. Pei in New York City, a David Adjaye in London and a Richard Neutra in Palm Springs make the list.
