Alex Carson
It is an open secret in Hollywood that Ellen DeGeneres – America’s beloved comedienne and long-running talk show host – moonlights as a notorious house flipper. Over the past 15 years, DeGeneres has successfully amassed nothing short of a real estate empire. She and her wife, Australian-American businesswoman – Portia de Rossi, purchases and sells off top-notch California properties. Sometimes they live in multiple houses in a year, making huge profits from fixing them.
DeGeneres garners millions and millions from these flips by selling alluring renovated homes to fellow A-listers like Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO. However, she disapproves of the term “flipping” used for her endeavors, claiming that all her real estate gains are borne through passion, and enjoyment, more than anything else.
DeGeneres has encountered backlash for several controversies throughout 2020. But that has not kept DeGeneres from her hobby of dropping a few more millions on luxury real estate in Montecito, California. Stay tuned to know more about this $49 million property and Montecito’s other newest celebrity denizens.
DeGeneres’s fondness for pricy interiors and real estate is well-documented: Her book Home lets out more about the TV host and comedian’s longstanding affection for decor, where she has disclosed that she desired to be an interior designer since she was a 13-year-old.
Per the author, being a talk show host and comedian is not different from being a designer. In professional situations, she’s tasked with either taking something (a home) or someone (a TV guest) with a specific, unique story and learning more about what is on the inside. It is all about highlighting the uniqueness, quirks, and eccentricities in the finest way possible.
While some of you may think that it’s crazy for a celebrity as renowned as DeGeneres to be on the move consistently (she’s bought and renovated over 15 homes in the past 25 years alone), she candidly declares that home, to her, is a place that serves her soul for some time until she outgrows it and moves on to charming another. She says that she gets fascinated with the newness of moving into a different house altogether. To her, it’s really fun.
Since her first foray into homeownership at 30, DeGeneres has downsized and upsized. She has experienced living in top-tier modern homes, magnificent contemporary homes, unpretentious traditional homes as well as mid-century homes, each carrying a unique style and tale. DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi have a special message for their hosts. They insist on not inviting them over unless they are readily willing to move out.
Even though her homes have their flair and character, DeGeneres has repeatedly made it evident that she has specific stylistic tendencies. In other words, natural influences married with the desire to blend indoor and outdoor living remain at the forefront of her aesthetic. She is, by now, used to adjusting these preferences to each space.
DeGeneres is a staunch believer of the fact that ushering a positive change in the living area is not necessarily a big deal. To prove this, along with her full-scale renovations, she has always been a major proponent of carrying out simple, effortless tasks that make a big difference in the organization of her homes.
For instance, DeGeneres suggests placing lemons in a simple bowl in the kitchen as a centerpiece and easy focal point, instead of storing them in the refrigerator. It is all these modest details that go a long way, and the little things that do not go unnoticed by this one-of-a-kind flipper.
Currently, the celebrity comedian has an estimated net worth of $330 million, making her one of America’s richest self-made women.
The celebrities’ money habits have been shaped by her poor upbringing. She has previously said that this is the primary reason behind her financially restricting herself. DeGeneres also confesses that the same reason has sparked her zeal towards the real estate market.
DeGeneres was born on January 26, 1958, in Louisiana to an insurance salesman and a working mother. When she was growing up, DeGeneres, at some point, wanted to become a veterinarian, but gave up the idea as she was not quite “book smart.” So, she chose to sell vacuum cleaners, sometimes painted houses, and took up a job as a legal secretary.
The talk show host is also quite well known for her philanthropic efforts, contributing extensively to both animals and people who are in need.
But her favorite way to spend and make money is by flipping real estate with her wife, Portia de Rossi. DeGeneres started in 2003 when she paid $6 million for a Hollywood Hills home that she then sold to Will Ferrell in 2006 for $9 million.
Other homes she has flipped over the years include a luxurious 26-acre horse ranch, a Malibu beach house owned previously by Brad Pitt, and the gorgeous estate where Kim Kardashian got married to Kris Humphries.
The comedian has a fondness for Montecito in Santa Barbara County that is home to her contemporary A-listers, such as Oprah Winfrey, Gwyneth Paltrow, and former royals. This is also where in August 2020, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry dropped $14.65 on a gated compound. DeGeneres is a proud owner of several homes in the area, where the average home worth is $3.4 million.
In 2019, DeGeneres and de Rossi sold off three mansions and bought two more, one in Montecito for $27 million and another in Beverly Hills for $45 million. And just a few months back, in September, they sold one of their Montecito estates for $33.3 million, say sources.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the couple was the mystery buyers of one of the most expensive properties in California. The celebrity couple reportedly agreed to spend $49 million on the estate that comprises a host of structures alongside three parcels of land that spans over more than four acres.
The new property has a South African Cape Dutch-style main house that spans over 9,000 square feet. Although there are no listing photographs of the property, Espley-Miller shared a glimpse of the home on her Instagram handle. She has posted quite a few images of the unforgettable Montecito estate, showing off intricate details like its black-and-white marble floors, wood-beamed ceilings, and many a fireplace.
DeGeneres’ Montecito neighborhood will also make the couple neighbors to singer-songwriter Katy Perry and world-famous Orlando Bloom, her fiancé. And not to forget Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and little Archie. The latter’s home was purchased, reportedly, for about 11.2 million pounds. However, Meghan and Prince Harry’s California house is just a temporary home.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show has long been a comfortable favorite for A-list stars, especially looking to promote new projects, even though the host likes to carry out some terrifying pranks on them the moment they step on set. However, DeGeneres has recently been into controversies and contending with reports of a negative culture at her work environment, leading to the ousting of many top executives.
Given these recent allegations, some are wondering if the program might be canceled. If that happens, it would be a serious blow to her earnings and net worth. Even if her show stays on the air, she could lose millions if advertisers pull out as she derives about 60% of profits from advertising, carrying fees, and product placement on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
You may also come across some breakup rumors that are doing rounds about the relationship once couple the news of the couple selling off their $45 million Bali-inspired compounds, which they have been calling home since 2019, was out in public. But here’s the truth: the comedian is not packing her bags because of a hard time in her relationship or a breakup but because she is simply moving to her new home. DeGeneres and the Arrested Development star are doing totally fine and they are also filming Ellen’s Next Great Designer for HBO Max.
Before we take you through what the new property looks like, please take a moment to hit the like button if you are enjoying this video. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to Facts Verse for more such entertaining videos.
Dubbed Salt Hill and set behind the gates, the DeGeneres’ new stylish abode directly looks out onto the never-ending Pacific Ocean. The sprawling grounds also include a sports court, koi pond, lush plantings, and lawns.
Built-in the year 2011, the main house leads the way to a vast veranda with a fire pit, equally spacious dining, and seating, and looks out to a negative-edge pool, which juts over the hillside.
Entering into a great room with classy bamboo ceilings and marvelous glass walls, the massive space flaunts the living and dining zone leading outdoor. The kitchen features open shelves and rich black stone counters and faces glass walls that also access an outdoor dining area.
One of the bedrooms is currently being used for office purposes, and there is a library with several built-in bookshelves and mind-blowing clerestory windows. Their luxe master suite includes a spa-like bath with a stone tub that has views of the mountain and ocean, two sinks, and also a separate shower.
The latest acquisition of DeGeneres will be the highest-valued in the said area up to date. Such purchases typically tend to drive up real estate prices in the chosen area. But, if history is to go by, the two may just stay in the new Montecito home for a short period.
At this point, let’s tell you one more secret: It seems that DeGeneres truly loves her homes. She fell in love with one of her properties so much that she went ahead to buy it twice. In 2014, the celebrity had sold off one of her previous homes to Jodie Foster’s wife in 2007 but, again, bought back the property in 2014 after it had been completely remodeled.
DeGeneres paid quite a hefty sum to buy back the property. Reportedly, she spent approximately $10 million on the house and the property next to it. The home has four bathrooms, four bedrooms, two-car garages, two fireplaces, and plenty of modern conveniences that most of us cannot even imagine buying.
As DeGeneres was on a mission to re-buy one of her old properties, she was also letting go off of the condos she was residing in at that time. The south unit was on sale for $8.5 million while the north was quoted for $7.5 million.
For those keeping track of luxury homes, DeGeneres and de Rossi’s two 2020 additions have driven up their real estate portfolio to a total of 22 residences bought since 2003. Needless to mention, the majority of these have turned major profits for the savvy couple.
Across her various successful flips, everyone’s favorite talk show host keeps true to her classic, iconic and sophisticated style – which makes sense as she has honed and appreciated it over more than a decade. Alongside her talents, these projects are definitive proof that DeGeneres can add �high-class designer’ to her list of accomplishments. That being said, we can’t wait to see what DeGeneres’s next endeavor will entail.
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