Hot Property: Donald Trump, art of the Beverly Hills deal
President Trump has visited California three times since entering the White House, but he’ll have one fewer place to stay for the next trip. The Trump Organization has sold one of its last two properties in Los Angeles County, a Tudor-style home in Beverly Hills, for $13.5 million in an off-market sale.
The Trump Organization bought the home for $7 million in 2007, when it was controlled by Trump. The company is now run by his two sons, Eric and Donald Trump Jr.
A corporate entity tied to Indonesian billionaire Hary Tanoesoedibjo was the buyer. Tanoesoedibjo, who owns other real estate in L.A., reportedly worked on a number of deals with the Trump Organization including the ongoing development of Trump Indonesia, a lavish lifestyle and golf resort outside of Jakarta.
Built in 1927, the two-story home sits across from the Beverly Hills Hotel and Will Rogers Memorial Park on North Canon Drive. It has five bedrooms and six bathrooms across 5,395 square feet, and the 0.67-acre grounds expand to a hedged lawn and swimming pool out back.
The house previously sported a dark gray color but was painted orange during Trump’s ownership, according to people familiar with the property.
The corner-lot estate sits at the intersection of Sunset Boulevard, Rodeo Drive and Canon Drive — a hot spot for Trump. In addition to frequenting the Beverly Hills Hotel over the years, he previously owned a Greek Revival-inspired mansion on a neighboring lot that he sold in 2009 at an $850,000 loss.
The value of the property on North Canon Drive has been a point of interest over the years. In 2016, Trump’s tax attorney Wade E. Norwood argued the home was worth $6 million — less than half of the price it just sold for. Following the appeal, the county’s assessment board valued the estate at $6.004 million, according to L.A. County records.
It’s not the first time Norwood has made such a case.
In 2002, Trump shelled out $27 million for a golf course in Rancho Palos Verdes overlooking the Pacific Ocean, which is now known as the Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles. He said he spent nearly $300 million restoring the 300-acre property, including repairing the 18th hole, which slipped into the ocean after a landslide in 1999 and drove the previous owners into bankruptcy.
After the renovations, Norwood claimed the course was worth $10 million.
The sale of the North Canon Drive home leaves the Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes as Trump’s only remaining property in the L.A. area.
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He’s found a new setting
Actor Jason Segel of “How I Met Your Mother” fame has purchased a 100-year-old home in Pasadena for $4.255 million.
Tucked behind gates and a white picket fence, the charming two-story was recently renovated but retains such character details as a mix of siding and decorative window inlays. A clipped-gable roof and a covered front porch add to the curb appeal.
A formal living room with a fireplace, an oversize dining room, a new chef’s kitchen, a family room, five bedrooms and five bathrooms sit within more than 5,600 square feet of interior. A bonus room/loft currently holds a gym.
Pocketing glass doors open to a trellis-topped patio in the backyard. The home sits on about half an acre and includes a new swimming pool with a raised spa, lawn and mature trees. There’s also a detached two-car garage.
The property previously sold a year ago for about $3.6 million. It had been listed since April for $3.995 million, or $260,000 less than the sale price.
Thomas Atamian of Compass was the listing agent. Patti Ruben of Sotheby’s International Realty represented Segel.
Segel, 39, has kept busy since the “How I Met Your Mother” series wrapped up in 2014, appearing in the films “End of the Tour” (2015), “The Discovery” (2017) and “Come Sunday” (2018). He is reportedly filming a new anthology series for AMC called “Dispatches From Elsewhere.”
Cast in a seller’s role
Actress Rachel Griffiths, known for her television roles on “Six Feet Under” and “Brothers & Sisters,” has listed her longtime home in Encino for sale at $1.748 million.
The single-story home, built in 1961, blends minimalist and modernist elements in an open floor plan of more than 2,800 square feet. Commercial-grade appliances, custom cabinetry and a prep island are among features in the skylight-topped kitchen. White walls, polished stone floors and walls of glass further the spotless aesthetic.
A step-down living room with a wall fireplace opens to the dining room. A row of picture windows brings park-like views into the master suite, which is one of four bedrooms and four bathrooms. Off the common area is an office.
Outside, the gated residence sits on more than a third of an acre with front and back patios, steel planters, garden fountains and a fenced swimming pool. Oak, yellow palo verde and strawberry trees dot the grounds.
The Melbourne, Australia-born Griffiths, 50, will make her directorial film debut later this year with “Ride Like a Girl,” which stars Sam Neill and Teresa Palmer. The busy actress is also set to star in the Amazon and ABC series “The Wilds,” due out in September.
Last year, she starred as Det. Grace Gibbs on the Australian miniseries “Dead Lucky.”
Nicole Nash of Rodeo Realty holds the listing.
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New owner comes into focus
John Wells, the executive producer behind television hits such as “ER, “The West Wing” and “Shameless,” was the buyer of the Hancock Park home once owned by filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola.
The Tudor-style house sold in May for $7.05 million — slightly above its $6.95-million asking price.
Coppola owned the property in the early 1980s. In the early 2010s, it was leased by Grammy-winning singer Ariana Grande, who used the basement as a recording studio during her stay.
The two-story, which dates to 1927, features exposed brickwork, steep gables and half-timbering that is characteristic of the period style. Inside, details of the L.G. Scherer-designed house include coffered and stenciled ceilings as well as stained- and leaded-glass windows. Elaborate fireplace mantels and detailed millwork further the classic vibe.
Grand living and dining rooms sit off the entry. The kitchen, upgraded with high-end appliances and rich marble, displays a more contemporary feel. Three of the home’s six bedrooms feature a private terrace. In the master suite, there are dual bathrooms and an office.
The property, which abuts the Wilshire Country Club, sits on about half an acre with a brick-lined patio, lawn and a swimming pool with a raised spa. A brick fireplace and outdoor kitchen sit near the pool.
Wells, 63, has received multiple Primetime Emmys for his work on “ER” and “The West Wing.” His other credits include the series “Animal Kingdom” and “Southland.”
He also is an executive producer for the upcoming science fiction-horror film “Doom: Annihilation,” due out later this year.
Sheri Bienstock of the Bienstock Group was the listing agent. Lisa Hutchins of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage represented the buyer.
A vacation house resurrected
Comic book writer Robert Kirkman, best known for creating “The Walking Dead,” is looking for some life in the San Diego real estate market. His Craftsman-style home in the resort island city of Coronado is up for sale at $6.3 million.
Since buying the place four years ago for $6.1 million, Kirkman has kept things mostly the same — from the beachy yellow-and-green color palette to the period finishes inside and out.
Built in 2009, the two-story home sits a few blocks from the beach. Tapered columns, wood shingles and a covered front porch set the tone out front. Inside, paneled walls and walnut floors continue the classic vibe.
On the main level, there’s an indoor-outdoor living room, a formal dining room with a buffet and a family room with a wet bar. The center-island chef’s kitchen adds retro appliances and a wine cooler.
Six fireplaces draw the eye throughout the estate. Four of them, draped in custom ceramic tile by Laird Plumleigh, pop up in the living spaces. Two brick installments anchor the front and back patios.
Four bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms, complete with heated floors, fill out the rest of the 3,461-square-foot floor plan. Set under vaulted and beamed ceilings, the master suite takes in grassy views through a curved picture window.
Elsewhere on the second story, a deck offers treetop views and a hot tub. Down below, there’s a brick-paver patio with a kitchen, dining area and serving counter.
Alan Kinzel and April Ishmael of Douglas Elliman of California hold the listing.
Kirkman, 40, created the “Walking Dead” comic book series in 2003, and it was adapted into a TV show seven years later by AMC. His other comics include “Invincible,” “Outcast” and “Oblivion Song.”
neal.leitereg@latimes.com | Twitter: @LATHotProperty
