Twitch Phenom HasanAbi Talks (and Talks) His Way into West Hollywood Home

Initially and still primarily a streaming platform used to broadcast and view live video game play, Twitch has also become what The New York Times last year described as “a lively political space” and “an unexpected hub of social activism.”

Acquired by Amazon in 2013 for nearly a billion dollars in cash, and not as ubiquitous or heavily trafficked as social media powerhouses like Instagram or TikTok, Twitch tallies up about 140 million monthly active viewers. One of the most viewed people on the platform, particularly during the 2020 presidential election cycle and its tumultuous aftermath, is frenetically verbose 30-year-old progressive political commentator Hasan Piker, more commonly known to his legions of Twitch followers as HasanAbi. Often critical of both Democratic and Republican parties, Piker also streams video game play and commentary along with his socialist-leaning political fare.

Born in New Jersey and raised in Turkey, Piker got his political commentating feet wet working for his uncle, Cenk Uygur, co-founder of The Young Turks, an L.A.-based left wing online news and commentary channel that ranks as the longest-running news and politics show online. Piker created and hosted a couple of programs on The Young Turks, “The Breakdown” and “Agitprop with Hasan Piker” among them, before he left in early 2020 to focus on an independent career as a Twitch streamer.

Now, about one and a half years since he flew the TYT coop, he’s hoovered up enough clout, audience, and revenue to shell out $2.74 million for a spacious home along a pretty, tree-lined street in West Hollywood’s bustling and centrally located Beverly Grove neighborhood. A secured and tightly hedged if otherwise bland and featureless courtyard fronts the roughly 3,800-square-foot pan-Mediterranean style residence that was built in 2014 with white stucco walls and a red tile roof. Arguably, only the exposed wooden eaves give the five-bedroom and 5.5-bath home a smidgen of authentic architectural character.

Interiors shed any pretense of Mediterranean-ism and go all in on clean-lined and modern with molding free cotton-white walls, honey-toned hardwood floors, and an in-ceiling speaker system. Just through the wrought iron embellished glass front door, adjoining formal living and dining rooms have lackluster views into slender side yards, while the sleekly appointed eat-in kitchen at the back of the house is arranged around a doublewide island with high-end appliances and an integrated snack bar. Lustrous white laminate cabinets in the kitchen are balanced with wood accents and extend into the cozily petite family room where a wall of glass slips into the walls to expose the room to the backyard.

High hedging that towers above perimeter walls ensures privacy from surrounding homes, apartment complexes and business, and a curtained pavilion alongside the swimming pool promotes outdoor living — and perhaps outdoor Twitch livestreams — with a couple of ceiling fans and a wall-mounted television.

The property was listed with Ron Wolotzky of Rodeo Realty, and Piker was repped by Jennifer Okhovat at Compass.