Ellen DeGeneres and Taylor Swift are, perhaps, the two most adorable celebrities in our time. Their friendship (more so Ellen pranking Taylor Swift) often brings us joy, and they are both funny, charming, and witty in so many ways. But what else does Ellen DeGeneres and Taylor Swift have in common? Remember back in August, we wrote a piece covering Ellen’s and Taylor’s shared interest in investing in real estate? This month, we have more exciting news to share – both Ellen and Taylor successfully sold their Beverly Hills homes!
Taylor Swift and Her 2,950-Square-Foot Property
It is no surprise to see the name “Taylor Swift” in the news. The 28-year-old singer-songwriter is known for the real estate empire she has built. The real estate mogul, according to the Business Insider, owned more than $84 million of real estate across eight properties in California, New York, Rhode Island, and Tennessee as of June 2018.
In mid-September 2018, Swift shook off her four-bedroom house in Beverly Hills for $2.65 million. The home was initially listed back in March 2018 with a listed price of $2.95 million, and the price later fell to $2.65 million in May 2018. Even with the price drop, the fearless singer still made over $500,000 (if we factor in broker’s commissions) given the $1.78 million she paid for this house back in 2012 – not a bad deal!
So what’s so special about this midcentury-style house? We’ve included some photos here to feed your curiosity!
Ellen DeGeneres and the $35 Million Beverly Hills Mansion
Ellen DeGeneres is a lot of things – she’s a comedian, a super television host, writer, producer, and an LGBT activist. What you might not know, however, is that Ellen is also a prolific real estate investor. According to Time, she has spent at least $145 million buying and flipping houses.
DeGeneres started investing in real estate back since the 1990s. She and her wife Portia de Rossi have bought and sold many ranches and houses in the past, including the Brody House, which they paid $40 million for in January 2014 and sold for $55 million in July 2014. Yes, you read it right – they made $15 million in six months! Of course, no investors can beat the market, and DeGeneres is no exception. In 2012, she took a big loss in a deal involving the Beverly Hills compound she bought back in 2008. The property was bought for $48 million and was sold for only $37 million four years later – a rare but painful loss that could be related to the aftermath of the 08/09 financial crisis.
But the universe still favors Ellen, so it seems, and this time, she sold her Beverly Hills mansion for $35 million, which she bought in 2015 for $16 million. That’s a $19 million profit! Outrageous? Incredible? Unbelievable? All we know is that this deal could be one of DeGeneres’ best investments ever.
The Beckhams and Their 9-bedroom, One-Story Home
Interestingly, DeGeneres and Swift are not the only celebrities rocking the real estate world this fall. Our favorite celebrity couple, David and Victoria Beckham also sold their Beverly Hills home in early October. The couple, along with their beautiful children, had been living in the H-shaped estate close to a decade. Built in 2007, the Tuscan-villa style property features six bedrooms, nine bathrooms, a courtyard patio, and a swimming pool. The couple first purchased this gorgeous estate for $22 million and sold it for $33.1 million just around a week ago. The value of the property increased by 50% in just 10 years!
Shonda Rhimes Lists Her Home For $9.95 Million
Hollywood is definitely on a roll! The famous producer of Grey’s Anatomy, Shonda Rhimes, is also looking to sell one of her homes in Hancock Park, which she bought in March 2010 for $5.6 million. Built in the mid-1920s, the property features six bedrooms, nine bathrooms, a garden, library, and a swimming pool. It is hard to say how long it is going to take for Rhimes to spin off this property. After all, with interest rates on the rise, it seems that real estate markets are slightly softening, and the demand is not as strong as early this year. Can the fame weather the storm?
