The 20 Biggest Los Angeles House Sales of 2012

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2012's year in LA house sales wasn't quite as blockbustery as 2011's, but it was still pretty bananas--the most expensive house (Ricardo Montalban's old estate in the Bird Streets) somehow fetched $38.98 million and the twentieth most expensive sold for $17.4 million. The top 20 is also pretty celebrity-/notable-person-packed, with appearances from actress Jennifer Aniston, comedian Ellen DeGeneres, host Ryan Seacrest, Texas Ranger Adrián Beltré, the Facebook-suing Winklevoss twins, and the In-N-Out heiress (plus the Michael Jackson death house). An amazingly wonderful tipster compiled this list from the public records and he notes that "almost half the houses ... were never on the MLS" (even houses that were never listed eventually have to appear on the tax rolls). Now here they are, the big 20 of 2012:

MONTALBAN HOUSE

After selling in 2010 for $9 million, Ricardo Montalban’s old estate sold once again this year, for a pretty unbelievable $38,980,000.

1423 ORIOLE DRIVE, LOS ANGELES, CA 90069

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22314 PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY

Oracle CEO Larry Ellison racked up his ninth house on Billionaires’ Beach (aka Carbon) when he bought former Yahoo! head Terry Semel’s beach house for $36,944,000. He also bought a tenth in 2012.

22314 PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY, SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, MALIBU, CA 90265

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1196 CABRILLO DRIVE

Celebrity real estate kingpin Ellen DeGeneres sold her Coldwater Canyon compound to Ryan Seacrest in May for $36,500,000.

1196 CABRILLO DRIVE, BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90210

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9577 SUNSET BOULEVARD

A Chinese couple finally bought the notorious Sunset Boulevard megamansion (avec gold doorknobs) this year for $34.5 million. It first came on the market in 2010 asking $68.5 million.

9577 SUNSET BOULEVARD, BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90210

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800 STRADELLA ROAD

Real estate hoarding restaurateur Peter Morton picked up this house in Bel Air in June for $25 million.

800 STRADELLA ROAD, LOS ANGELES, CA 90077

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755 SARBONNE ROAD

This house in Bel Air sold for $24.5 million.

755 SARBONNE ROAD, LOS ANGELES, CA 90077

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56 BEVERLY PARK

This Beverly Park house designed by Rob Wellington Quigley sold in February for $21.75 million.

56 BEVERLY PARK WAY, SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90210

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7377 BIRDVIEW AVENUE

Equinox gym co-founder Danny Errico sold his Malibu house to Yife Tien, the founder of Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine, for $21 million. Tien also bought 56 Beverly Park.

7377 BIRDVIEW AVENUE, SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, MALIBU, CA 90265

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901 AIROLE WAY

Actress Jennifer Aniston hits the list for the second year in a row–she bought this A. Quincy Jones in Bel Air right at the beginning of 2012 for $20.970 million.

901 AIROLE WAY, LOS ANGELES, CA 90077

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16 BEVERLY PARK

Lili Zanuck, the widow of megaproducer Richard Zanuck, sold off his place in Beverly Park for $20.1 million.

16 BEVERLY PARK, BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90210

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54 BEVERLY PARK

Real Housewife of Beverly Hills Adrienne Maloof sold off her Beverly Park house mid-divorce for $19.5 million.

54 BEVERLY PARK STREET, SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90210

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1140 LAUREL WAY

This house in Beverly Hills sold in May for $18.2 million.

1140 LAUREL WAY, BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90210

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100 NORTH CAROLWOOD DRIVE

The house in Holmby Hills that Michael Jackson was renting when he died sold in the fall for $18.05 million. The sellers were Ed Hardy owner Hubert Guez and Roxanne Guez.

100 NORTH CAROLWOOD DRIVE, LOS ANGELES, CA 90077

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9033 BRIARCREST LANE

The estate of late private equity billionaire Teddy Forstmann sold his house in Beverly Hills in May for $18 million.

9033 BRIARCREST LANE, SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90210

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12705 CHALON ROAD

This house in Brentwood, which appears to have belonged to the prime minister of Qatar sold in July for $18 million.

12705 CHALON ROAD, SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, LOS ANGELES, CA 90049

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1423 TANAGER WAY

The Facebook-suing Winklevoss twins headed west this year, buying a house in the Hollywood Hills for $18 million.

1423 TANAGER WAY, LOS ANGELES, CA 90069

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1655 GILCREST DRIVE

This house in Beverly Hills also sold for $18 million.

1655 GILCREST DRIVE, BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90210

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930 ORLANDO ROAD

This house in San Marino sold in January for $17.5 million.

930 ORLANDO ROAD, SAN MARINO, CA 91108

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340 OLD RANCH ROAD

Texas Rangers third baseman Adrián Beltré sold his Bradbury house In-N-Out heiress Lynsi Martinez for $17.411 million.

340 OLD RANCH ROAD, BRADBURY, CA 91008

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924 NORTH HILLCREST ROAD

And Ellen DeGeneres makes the list for a second time–she and wife Portia de Rossi are the latest in a long line of notable owners for this Hal Levitt-designed house in Beverly Hills. They paid $17.4 million.

924 NORTH HILLCREST ROAD, BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90210

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