Emmy-nominated writer/producer Ben Cavell — best known for the TV mini-series based on Stephen King’s novel “The Stand,” appropriately about a pandemic — and his wife Emily have shown that they’re not immune to an elevated station in life. The couple have significantly upgraded their real estate circumstances, shelling out $5.4 million for a Mediterranean-inspired mansion atop a hill in a leafy pocket of Santa Monica, replacing the 1,609-square-foot Santa Monica condo they sold back in March for $1.4 million.
Though the .23-acre, oddly triangular lot isn’t particularly huge, the 5-bed, 6.5-bath home is almost completely hidden from the street behind a security gate and two layers of enormous privacy hedges lining a concrete wall. The only visible access point is a two-car garage, though that lies on a discreet side alleyway, well away from prying eyes, making this an ideal place for a Harvard graduate and his psychologist sidekick to escape a plague.
Once inside the secure confines, though, a more tropical real estate scene emerges, complete with a flat grassy lawn, lush palm trees and a wealth of greenery, plus a striking three-story entry marked by a small patio, balcony and walls of glass. While it might look like the perfect oasis for whiling away those shelter-at-home days on the outside, however, the interiors look as though they need to press the reset button.
Think nice yet decoratively passé environs that could use an update, which might be the exact reason why the residence hasn’t flown off the market since it was last sold for $3.25 million in 2005. According to property records, the house first popped up in early 2019 for $7.25 million and subsequently underwent a plethora of price changes — eventually dropping to $5.7 million in late 2020 — before finally transferring to the Cavells at an even lower figure.