Celebrity real estate ruins: Glamorous homes left to decay leading to multimillion-dollar losses
Explore nine abandoned homes of some of the world’s most well-known celebrities after they were forced them to vacate.
Celebrities are abandoning homes amid media storms and scandals and luxury gone awry has revealed a fascinating trend of homes that nobody wants to buy.
From Liza Minnelli’s childhood home crumbling, Kanye West’s Malibu failed “bat-cave” renovation of an architectural marvel, and P Diddy’s deserted estate — these former-A list homes have made waves for all the wrong reasons.
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Mike Tyson’s abandoned home
He made headlines last weekend for losing his fight with YouTuber Jake Paul, but the famed boxing champion once owned a massive mansion on 58 acres in Southington, Ohio which ended in financial woes.
Tyson was forced to sell his estate in the late 1990s, before landing himself in prison over several charges, leaving the mansion vacant for years.
A church purchased the home and want to convert it into a place of worship and a community centre.
Liza Minnelli’s childhood Home
The childhood residence of Liza Minnelli was known as one of Beverly Hills’ most iconic homes.
The French Regency-style mansion, originally a Spanish Colonial Revival, was once valued at approximately $AU4.39m
The house underwent notable renovations from 1944 to 1953 by the esteemed Hollywood Regency architect John Elgin Woolf, and last exchanged hands in 2006 for US$2.3m.
In April 2002, her father Lee Minnelli lodged a lawsuit against Liza, accusing her of attempting to sell the house, which was meant for her stepmother’s use.
Allegations also included neglect towards utility payments and staffing.
The matter was later resolved following a heartfelt phone call and dinner, with Liza promising to maintain the home.
Kanye West’s renovation blunder
Kanye West, now known as “Ye”, gutted an architectural-winning property in Malibu.
Ye’s ambitions turned controversial and he received a huge amount of criticism after he envisioned a dwelling reminiscent of a bomb shelter to be his very own ‘Batcave’.
After gutting the home, Ye abandoned it, with its value plummeting by $US14m (AU$20m) during its transformation phase. He ended up selling it in August, after 205 days on market for around $60m (US$39m), which was $28m less than what he paid for it in 2021 $88.2m (US$57.25m).
P Diddy’s Woodland Estate
Sean Combs — aka P. Diddy — has been in the news media coverage this year for alleged sexual abuse charges, but also because of his dilapidated house in Sandy Springs, Georgia.
The estate once stood as a grand Italian Baroque-style home, and was since abandoned.
According to the New York Post, the luxurious home included a great room, spiral staircase, and outside the pool was used as the background for his 2007 song “Last Night” featuring Keyshia Cole.
Courtney Love’s Country Retreat
The sale of Courtney Love’s property in Olympia, Washington was described in its listing as a major fixer upper – with the entire property needing to be renovated from scratch.
The three-bedroom, two-bathroom home included fire damage to the guesthouse, with graffiti present throughout the entire property.
Prince Andrew’s abandoned estate
Sunninghill Park, once a marital home to Prince Andrew, now languishes as an ‘eye sore’, with locals comparing it to an out-of-town supermarket.
Sold in 2007 for £15m to Timur Kulibayev, it surpassed the asking price by £3m.
The home was left to decay, with the original construction estimated to be around £18m, accumulating an overall spend of £33m on the property transformation.
Cara Delevingne sells at big loss following fire
Supermodel Cara Delevingne was forced to sell her fire-ravaged Los Angeles mansion for $4.6m (A$7m) — six months after the property was destroyed in an enormous blaze.
The Studio City mansion, which Delevingne purchased for $7m back in 2019 (A$10.7m), was sold in an off-market deal on Sept. 17, according to Realtor.
Michael Jackson’s Neverland
Michael Jackson’s legendary Neverland Ranch sat in inertia for over 10 years following his demise.
The sprawling estate, built to encapsulate a whimsical childhood, included a Tudor-style mansion, petting zoo, and amusement rides like a Ferris wheel.
Ron Burkle acquired the estate for US$22m ($AU29m) in December 2020, far below its initial asking price.
Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour:
Hook End Manor, a striking Elizabethan property owned by Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, was mysteriously vacated after a boy’s grave dating back to 1909 was found in its basement.
Purchased in 1980 by Gilmour, the estate boasted an extensive history, and included a famous recording studio used by renowned artists.
The discovery was rumoured to have led to Gilmour’s abrupt departure in 1987, leaving the manor’s history behind.
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Originally published as Celebrity real estate ruins: Glamorous homes left to decay leading to multimillion-dollar losses
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