Back in 2018, Sue Gross paid a cool $20 million for a house in what is arguably Beverly Hills’ best neighborhood pocket. She quickly embarked on an extensive renovation of the Hal Levitt-designed midcentury modern, but wanted to supervise the project from close quarters. So she did something only a billionaire baller can do — she dropped $35 million to buy the house immediately next door, using it as a temporary “crash pad.” The sellers were Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi.
Now that the remodel is complete, the ex-wife of billionaire bond king Bill Gross has no need for her crash pad, so she’s hoisted that second house back up for sale, this time with a $38 million ask. Oddly, however, she’s also just purchased a (cheaper) third house that’s also adjacent to her remodeled main residence, presumably for the use of her staff and guests.
Records show Gross doled out just over $16 million for a Tuscan-inspired farmhouse, a $3.5 million discount off the original asking price. Divorced non-amicably from Gross in 2017 after 32 years of marriage — and worth an estimated $1.5 billion herself, per Forbes — she now owns at least eight Southern California homes worth a minimum of $160 million, including a three-house compound in the ultra-exclusive Irvine Cove gated community in Orange County’s Laguna Beach.
The newly acquired Beverly Hills home is hidden from the street, tucked away behind gates, on a nearly half-acre parcel featuring lushly landscaped grounds. Originally built back in 1966, the stone-clad house was completely redone from the ground up by noted architects Luis Ortega and Jose Fernandez in 2005, and has five bedrooms and five baths. A cerulean blue fountain grabs attention on the way to the front door, which opens into more than 5,300 square feet of elegant yet rustic interiors punctuated throughout by wood beams, steel-case windows and Venetian plaster walls. Outdoor patios and decks are ideal for entertaining, as well as viewing the property and gardens.
Cory Weiss of Douglas Elliman served as the listing agent; Josh Altman and Matt Altman of the Altman Brothers Team at Douglas Elliman repped the buyer.
-
Image Credit: Redfin -
Image Credit: Redfin -
Image Credit: Redfin Highlights of Gross’ newly acquired Beverly Hills house include a striking floor-to-ceiling glass entry foyer clad in Old French-style terracotta stone flooring, fireside living room sporting soaring ceilings and formal dining room. A sleek gourmet kitchen is outfitted with Miele, Sub-Zero and Kuppersbusch appliances, a built-in bar and stainless-steel countertops.
-
Image Credit: Redfin -
Image Credit: Redfin -
Image Credit: Redfin -
Image Credit: Redfin An expansive main-floor master suite rests under an ornate vaulted ceiling, and features floor-to-ceiling windows, and a two-bathroom suite with a marble shower, soaking tub and dual walk-in closets.
-
Image Credit: Redfin -
Image Credit: Redfin Elsewhere in the house, a wood-paneled billiard room boasts a floating Venetian plaster ceiling and a loft space hosts an office. There’s also a gym, art studio and an observation deck offering up eye-catching views.
-
Image Credit: Redfin -
Image Credit: Redfin Outdoors, the Knibb Design landscaping stuns with groves of olive trees, an expansive veranda, pool and spa, and a cabana with a fireplace.
-
Image Credit: Redfin -
Image Credit: Redfin -
Image Credit: Redfin As for Gross’s Beverly Hills home (below), currently listed for sale with Douglas Elliman’s Josh and Matt Altman, the place was built in 1966 but extensively renovated by DeGeneres and de Rossi during their tenure. After buying it in 2018, Gross put her own touches on it as well, adding two baths and a custom hand-raked limestone fireplace surround in the living room, and upgrading the smart-home systems.
-
Image Credit: Redfin -
Image Credit: Redfin The double-gated property features four bedrooms and seven baths in around 5,300 square feet of living space rife with teak and Ipe wood accents, and concrete floors. Sited on nearly an acre of land, the single-story structure sports a great room and living room with glass doors that open to city lights views, plus a gourmet kitchen outfitted with custom walnut cabinetry, marble countertops and high-end appliances.
-
Image Credit: Redfin -
Image Credit: Redfin The primary suite has a walk-in closet, balcony, and luxe bath with dual vanities and a soaking tub, while the Mark Rios-designed grounds hold a pool, large grassy area and covered patio. Other amenities include a whole-house Control4 system and four-car garage.
-
Image Credit: Redfin -
Image Credit: Redfin