Over in a prime pocket of Bel Air, the ex-wife of Los Angeles mega-mansion developer Nile Niami — probably best known for selling his infamous trophy “The One” at auction for $126 million this past March, amid bankruptcy proceedings — has also finalized a real estate deal of her own. As first reported by The Real Deal, Yvonne Niami has finally offloaded her longtime mansion for $27 million.
Niami first put her house inside the neighborhood’s East Gate up for sale in October 2020 for $42.5 million, though she had a great deal of difficulty unloading the place. After slashing the price to under $30 million and barely staving off foreclosure, Niami finally located a buyer in early 2022. But that also proved problematic, and in April the buyer sued Niami’s holding company for failing to close escrow on the house in a timely manner. Eventually, though, that ugliness was settled and the new owner finally got his keys.
That new owner in question is Brad Brooks, founder and CEO of TigerConnect, a health tech communications platform provider based in Santa Monica. Established in 2010, the company received a $300 million investment from New York-based private-equity firm Vista Equity Partners Management in January, moving it into the annual Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in the U.S.
Built and designed by Oakland architect Claude B. Barton in the 1930s for Floyd R. Bekins, an heir to the Bekins Van and Storage Co. fortune, Niami bought the house in 2016 for nearly $17 million. She then extensively remodeled the premises in collaboration with architect Richard Manion. A mix of Georgian and Colonial Revival styles, with a touch of French Normandy thrown in for good measure, the brick and dormer-roof structure rests on a walled and gated parcel spanning almost an acre, and is fronted by an attached three-car garage flanked by an oversized motorcourt.
Inside, seven bedrooms and 10 baths are spread across nearly 12,000 square feet of living space highlighted by dramatic white and black interiors accented by the original moldings, Colonial and bay windows, herringbone wood floors and mirrored walls. Especially standing out is a double-height foyer sporting a floor-to-ceiling Swarovski crystal chandelier and an iron-railed staircase, which leads to a fireside library, and formal living and dining rooms.
Other highlights include an updated William Ohs-designed kitchen, which is outfitted with a spacious eat-in island, high-end appliances and an adjoining wet bar. An adjacent family room is lined with walls of French doors spilling out to a covered al fresco dining terrace.
Four ensuite bedrooms can be found upstairs, including a posh master retreat with a private balcony, walk-in closet and dual spa-inspired baths. An optional office space also is on this floor, while the lower level holds a movie theater, gym and guest suite with its own kitchenette; and outdoors, the fully hedged and sycamore-laced grounds host a large saltwater pool, kitchen and fire-pit lounge area.
In addition to their new Bel Air digs, Brooks and his wife Nicole still own their longtime home in the mountains above Beverly Hills, which they acquired way back in 2001 for under $1.5 million.
