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:
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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
