Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Your Mama Keeps Hearing...

...from well-placed peeps in the Platinum Triangle real estate scene that dancing chat show hostess Ellen Degeneres and her actress wife Portia de Rossi (Arrested Development, Nip/Tuck, Better Off Ted) have their secluded Beverly Hills, CA compound quietly on the market with a mind-bending price tag.

Your Mama first discussed this celebrity real estate rumor way back in mid-February but it seems to be bubbling back up to the surface and, indeed, twice yesterday we heard about this again from a couple of contacts who tend to know about these things. One of our better informed sources snitched to Your Mama that the numbers being batted around Beverly Hills are $49,000,000 for the main house (which includes a detached guest house, staff quarters and an underground garage) and a buckle-your-seat belts-ballsy $60,000,000 for the entire compound (main house plus two adjacent residences purchased as a privacy buffer).

When queried about the sky-high price, one of our more eloquent informants, let's call her Miss Formerly Seductive Realtor Sally (who–it should be noted–needs an honest head shot), hissed and snorted that the Sapphic couple's "absurd desire for $60 million" is pie in the real estate sky, partick since the compound is not in Beverly Hills proper but, "It's BH POST OFFICE for God's sake."

The distinction between Beverly Hills and the Beverly Hills Post Office may not be clear–or matter–to anyone who does not live in either Beverly Hills or the Bev Hills Post Office but the issue becomes abundantly clear when it comes time for residents to call the po-po or send their precious children to public school. Beverly Hills is a city all of its own where residents in need of the law call the fast-responding Beverly Hills Police Department and have the option of sending their off-spring to the well-regarded and high-testing Beverly Hills High School. The Bev Hills Post Office, on the other hand, is part of the City of Los Angeles–rather than the city of Beverly Hills–and as such residents have to cough up the cash for private school or send their kiddies to lackluster and economically starving public schools and they have to call the notoriously slow-responding Los Angeles Police Department when they need an armed officer.

Anyhoo, Missus and Missus Degeneres–it seems Portia took Ellen's name making it quite clear who wears the pants in that family–started to cobble together their compound above Coldwater Canyon in late 2007 and, before they'd put away their checkbook, spent a combined (and approximate) $48,000,000 on the multi-acre and multi-parcel property.

Missus Degeneres–Ellen–is notoriously fickle when it comes to real estate, rarely staying put for more than a few years at a stretch. In the last 5 or 10 years Missus Degeneres has owned scads of contemporary cribs in Los Angeles, several ranches in the Santa Ynez Valley and an historic George Washington Smith-designed mansion in Montecito, CA.

As far as Your Mama knows–and we really know so little–in addition to their up-for-sale compound in the Bev Hills Post Office, Missus and Missus Degeneres's only other real estate holding is a ten million dollar horse farm in the scrubby hills outside Westlake Village, CA and a two bedroom condo in a boring Beverly Hills building bought in late 2010 for $835,000.

We really have no idea where Missus and Missus Degeneres might go when–and if–they sell their Bev Hills Post Office compound. Ages ago we heard through the celebrity real estate gossip grapevine that Hollywood's most famous property-luvin' scissor sisters were poking around in the equestrian-friendly and guard-gated Serra Retreat in Malibu but we shall see, children, we shall see...

18 comments:

angie said...

When they purchased the surrounding properties in addition to the main property, I figured they had finally decided to settle and stay put, but I guess not. I don't understand their strategy for this real estate venture at all, but I'll be very surprised if they break even, let alone make any profit this time around.

Anonymous said...

My, oh my...., I foolishly thought that this time, AT LAST, Ellen was going to stay put for a long, long, while. Thus, why she bought the whole street to form a compound for the long-term. But, off she goes again, I guess. Serra Retreat would be as good a guess as any, and probably a good guess.

Great update and I know you'll keep us posted!

StPaulSnowman said...

I, for one, wish the Degeneri nothing but the best. Her TV persona is refreshingly honest and unlike most, she doesn't seem to take herself overly seriously. She brings lightheartedness into an increasingly grisly world. I know that she treats those who work for her well.

Anonymous said...

Her house IS in BH city limits. The other side of Coldwater is LA, but her street is within the boundary, so $60 might be too high, but not as ridiculous as people may think.

Of course, Ellen has become a bit stuck up and affected by her celebrity lately, so I wouldn't be surprised if she thought her owning the property added a few million.

Anonymous said...

Moving is such a pain in the ass I can't imagine anyone doing it this frequently.

At least they'll be in no danger of becoming hoarders.

Ellen said...

Moving is only a PITA when you have to do it yourself. When you can afford to pay people to move your shit and stay in luxury hotels during the moving process, it's a simple as pissing your money away!

Aunt Gina said...

yes, I very much doubt they are trolling Safeway looking for cardboard boxes and renting a UHaul.

Anonymous said...

Realtor Sally should never be used as an informant as Ellen's Compound is DEFINITELY in the CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS. I do not know what substance she is hissing or snorting -- but you should check it immediately.

Aunt Gina said...

per Mama herself, here, back in Nov. 2010:

"Given that Missus Degeneres and her actress ladee-wife Portia de Rossi already own a sprawling 4 or 5 parcel compound that overlooks Coldwater Canyon in Beverly Hills (Post Office), there are only so many reasons Your Mama can figure they might want an extra tw0-bedroom condo in Bev Hills."

So apparently Mama was under the impression it was BH PO and not just the aforementioned Sally.

Anonymous said...

Again some rather empty headed people with too much money real estate hopping to kill the boredom of their self centered lives? (I use a question mark to avoid attacks on me as sour and envious; I am not). Why don't they use their excessive wealth to do some good in the world?

Anonymous said...

^^^I could not agree more.

Anonymous said...

Just checked an official Beverly Hills boundary map on the city website and the Degeneres' Cabrillo compound is in fact BH proper. Price still might be a bit of a stretch, though.

Anonymous said...

^^^^^ My world could use some good right now.

Anonymous said...

@ Aunt Gina- ditto to the Safeway & UHaul remark.

My word verification is "debode." Sounds like what Mrs & Mrs Degeneres are trying to do.

Lady J

lil' gay boy said...

Reviewing their past real estate transactions, they don't appear to be in any danger of coming up with a loss on this compilation.

I think for Ellen, real estate is like life; it's all about the journey, not the arrival.

Hell, it's my dream hobby...

Anonymous said...

So if I'm reading this correctly...

for $49m you get the house she purchased for $29m and the lot that was a house purchased for $8.5m that now has her motorcourt and landscaped garden on it?

Another $11m gets you the house way up on the hill and the house you drive by coming into the compound?

So basically they want $500,000 profit on the two houses and $11.5m on the main house and land?

Anonymous said...

Why does anyone want to pay so much for living above a massive water tank?
With that sort of money there are far more attractive properties in the area. Or am I being too British about this.
And yes I have driven around LA and BH.
Has Ellen been cared off by that female trespasser of a few months ago?

Valkyrie

Anonymous said...

i think this home is listed (with a few pictures) here: http://www.weahomes.com/1_1_propertyDetails.asp?RN=1&PID=1080&PS=19

its not that attractive or impressive from the inside to be honest, and, of course, "price upon request". i hate that phrase.