His MVP: most valuable property
Decorated baseball star turned television analyst Alex Rodriguez is ready to give up his L.A. base, listing his architectural residence in Hollywood Hills West for sale at $6.5 million.
Known as the Honnold & Rex Research House, the Midcentury Modern residence was built in 1954 under the Architectural Products magazine research program, which encouraged experimentation with materials and designs.
About a decade ago, it was redesigned and reconfigured by earlier owner and architectural conservator Xorin Balbes.
Tucked away on a secluded drive, the home features horizontal louvers that wrap the exterior of the home and provide a privacy screen while diffusing light during the day and night.
Clean lines, a mix of organic materials and walls of windows reinforce its modernist roots.
At the heart of the house is a two-story living room with a block-wall fireplace that runs from floor to ceiling.
The floor plan includes a chef ’s kitchen, a dining room and a family room on the main floor.
The master suite — one of four bedrooms and four bathrooms — floats above the living room area, allowing for city light and tree-top views.
Rodriguez, who retired from baseball two years ago, bought the property in 2014 from Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep for $4.8 million.
The 43-year-old was among the most dynamic players in baseball during his career, amassing 696 home runs and 3,115 hits across 22 seasons. Rodriguez’s scores of accolades include 14 All-Star Game appearances, 10 Silver Slugger awards and three American League MVP awards.
Since his retirement, he has worked as a broadcaster for ESPN and Fox.
Carl Gambino of Westside Estate Agency holds the exclusive listing.
No longer tied down to L.A. home
Jamie Dornan, who stars in the “Fifty Shades” films, has sold his home in the Nichols Canyon area for $3.18 million, down slightly from the asking price of $3.195 million.
A stellar example of the Midcentury Modern style, the singlestory house sits up from the street and has wood siding and an artistic block wall that create visual interest along the front.
Beyond the entry, the 1959-built house opens to an atrium and reflecting pool set within a glass box. Sliding glass doors in each of the main living areas open to the atrium. Concrete steppingstones float above the water.
A streamlined kitchen, a living room with a rock-wall fireplace and a formal dining room are among the living spaces. There are four bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms, including a master suite that opens directly to the swimming pool.
Dornan bought the house two years ago from film producer Vincent Sieber for $2.843 million.
The 36-year-old actor was seen most recently as Christian Grey in “Fifty Shades Freed,” in theaters earlier this year. He is set to appear in the upcoming “Robin Hood” reboot starring Taron Egerton and Jamie Foxx.
Jeff Kohl of the Agency was the listing agent. James Hancock of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage represented the buyer.
Looking for his market match
Sean Rad, co-founder and former chairman of the dating app Tinder, has listed a home in Hollywood Hills West for sale at $10.9 million.
Located above the Sunset Strip, the ivy-clad Georgian traditional-style home sits behind gates on a third of an acre of landscaped grounds with palm trees, a swimming pool and a motor court.
Extensively updated during Rad’s two years of ownership, the 5,085-square-foot house boasts a light aesthetic with modern fixtures, distressed hardwood floors and custom built-ins.
A sweeping staircase lined with thin wrought-iron balusters sits beyond the entry.
The chef ’s kitchen has been expanded and opens to the family room. A living room with a fireplace, a formal dining room, four bedrooms and five updated bathrooms complete the floor plan.
The listing comes roughly five months after Rad paid $24 million for another home in Hollywood Hills West.
The residence, which was once owned by late Comedy Store founder Mitzi Shore, dates to 1936, sits on about a third of an acre and has nearly 7,000 square feet of interior space.
Rad started the social marketing firm Adly before launching Tinder in 2012. He left the company last year.
Kurt Rappaport and Kevin D. Booker of Westside Estate Agency hold the listing.
Ready to recast as a landlord
British actor-comedian Matt
Lucas has put the Hollywood Hills home he bought last year up for lease at $16,500 a month.
Set just above the Sunset Strip, the recently remodeled property pairs dark hardwood floors with custom built-ins across 2,418 square feet.
French doors frame a marblecloaked fireplace in the living room.
Other highlights on the main level include a formal dining room,
a window-lined family room and a center-island kitchen with circular booth seating.
The master suite, one of four bedrooms, holds an office and a tiled bathroom.
In the backyard, there are a saltwater pool and spa, a lounge with a fireplace and an outdoor kitchen with a pizza oven. Hedges and landscaping make the space private.
Kathy Marshall and Delphine Mann of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage hold the listing.
Lucas gained fame for appearances on “Little Britain,” a sketch comedy that ran on the BBC. He played the role of Nardole on “Dr. Who” from 2015 to 2017.
Ushering in a new era
Veteran actor-producer Mark
Damon is ready to let go of the 90210. His Tudor-style mansion in the Beverly Hills Post Office area is up for grabs for a cool $10.899 million.
Built in 1972, the 10,692-squarefoot home sits at the end of a gated driveway on a 2.2-acre property with a swimming pool and spa. Mahogany decking takes in canyon views.
Walnut floors line the two-story foyer, and parquet floors cover the
formal and informal dining areas. The main level also boasts a center-island chef ’s kitchen and a living room with an oversized fireplace and built-in bar. The den is awash in imported reclaimed brick floors under ceiling beams of distressed oak.
The master suite, one of six bedrooms and 7.5 bathrooms, offers paneled walls, high ceilings, a fireplace and international flair. The headboard comes from a 300-year-old Italian church, and there’s also a private deck with a Japanese-style tea room, according to the listing.
Marc Noah of Sotheby’s International Realty holds the listing.
Damon, 85, starred in films such as “House of Usher” and “Johnny Yuma” during the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s before pivoting to producing. He has credits on “Monster,” which won an Oscar in 2003, as well as “Mac and Me,” “2 Guns” and “Lone Survivor.”
Big bucks for unfinished business
On a Bel-Air hillside, an unfinished Spanish villa is now angling for a buyer at $100 million.
That’s a price hike for the 40,000-square-foot spec house, which listing agent Fredrik Eklund said will be completed around March. A year ago, developers Ty Cueva of Westside Property Group and Dean Hallo of Hallo Construction offered the project at $75 million.
In renderings, the palatial house offers a markedly different vibe from the ultramodern styles of other mega-listings around the city, such as Nile Niami’s Opus or Bruce Makowsky’s Billionaire. Here, arched doorways, indooroutdoor loggias and a black terracotta roof provide a more Mediterranean feel.
“We wanted it to feel like a home, not a business park,” Cuevas said, adding that it blends with the Tuscan and Spanish styles in the neighborhood.
The mansion holds eight bedrooms and 21 bathrooms across four stories. With a design palette of wood and Italian stone, the interior features a basketball court/ballroom space, a subterranean garage/gallery, a recording studio, six bars, a massive wine cellar and a tasting room.
There are two Olympic-size pools: a lap pool inside and an infinity-edge pool with a waterfall outside. The grounds span about 1.35 acres.
At 40,000 square feet, the mansion is one of the largest on the market. Makowsky’s Billionaire, listed for $188 million, spans 38,000 square feet. L.A. County’s biggest home — the Manor in Holmby Hills — clocks in at a whopping 56,500 square feet, or 1,500 square feet larger than the White House. It’s up for grabs at $200 million.
Eklund, John Gomes, Cory Charlupski, Julia Spillman and Cory Cummins of Douglas Elliman are the listing agents.