Yolanda’s vintage red Cadillac broke down yet again so we are marooned at a faraway library, sipping on warm tap water while we await our specialist’s arrival. These old clunkers don’t have mechanics, they have car doctors and specialists who have attended to their ailments for years, treat them like family, and gently attempt to console them and ease the suffering in their final years of life. But we digress.
Anyway, we wanted everyone to know about a record-shattering deal in the postcard-perfect neighborhoods of Little Holmby and Westwood, two adjacent areas that overlap one another. A very large and rather gorgeous house there has just sold for $12,855,000 — easily the most ever paid for a property in that part of town. Yolanda is not even certain what the previous record-holder was, but we did some research and are quite certain that nothing else around has ever sold for more than $10 million, so this is your new neighborhood record by the proverbial country mile.
The seller was Anders Eisner, the youngest son of former Disney CEO (and billionaire) Michael Eisner. Records show that the younger Mr. Eisner and his wife Terena paid $7,400,000 for the house in late 2012 — before that, the property was long owned by Broadway and soap opera actress Michele Lee. A quick comparison between listing photographs from 2012 and now shows that the Eisners clearly sunk a terrific amount of moolah into renovating this ol’ gurl, who was originally built in 1929.
It appears the buyer, nursing home mogul Ari Ryan, was able to negotiate a hefty discount on the property, which was originally listed for a truly outrageous $24,500,000 and most recently asked nearly $14 million.
The sprawling red-tile-roofed house is described in the listing as a “transitional modern Spanish” and is situated on one of Little Holmby’s largest lots — 1.07 acres of land, per records. Completely walled for privacy, the property features a double-gated driveway, a four-car garage, and a substantial motorcourt for convenient off-street parking. Guests will be impressed by the entrance foyer’s boldly patterned stone floor and by the whimsical fireplace.
Just off the foyer is a step-down formal living/dining room combo with a vaulted wood ceiling, fetching grey oak floors, and rows of French doors that accessed the home’s multi-terraced backyard.
Also on the ground floor is an all-new contemporary kitchen with marble countertops and a full array of luxury appliances. The kitchen opens directly to the family room, which has sports another gorgeous vaulted ceiling and big views of the lush outdoors.
No question that this is a big house — the 9,593-square-foot structure contains 5 beds and 9 baths — and the master suite is perfect for an A-lister with its sitting room, balcony access, and enormous his-and-hers spa baths. The listing also mentions an “infrared spa” — Yolanda is not sure that is, but it certainly sounds fancy. And the party-sized closet can accommodate the wardrobe of even the most voracious clotheshorse.
Elsewhere on the property is a professional-grade screening room, a lounge/game room, office, and children’s playroom.
The fully landscaped estate is meticulously maintained and includes mature trees, sculpted hedges, broad lawns, and plenty of outdoor R&R options. There is a large pool with lounge chairs, an elaborate kid’s tree house (designed by Barbara Butler), and no fewer than three outdoor dining tables plus a full kitchen w/ BBQ grill. Views from above the tree canopy take in the prestigious Los Angeles Country Club greens.
Listing agents: Ben Bacal & Lolita Bagramyan, Rodeo Realty
Ari Ryan’s agent: Josh Flagg, Rodeo Realty
