Sharon Stone’s Bel Air-Holmby Hills mansion hits the market this month. Yes, yes, I know...it’s a nice house, killer location, has a tennis court, sits on 5 acres....blah, blah, blah. But, HELLO...IT HAS PARKING FOR 14 CARS!

Yes, parking for 14 cars. That alone sets this home apart from the other mansions in Bel Air. This is a highly sought after feature for the demographic purchasing at this level. Car collections are common...and the storage of these often rare cars is critical. Many of these garages are climate and humidity controlled, maintained by special personnel.

This home has yet another real estate bubble heartbreak story. It was sold in February, 2006 to Sharon Stone for $11 million...after sitting on the market for SIX DAYS. (Ah, the good ‘ole days!). Five months later she tried to sell the home for $12.5 million. Alas, the party was over...and everyone was trying to sober up from the real estate frenzy that had just taken place. If you were caught holding anything that you’d bought between 2003-2006 you were, ahem, tattooed.

Needless to say, the property didn’t sell despite sitting on the market for over 9 months. Then in June of 2007 she tried to sell it again, this time starting at $11.5 million and over the course of five months reducing it to $10.5 million. Nope...still didn’t sell.

This gorgeous mansion continued to sit on the market, unoccupied for the most part. Those beautiful grounds were meticulously attended to...the tennis court was kept in pristine shape. But, no takers.

It was back on the market for sale again in 2008, this time for $10 million. But, you guessed it...no luck. Then again in late 2009 the property was up for sale again, this time for $9 million. It sat there for 6 months.

Now, it is on the market again, for $8,995,000. We have seen evidence of pre-bubble prices creeping back into the market, so this sale may finally be priced right for the timing of the market, and ready to move.

This home was built in 1991 and has 7 bedrooms and 8.5 baths. The square footage is anywhere between 6640-9000 (depending on which of the MLS listings you choose to believe). There is also a separate 2BR guesthouse, which has it’s own gym. Oh, and in case you forgot...there is covered parking for 14 cars. ;-)

If you’d like to see this house in person, please email me or call me at 213-309-5005.

Listing provided courtesy of Joseph Babajian, Rodeo Realty.

California Design, 1930–1965: "Living in a Modern Way"

California Design, 1930–1965: "Living in a Modern Way"

Pacific Standard Time is a large scale collaboration of over sixty cultural institutions across Southern California, all coming together to tell the story of the birth of the LA art scene, from the 1930’s through 1965. Pacific Standard Time will take place for six months beginning in October 2011, with many of the exhibits free to the public.

The Los Angeles Contemporary Museum of Art (LACMA) is the first major exhibition of California mid-century modern design, with more than 350 original objects (including an Oscar, a Studebaker Avanti, and a Barbie Dream House). Probably the most ambitious part of the show is the exact recreation of the Eames living room inside an Eames House-inspired frame (Husband and wife team Charles and Ray Eames both designed the Pacific Palisades house and lived in it).

Corporate sponsorship was provided by

LACMA
5905 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90036
tel 323 857-6000
publicinfo@lacma.org

908 S. Cloverdale Ave. $865,000

This mid-Wilshire short sale hits the market on Friday. It’s an elegant 3 bedroom, 2 bath home built in 1925 and situated in a beautiful area of LA, amongst lovingly maintained, older homes.

This tudor home has the bones of the 1920’s with it’s pitched gable roof providing for an interior with high, vaulted ceilings.

The kitchen retains much of it's orginal charm, with upgraded stainless steel appliances.

The formal dining room is well appointed with beautiful paned windows with rich wood trim.

The breakfast nook provides a cozy space to relax.

The bedrooms are spacious and bright, filled with natural light through large paned windows, and a paned window door.

The lot is landscaped simply, providing a comfortable outdoor space to chill in.

If you'd like to see this mid-Wilshire tudor short sale in person please email me or give me a call at 213-309-5005.

Listing provided courtesy of Victoria Silver, Keller Williams, Hollywood Hills.

Lautner's Polin House

3542 Multiview Dr., Hollywood Hills - $1,495,000

Lautner’s Polin House up in the Hollywood Hills hit the market 2 days ago, being sold by Brent Bolthouse, LA impresario. This home is one of three projects that Lautner built in the 1940’s - the Carling, Polin and Jacobsen--all used "a hexagonal steel horizontal frame supported on three tapered steel trusses," according to the Lautner Foundation.

This 3 bedroom, 2 bath home is beautifully renovated, keeping to the flavor of the iconic architect. To arrive, one travels up a private drive on the 27,000sqft lot, beautifully landscaped with a natural touch.

The home features the mid century flavors archetypes; open floor plan, wood lined ceilings, asymmetrical fireplace...

Walls of glass, few load bearing walls...

Horozontally placed windows along the tops of the walls, contrasting with the walls of glass...

The kitchen is upgraded with a beautiful designer flare and all top of line features.

The deck provides both the canyon and city lights views.

The coveted stunning city lights views of the Hollywood Hills.

This is a unique opportunity to own a rare piece of history! If you'd like to see this home in person, please email me or call me at 213-309-5005.

Listing provided courtesy of Aaron Kirman, Hilton & Hyland.

440 N. Flores St., Los Angeles, 90048, $985,000

This new short sale in the Beverly Center-Miracle Mile area is definitely worth a look! This is a prime, central area of Los Angeles, within walking distance to several of the premier shopping areas of LA; the Beverly Center, the Grove, and the shops on Melrose Avenue (particularly the high end designer shops on the western end of Melrose...yummy!).

This home scores an 80 on walkscore.com, which for Los Angeles...is off the charts!

The home is on a beautiful block of homes, most built in the 1930’s - 1940’s. This home was built in 1939, is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home at 2255 sqft, and is on a bigger than average lot of 6500 sqft.

The kitchen has been upgraded and includes the classic granite countertop, travertine floors and stainless steel appliances.

Additionally, the baths have also been upgraded, are tiled beautifully, with a large spa tub in the master.

The family room has French doors that lead out to the backyard.

The short sale price of $985,000 is considerably below the area comps, and is therefore priced very well. With that being said, this area is adjacent to Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and Melrose neighborhoods, thus you are comparing this to some truly magnificent homes, with every imaginable design element utilized. Bottom line...this home is not on the Architectural Digest tour to be sure, but the neighboring might be. And as always, “location, location, location” rules the day. There is some terrific upside in this short sale!

Priced well for what the property currently delivers, the future potential is strong. If you’d like to see this home in person please email me, or call me at 213-309-5005.

Listing provided courtesy of Robert Silverman, Magno Realty Group.