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Selma Blair West Hollywood Home For Sale

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[one_fourth]Price: $1,780,000[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Size: 2,918 sq ft[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Bedrooms: 3[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth_last]Bathrooms: 3.5[/one_fourth_last]

If you have a deep pocketbook, but not deep enough to afford several of the big mansions, then Selma Blair’s Los Angeles, California home might be just the right price. The actress known for performances in “Hellboy,” “Legally Blonde” and “The Sweetest Thing,” has her 2,918 square foot home on the market for $1,780,000. Fencing and tall hedges with a gated but narrow driveway surround the 3 bedroom, 3.5-bath property.

The house has a history, with its construction date in 1922, but fully modernized since that time . Blair purchased it for a mere $1,315 back in late 2004 right after she married, now ex-husband, Ahmet Zappa, the son of Frank Zappa. After the split, Blair and Jason Bleick, a somewhat free spirited fashion designer, became an item and the couple produced their 7 lb., 12 oz. baby boy, Arthur Saint Bleick last fall. In the real estate market, diapers in the house often mean a brand new home, and in this case, it seems to be following the pattern.

White flows throughout the home and in some rooms, makes it reminiscent of a rental. Besides the white walls and exterior, even the floors are painted white with light tan area rugs scattered throughout.

The slightest hint of color comes from the gray or black furniture, a black bathroom floor, some tan rugs and a few accent pieces in the home. Perhaps her realtor told her that a plain white interior would be easier to sell, or she simply has a romance going with white. Either way, the neutral tone of the house is prominent in every room.

One feature of the office that might be a deal breaker is the antler chandelier topped with candle-style lights. Another lighting misadventure is the flower-style chandelier above the dining room table. It’s interesting to view the pictures of the home and note one item that seems to be reappearing in several pictures. A turquoise blue, jug-style vase wanders from the dining room table onto the kitchen counter. The best guess is that the realtor suggested it and moved it for the photos to add a little color to the rooms.

Aside from the easily changed, blah décor, this home is quite nice and reasonably priced compared to many celebrity homes. It’s ready to move into and neutral enough for anyone’s taste. There’s a koi pond in the back, several rooms with a fireplace and a master bedroom with doors opening to the patio. For those who love outdoor entertaining, the back yard offers a big concrete fire pit and a concrete dining area.

More Photos of Selma Blair’s West Hollywood House

source: Westside Estate Agency + Realtor.com

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Scarlett Johansson & Ryan Reynolds List Former L.A. Love Nest

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[one_fourth]Price: $3,650,000[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Size: 2,835 sq ft[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Bedrooms: 2[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth_last]Bathrooms: 3[/one_fourth_last]

In August 2010, two years after they married in 2008, Scarlett Johansson (“The Horse Whisperer” and “He’s Just Not That into You”) and Ryan Reynolds (“Green Lantern” and “The Proposal”)purchased the home they would live in for the rest of their marriage, which lasted only a few more months more. The divorce was final June 2011 and the house is just now on the market.

While the couple only paid $2.9 million for the home, they’re now asking $3.65 million. There’s a good reason for that price hike. They did massive upgrades to make the home more eco-friendly. The addition of solar power, adding more security features, upgrading the kitchen and even securing plans to add a second story to this 2,835 square foot single-story post and beam style home.

The listing shows only two bedrooms and three baths, perhaps the reason for the second floor plans, which sits atop .44 acres with a view in all directions, allowing them to see both the beach and the downtown area of Los Angeles. It also has a 2-car attached garage, which is rather smallish for most stars’ abodes.

Inside you’ll find wood everywhere. The ceilings are wood, the floors are wood and there are wood posts and beams everywhere. It doesn’t take away from the attractiveness of the home, if you happen to like the distinct style. The kitchen has an open concept with a U-shaped wooden counter, which contains the gas cook top. The other appliances are chrome and built into the walls of the kitchen, giving it a sleek look.

The master bedroom has many people talking. It comes complete with a walled garden adjacent to it and a luxurious outdoor shower. One can only imagine the freedom of showing outdoors without worrying about anyone seeing you…except people in low flying airplanes and helicopters.

The house has its own name too. Locals call it the “Wong House.” It seems the Wong House was the “wong” purchase for Scarlett Johansson & Ryan Reynolds, but if they sell it for the asking price, it could make this home purchase far more palatable.

More Photos of Scarlett Johansson & Ryan Reynolds Former Love Nest

source: Keller Williams + Realtor.com

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Rock Star Homes For Sale In California

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If you dance in your “tighty whities” playing air guitar to “Footloose,” you might be interested in purchasing a former rock star’s home. Of course, you have to have a very large balance in your checking account. Many of these homes aren’t what you’d expect from tattooed, sweating rockers, but often tastefully decorated and present a homey elegant ambiance. Of course, there are those rockers who simply must have the skull and crossbones or wild décor, but they aren’t in this collection of homes.

If you have $3.15 million and an itch for a new home, you can’t get Flea’s. Of course, that means the home of Michael Peter Balzary, bassist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Known as Flea to his fans, Balzary had to build a new home after the Malibu, California fires destroyed his in 2007. Flea put the home on the market and 3,066 square foot, three-bathroom, three-bedroom and an office home sold in October, just four months after listing it.

If you’re disappointed you missed that one, you still have an opportunity to purchase the Hidden Hills home of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne. This modest 10,930-square foot home is in Hidden Hills and has an asking price of $12,999,000. (The price is reminiscent of those from the late night TV used car salesman –with a few extra zeros.) Renowned for his interior designs, Lawrence-Bullard meticulously decorated this six-bedroom, six-full bath and four half-bath home, which “Architectural Digest” featured in the June 2011 issue.

Of course, if you want something a little historic, you might latch onto the 1905 Venice home of Brandon Boyd of Incubus fame. This 3,500 square foot building was once a hotel in the 1940’s but now is the living quarters for the rock star. It comes with a guest quarters and a music studio. The home also has a rooftop patio. The rocker bought the home in 2005 for about $6,000 less than the $3,495 million asking price. For those with a penchant for cooking, you’ll love the chef kitchen created to please the most demanding of food fanciers.

You missed the chance to purchase the home of Travis Barker, Blink-182’s rock drummer. However, Avril Lavigne and her ex now have the property on the market again. The Mediterranean mansion offers 8 bedrooms and 11 baths, in the gigantic 12, 184 square foot abode. The asking price is a mere $8,999,999. This tastefully decorated Mediterranean-style home offers not only the customary hardwood floors and chic design throughout, but also has a wine cellar, a gym, which includes a sauna, a ten-car garage and an outdoor area that would make anyone drool. It offers not only a swimming pool, barbecue and Jacuzzi, but also a covered outdoor living room with a scenic canyon view. (UPDATE: This home was recently purchased by NBA basketball star Chris Paul).

If you’re a Guns ‘n Roses groupie, consider looking at the 10,971 square foot home Slash put on the market. He and wife Perla Hudson purchased the Beverly Hills property in March of 2009 for $7,300,000 and listed it recently for $9,500,000. It has seven bedrooms, 8 baths, a game room with both arcade games and a poker table and decorated in a Spanish motif both inside and out. Don’t expect to call your local broker to get a “look see” into the home. It’s a pocket listing. That means one realtor holds the keys and you had better pass the moola test or you won’t get even a tiny peek.

image source: Realtor + Getty Images

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Home Alone Movie House For Sale in Illinois

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[one_fourth]Price: $2,400,000[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Size: 4,250 sq ft[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Bedrooms: 5[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth_last]Bathrooms: 3.5[/one_fourth_last]

The Winnetka, Illinois home that co-starred with Macaulay Culkin is now up for sale for $2.4 million. However, if you’re expecting to see the house just as it was in the movie, think again. It’s renovated, updated and dazzling, even more so than in the movie. The only thing that remains the same is the exterior and the interior floor plan of this famous home.

The stairwell and foyer, which sported paisley red, green and tan wallpaper above the white wainscoting, received a makeover with the upper walls painted a cool soft grey that matches the grey runner on the stairs. Rather than the cluttered look of the overdone window treatment and lighter paisley wallpaper in the office/family room, there’s an understated look from the light grey walls and minimal window treatment allowing the beauty of the white molding on the French doors to the patio and full-length windows to shine.

If you loved all the red frizzle in the kitchen, you’ll hate the newer more modern look. In fact, you won’t even recognize it as the same kitchen. The new kitchen has a less cluttered, cleaner look. There’s no dangly red curtains or paisley (again) wallpaper. Instead, there’s pristine white walls with various shades of grey tile adorning the wall behind the chrome stove and hood, the countertop and the sink. The island in the kitchen now has a granite countertop instead of tiles.

The dining room is completely different and viva’ la difference. It’s open and airy with giant windows on one wall and two huge sliding paned glass doors leading to the screened porch on the other.

Even the bedrooms are different. While the original rooms were heavily toned in reds with the same deep colored paisley wallpaper creating an eyesore and cluttered look, the new look offers a white Berber carpet, soft red and white striped wallpaper and sheer curtains with the only other red in the valence and bed ruffle.

While this 4,250 square foot home doesn’t look like it did in the movie, that’s a good thing. The more modern decorating treatment allows this beautiful home to show off some of its finer features. Why are the owners selling the house? It seems their daughter grew up, moved out and left them home alone.

More Pictures of the ‘Home Alone’ Movie House

source: Marissa Hopkins Coldwell Banker

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Amityville Horror House: Address & History

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[one_fourth]Price: $1,500,000[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Size: 3,600 sq ft[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Bedrooms: 5[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth_last]Bathrooms: 3.5[/one_fourth_last]

For those that love a spooky tale, the house that starred in the book, “The Amityville Horror: A True Story” is up on the market. The house at 108 Ocean Avenue got its horrific beginning in 1974 When Ronald (Butch) DeFeo Jr. shot and killed six family members.

A year later, another family, George and Kathy Lutz purchased the home and moved into it. According to the Lutz family, that’s when the spooky stuff began. There was a 28-day period where the family was besieged by a demonic face with glowing red eyes peering in their window and leaving hoof prints in the snow, swarms of insects, boils on the exorcist’s hands and green slime.

The family collaborated on a book, written by Jay Anson after they reportedly fled from the house for their lives. There were television documentaries where ghost hunters and psychics verified the existence of demons and everyone claimed that Ronald DeFeo Jr. didn’t willingly shoot his family, the house made him do it—or should I say—the devil. All of this just a few short years after the success of “The Exorcist,” another tale of demon possession.

There was a series of movies, remakes and take television wanna’ bees that followed that. However, some people later became suspicious and finally, after years of keeping the secret, the attorney for Butch DeFeo, William Weber admitted the whole story was made up over a bottle of wine. The Lutz family wanted the fame and fortune from the book and Weber wanted a new trial for his client Butch.

So, if you’re into spooky houses, don’t expect to fill that need from the house at 108 Ocean Avenue. Other families lived there since and reported no horrific occurrences in the home. In fact, they claimed it was quite pleasant, so pleasant and updated that the sellers want $1.5 million for it. It may well be worth the price.

The home has a bright comfortable interior with a sunroom anyone would love. It boasts a half of an acre of riverside property on the Tom’s River. This New York home also has a detached garage, granite countertops in the center island kitchen, a porcelain foyer, and intricate crown molding in the living room and elegant dining room. It also has hardwood floors. You won’t be going to a dark spooky basement in this home, since it’s now home theatre complete with a wet bar.

You might not even recognize the old place from the movies. The previous owners remodeled the home and many of the shots weren’t of this home, but another one in the area. However, for $1.5 million you can have a heck of a good story, a nice home and a lot of fun at Halloween.

More Pictures of the Remolded ‘Amityville Horror’ House

image source: Sotheby’s International Realty


This black and white photo was taken in November of 1974 as police investigate the murders of six family members who were shot by Ronald DeFeo Jr.

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Drake Lists Two Condos in Miami Florida

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Get you’re teen work on a rap video so he/she can buy you the double dipper of condos from hip-hop singer Drake, who got his start as a member of the cast “Degrassi: The Next Generation,” a Canadian teen series. If you’ve never heard of him before, you’re probably over 40. After all, he must be famous if he only has one name and his current album is teetering at the #1 position in many music charts.

The cost for the combo of two condos is $2,499,000, $599,000 for one and $1.9 million for the other. While other rappers go on and on about the tough times, Drake raps about his money with songs like, “Successful” and he certainly is. In his budding career he’s already earned upwards of $11 million from record sales alone.

These two side-by-side condos in Miami, Florida are in the Marquis Miami and were actually featured as part of the music video, “I’m on One.” Drake combined the two condos to make one gigantic 5,475 square foot apartment. However, if you’re bank balance is a little low and all that kid of yours wants to do is study and go to college, you might be able to swing one of the condos with the cash in your checking account.

The larger and more expensive one has 3,800 square feet and sports four bathrooms and three bedrooms. The smaller of the two has only 1,675 square feet with two baths and one bedroom.

What do you get for your money? First, you get all the special amenities from the Marquis that every condo owner receives, a cocktail lounge, a pool, private elevators, housekeeping, climate controlled storage and a fitness center with a spa. You also get windows extending from the floor to the 20 foot vaulted ceiling, which give you the primo view of the Biscayne Bay.

If you love to cook, there are Viking restaurant style state-of-the-art appliances and the exotic wood cabinets. There’s nothing but the best, including a marble staircase in each apartment. Everything is larger than life in this combo offering. In fact, it even looks like there’s full length curtains from the top floor of all the building’s windows that extend to the pool deck outside on this posh building.

If you buy it, you can party like a rock star, or should I say rap star, because there are noise reduction partitioning walls so you won’t bother the neighbors.

More Pictures of Drake’s Former Miami, Florida Condo

image source: realtor.com

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Jonathan Papelbon’s Old Boston Penthouse

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[one_fourth]Price: $3,100,000[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Size: 2,500 sq ft[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Bedrooms: 4[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth_last]Bathrooms: 3[/one_fourth_last]

It didn’t take former Red Sox pitcher, Jonathan Papelbon, much to sell his penthouse near Fenway Park, just a $50 million dollar four-year contract with the Phillies. This Red Sox All-Star and wife Ashley recently put his 2,500 square foot home, which is located in both a historic and high-dollar area, up for sale for $3.1 million. The penthouse contains four bedrooms and three bathrooms as well as an elevator to the roof top decks. Don’t even picture tar or pebbled covered surfaces. These rooftop decks are finished in wood and one contains a hot tub. Both have magnificent views that would make anyone feel like king of the world.

It would be difficult to tell this was a home of a baseball player, unless you looked at the nursery, which has seats from Fenway Park, Red Sox memorabilia and sliding doors hiding the baby’s dressing area with windows saying “To the Locker Room.” Aside from that small feature, the penthouse is elegantly decorated with little indication that a sports star lives there.

The Papelbon’s purchased the penthouse in 2009 for $2.67 million. The abode has all the niceties you’d expect in a multi-million dollar penthouse. It offers a gourmet kitchen with the best in appliances and copper fixtures, hardwood or marble floors in every room, custom made cabinets all enclosed in a semi-open floor plan.

The kitchen has a dining island suitable for three and leads directly into the living room and staircase area. The living room done in tans and white has a bay window at the end of a shotgun style living room/dining area that allows light to brighten the room enhanced with a glass enclosed fireplace. Off from the living room is a geometric light toned hardwood staircase that has a black wrought iron railing.

Don’t expect to use many of the rooms to practice ballroom dancing, since most of them are rather narrow. The bedroom looks as though it sports enough room to open the doors of the built-in cabinets across from the bed. Just as the bedroom is narrow, so is the nursery and living room. However, the living room’s narrowness stems from dividing the room, via floor treatment, into a dining room/living room combination.

More Pictures of Jonathan Papelbon’s Former Penthouse

image source: Realtor.com

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Chris Paul Buys Famous Bel Air Mansion

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[one_fourth]Price: $8,500,000[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Size: 12,184 sq ft[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Bedrooms: 8[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth_last]Bathrooms: 10.5[/one_fourth_last]

While most people have to prove their income before getting a mortgage, it probably wasn’t necessary when Chris Paul bought Avril Lavigne’s former home, if a mortgage was necessary. His $68 million dollar four-year contract was more than enough to cover the $8.5 million dollar price tag of the Bel Air mansion. While unloading the mansion, Avril also unloaded other items in her life the same day, including her boyfriend Brody Jenner.

Even though the LA Clipper’s point guard, Paul paid $8.5 million for the Mediterranean-style home, he got a bargain. Lavigne previously had the property listed at $9.5 million for six months and dropped the price to meet Paul’s offer. The home is in a gated community where the median home prices run a roughly $1,722,000.

The house has eight bedrooms and ten baths while situated on slightly over a half acre of land. The new mansion has 12,184 square feet, just enough to move about a bit. It also has a 10-car garage, so there will always be plenty room for his cars, regardless of how many lawn mowers, basketballs or other items Paul stores there.

Of course, there’s a swimming pool outside, it’s right after the covered outdoor living area, which comes complete with tiled floor and a fireplace, just in case there’s a little evening breeze. You can use the Jacuzzi if you don’t care to swim. There is also a barbecue area complete with a dining table.

Going inside, you’ll find the extra amenities no home should be without, such as a wine cellar, staff quarters and a gym with a sauna. Guests are greeted in the two-story foyer. If they manage to make it to the kitchen, they’ll find themselves surrounded by a huge L-shaped countertop/breakfast bar that seats five. Separating the bar from the actual kitchen work area is an island for food preparation with storage and a sink. Of course, there are state of the art appliances. What mansion would be complete without them?

There’s a second kitchen in the home. This one is smaller and very private. It’s in the master bedroom, along with a fireplace, custom walk-in closets and two baths. There’s also a patio off the master suite. If you’ve seen pictures of the home, you might recognize it, since it was once featured on the reality series, “Meet the Barkers” and owned by Travis Barker, drummer for Blink-182.

More Pictures of Chris Paul’s Bel-Air House

image source: Zillow

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American Horror Story House: Inside & Out

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[one_fourth]Price: $17,000,000[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Size: 14,201 sq ft[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Bedrooms: 6[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth_last]Bathrooms: 5[/one_fourth_last]

Every star on real television programs, not reality shows, expects to have a little makeover for the part. The star of “American Horror Story” not only had a little makeover, it was a huge makeover. Of course, in this case, we’re not talking about Dylan McDermott or Connie Britton, we’re talking about the spooky, but quite stately mansion that keeps the haunting spirits alive. (Of course, it’s nothing like the quick change the housekeeper undergoes when viewed by a male or female.)

The listing photos of this once $4.5 million dollar mansion is quite different from the house on the program where most of us would dread living. The exterior, for starts, is a bright pink-red brick with the same clean white stone framing around the entry way and windows. However, there are no boarded windows, bent wrought iron gate or “Little Shop of Horrors” foliage growing everywhere. It’s clean and pristine.

The interior had quite a makeover too. While the 1970’s hallway was in great disrepair and the renovated one, much better, the real hallway has no creepiness about it and is quite pristine and inviting. My best guess on the 1970’s look is that it took the aid of some computer generated destruction, rather than a real crew decimating the premises.

Word has it they shot the original pilot on location at this home but the crew then replicated the look of the interior in the studio for the rest of the series. The crew didn’t replicate the kitchen and it’s entirely different from that of the mansion.

The mansion has an abundance of Tiffany fixtures, stained glassed windows and display cases. In fact, it even has a Tiffany glass door. It also has its own website, but the price went up since the filming of “American Horror Story.” If you go to the site, your tab at the top reads, “FOR SALE: $17,000,000.” Even though the price tag increased, one of the benefits of being famous, let’s hope the house doesn’t turn into a diva.

More Pictures of the American Horror Story House

image source: Rodeo Realty

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Tony Montana’s Scarface Movie Mansion

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If you aren’t looking for a hand-me-down celebrity mansion, then perhaps you’ll be interested in a home featured in a movie. The mansion that played the role of “Scarface” Tony Montana’s home/compound is reportedly up for sale. Even though the movie is set in Miami, you won’t find the listing there. The home is actually located in Santa Barbara, California.

According to the Santa Barbara website for Sotheby’s International Real Estate, the building date for the home was 1906. However, they do have the words, “recently remodeled” in parenthesis. Well, I should hope so. It’s over 100 years old for heaven’s sake. The website also states that it has five full baths and three powder rooms. That’s just a fancy way of saying half baths in “old-money-speak.”

The home, according to the site, consisted of “poured, reinforced concrete on a steel frame.” (They built it before Jimmy Hoffa’s time, so it’s doubtful he’s there.) Even though the site also noted Barbara Lockhart, an award-winning designer, interpreted the renovation of the home, we’re pretty certain that simply means she simply created the design. Besides updating all the mechanicals, it seems as though she a made quite a few other changes. So if you go into the house expecting to travel back through time and see the “Scarface Mansion” as it was in the movie, think again. It’s been “Lockharted.” In a very tasteful manner, I might add.

Even though the mansion sold for $6.23 million back in October of 2009, it was recently placed back on the market for a cool $29.5 million. Evidently, the price increase came from the vast remodeling. Sincerely, the house does have quite a history even without the “Scarface” connections. The eccentric millionaire, J. Waldron Gillespie, originally built it. He surrounded it with fantastic gardens that rivaled the most spectacular in the world and called it “El Fureidis,” meaning pleasure gardens.

The upgraded El Fureidis has all the best, custom designed hardware and window treatments, marble, granite and tile throughout and an intricate floor pattern in the entryway. It’s quite beautiful, but unless you’re an eccentric billionaire (a 2012 version of a 1906 millionaire) or a cocaine dealing gangster, its out of many people’s price range.

More Pictures of the Scarface Movie Mansion