A handful of celebrities decided to hop on the real estate train last week. Read on for more information on the homes bought and sold by Ellen and Portia, Tom Hanks, Jodi Foster, Jim Carrey, Billy Joel, and Rosie O’Donnell.
Ellen Degeneres and Portia di Rossi
200 North Swall Dr, Ph 53, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
List Price: $899,000
Beds: 2
Baths: 2
Listed by: Su-Z Schneider, Gibson International
Ellen and Portia have made a fortune from TV shows – and real estate. The couple owns multiple properties in the L.A. area, including the $26.5 million dollar Montecito mansion they purchased last month. This time they’re selling a low key penthouse in Beverly Hills for $899,000. The couple purchased the two bedroom, two bath condo on May 7, 2010, for $835,000, under a trust operated by Harley J. Neuman. It’s unknown if Portia and Ellen ever lived there, or if it was just a place for friends and family to crash while in town.
Jim Carrey
23418 Malibu Colony Rd, Malibu, CA 90265
List Price: $13,400,000
Beds: 3
Baths: 4
Jim Carrey’s career has hit a few roadblocks lately, but his bank account hasn’t. The actor just sold his 2,800 square foot Malibu mansion for $13.4 million. He’s been trying to unload it since June 2011, when he listed it for $18 million. That was almost twice as much as he paid in 2002, when he purchased it for $9.75 million! The home is located in Malibu Colony, an ultra-private neighborhood where guards check every trunk…for cameras. The buyers must enjoy their privacy; they purchased the home under an LLC called “Colony Residence 99” – with no known officers.
Tom Hanks
956 Corsica Dr, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 
List Price: $5,225,000
Beds: 4
Baths: 5.5
Listed by: Mary Lu Tuthill, Coldwell Banker-Brentwood
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson just listed this 6,300 square foot Pacific Palisades home for $5,225,000. The couple has owned it since 1988, when they purchased it for $1.9 million. This isn’t the first time they’ve tried to sell the Spanish-style estate. It was first listed April 27, 2012, for $5,450,000, and since then it has been listed and de-listed over and over again, sometimes on the same day. We’ll see if it finally sells this time, or if they pull it off the market once again.
Jodi Foster
9219 Flicker Way, Los Angeles, CA 90069
List Price: $6,399,000
Beds: 5
Baths: 5
Listed by: David Kramer, Hilton & Hyland
“Silence of the Lambs” star Jodie Foster sought some silence of her own at this ultra-private estate on the renowned Bird Streets of Los Angeles. She just listed the residence for $6,399,000 after owning it for 18 years. The Spanish-style manse was built in 1935 and comes with a guest house, screening room, and a beautiful pool in the courtyard, which is surrounded by tall hedges. Foster purchased the home from Cheryl Tiegs, known as the world’s first supermodel, in 1995.
Billy Joel
82 La Gorce Cir, Miami Beach, FL 33141
List Price: $13,750,000
Beds: 7
Baths: 8.5
Listed by: Jorge Uribe, One Sotheby’s Int’l Realty
Billy Joel can no longer sing “You’re My Home” to this fabulous Miami Beach abode. He just sold the Mediterranean-style estate for $13.75 million. That’s one million dollars below the asking price! The singer purchased the home in 2006 for $13.5 million, so he didn’t make much from the sale. The 8,880 square foot manse is located on La Gorce Island, a prestigious neighborhood that has been home to other celebrities, including Lil Wayne, Matt Damon, and Cher.
Rosie O’Donnell
43 Star Island Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139
List Price: $17,500,000
Beds: 12
Baths: 11.5
Listed by: Pablo Alfaro, Douglas Elliman
In April Rosie O’Donnell listed this unique home in Miami for a whopping $17.5 million, and although a sale hasn’t been reported, according to The Real Estalker, the estate just sold for $12,675,000. O’Donnell purchased the home in 1999 for $6.75 million, and did extensive renovations on the property. It probably needed a little TLC; in the 1970s it was the headquarters of the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church, a massive marijuana cartel claiming to be its own religion. A few trippy-looking features include a large and twisted tropical tree in the driveway, a hammerhead shark statue perched above the stairs, and a large exotic fish tank in the dining room.
United States
Canada