You all remember Melissa Joan Hart, right? How could you forget the star of "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch"? She must be desperate to get out of her current home, given that she's taking a loss on the sale. The house she just sold is a Spanish-style home with 4,911 square feet and five bedrooms.

 

Melissa bought the house new in 2005 for $2.8 million. She attempted to sell it for $3.25 million last October, but no one was biting. She then relisted the home for $2.7 million and eventually ended up selling it for $2.475 million, taking a fairly substantial loss.

 

Hart's one-story home includes a screening room, master suite, walk-in closet, master bath with separate tub and shower, maid's room, and elegant woodwork throughout. The building sits on 0.49 acres of land and also includes a deck and swimming pool.  

Wall Street swindler Bernie Madoff's Montauk home will soon be on the market. Madoff has owned the house since 1981. The building sits on 1.2 acres of land very close to the shore. Federal marshals believe the home could be valued at $8 million, although in court last year Madoff claimed that the house was worth about $3 million. But who can believe what he says, anyway?

 

The home comes complete with vaulted ceilings, a stone fireplace, a set of leather couches, 1980s kitchen appliances, a porch with panoramic views of the ocean, a private path to the beach, and a small swimming pool overlooking the water.
I don't think Madoff will be using the beachside residence anytime soon-nor will anyone in his family.  Personally, I think anyone he stole from should be able to use the house at will; everyone he robbed should receive at least one week to enjoy the place for free.

 

Thanks, Bernie, and enjoy your new home... More >> ..

In desperation, I've looked for any signs that the recession's grip has begun to loosen: thermostats set to 65 degrees, homeless with iPods, top shelf bottles in the recycling bin of a dive bar. These are signs of hope.

 

Though I'd rather see a high-budget sex tape to ease global financial worries, Paris Hilton's latest frivolities inspire economic inspiration. Except I want to shake her until all her diamonds, all her pregnancy tests, all her forgotten 100-dollar bills spill to the floor.

 

The infrared-porn-star-turned-socialite's latest purchase was a giving one for her (count 'em) six dogs Tinkerbell, Marilyn Monroe, Prince Baby Bear, Harajuku, Dolce, and Prada. The 300 square-foot pooch palace stands in the shadow of Paris' Beverly Hills mansion, after which the K9 shrine was modeled. Inside, designer dog wear with names likes Jimmy Chew, Pawda, Sniffany & Co. and Chewy Vuitton, fill the space, inspiring the-similar-yet-different pet narcissism of the rich and famous... More >> ..

Steve Wynn is trying to sell his seventh-floor Manhattan condo, located just off Central Park at 817 Fifth Avenue, for $25 million! The unit is being sold fully furnished, so if you like Steve's taste, you might like this condo. Wynn's aesthetic could best be described as "expensive"; the furnishings are valued at around $4 million. Wynn bought the unit back in 2000 for $7 million; after putting some serious work into the place, he's now asking $25 million. Nice profit there, Steve.

 

Mr. Wynn's 3,500-square-foot condo was originally built in 1925 and now comes equipped with a master suite (the result of combining four of the condo's original bedrooms), an eat-in kitchen, a media center, a formal dining room, a state-of-the-art electronics system, great views of Central Park, and, of course, a private elevator lined with leather. I wouldn't be shocked if he does manage to land $25 million for this sweet pad...

Tina Fey has spent the past month moving into her four-bedroom co-op unit, located at 300 West End Avenue on the Upper West Side. The fourth-floor unit was listed at $4.1 million, but Tina was able to purchase it for well below the asking price, ultimately paying $3.4 million. The unit is in a full-service building and includes four large bedrooms, four baths, a maid's room, a large eat-in kitchen, a living room with a wood-burning fireplace, a library, and an elevator that opens directly into the unit.

 

Fey and her husband also own a home one block away at 500 West End Avenue; they purchased that apartment back in 2009 for $1.9 million. The comedienne-actress seems to love the neighborhood. And why not? She has a tiny view of the Hudson River, and her commute to work is pretty quick. Keep up the good work, Liz Lemon!  
 

Everyone's favorite jilted celebrity, Jennifer Aniston, is pretty hardnosed when it comes to romance in He's Just Not That Into You. But it turns out that our Jen is a lot less decisive about real-life real estate than her on-screen persona is about her love life. A friend of the actress reports that Jennifer has been remodeling her glamorous pad for more than two years and simply cannot make up her mind about what she wants. In 2006 she purchased the gorgeous $13.5 million, six-bedroom, 9,105-square-foot house in Beverly Hills; the home was designed by renowned architect Hal Levitt. Aniston is in good company in her neighborhood-neighbors include Simon Cowell and best friend Courtney Cox.

Her friend went on to say that Jennifer is driving the contractor crazy and has paid more than $1 million to update the 1972 house. She's changed the windows, converted the shower into a recording studio (yes, you read that correctly), and made countless other design improvements... More >> ..

Courtney Love, well-known rocker and widow of the late Kurt Cobain, is renting a Hollywood Hills home for $20,000 per month. The home sits on approximately 5,500 square feet and includes five bedrooms, five baths, a media room, Cantera stone floors, a gourmet kitchen, enclosed parking for three cars, and a private-entrance guest suite that comfortably houses two people.

 

Love is renting the home from Jeanette Longoria, who bought the home from Natalie Imbruglia. The house seems to be a popular destination for those in "the industry": Imbruglia purchased the home in 2002 for $2,140,000, and then sold the home to Longoria early last year for $3,720,000. It's rumored that Love will soon be sharing the home with The Wrestler star Mickey Rourke. Let's hope the two of them are able to keep the house in sale-worthy condition.  

I'm not a bioethicist, but I know enough about both biology and ethics to know that Nadya Suleman, already jobless, on welfare, and single with six children (including two who are disabled), should not have given birth to her new brood of eight implanted embryos-making fourteen kids for one lazy mother. Statistics show that most of them will likely wind up in federal penitentiaries, but the "pen" would likely provide for them more adequately than their ignorant mother does at present.

But I digress, as I'm here to discuss real estate, specifically a property in Whittier, CA. I've never been to Whittier, and I have no intention of ever going there, but by God, I will go there and protest if "Octo-Mom" uses my hard-earned tax dollars to purchase a $1.24 million home. Last week, Suleman visited said home, which has 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and a pool, as a prospective buyer. That she could even purchase such a property is one more absurdity of this woman's life; Suleman is on food stamps, and yet has been photographed shopping at Nordstrom... More >> ..

Just off the Sunset Strip is a four-bedroom, 5,380-square-foot home that was recently purchased by Nicole Richie for $1.912 million.

 

The place was originally listed for $1.999 million, so Nicole was able to land her new abode for well under the asking price. The house, situated on a 0.41-acre walled lot, includes a large sky dome, an eat-in kitchen, five and a half baths, high ceilings, and four bedrooms. Also included is a guest house that doubles as a screening theater, a lagoon pool, a motor court, and, of course, garage parking.

 

Richie and her rock star husband Joel Madden are well known for owning multiple properties. They now own four homes in L.A., a 911-square-foot condo in Manhattan, and several properties in Annapolis, MD. For people constantly on the move, it must be nice always to have somewhere to call home.   

Vince Vaughn stands 6 feet 7 inches tall, just big enough to relax in his very spacious 4,063-square-foot Chicago condo. Apparently he won't be hanging out there anymore, but maybe you will!  Vince is renting out his $1.4 million condo for $9,500 per month. And don't worry about furniture-this home is not just fully furnished, it's completely loaded. The apartment includes four bedrooms, 3.5 marble baths, hardwood floors, a home theater that seats seven, a large eat-in kitchen, and an attached three-car garage. After your car is parked, make your way up to the master bedroom and relax in the steam shower and Jacuzzi, or catch some sun and the gorgeous Windy City views outside on the rooftop deck.

 

Unfortunately, as I'm sure you've already figured out, you won't be dealing with Mr. Vaughn directly, but maybe if you're a very good tenant he'll come over and play a few video games with you... More >> ..

Recently Natalie Portman splurged on a new house in Hollywood, CA. The home was originally listed at $3.19 million, but Natalie went the extra mile on this purchase and paid $3.25 million-well over the asking price.

 

The home was built in 1933 and sits on over 18,000 square feet of landscaped grounds. It boasts four bedrooms, two baths, a private courtyard, wood floors, French doors, two detached guest houses, a pool, and a recording studio. The house also comes equipped with a much-needed state-of-the-art security system.

 

Portman has a well-established history of buying and selling homes, and I'm sure this house is just the next item on her list. In 2002, she bought a home in Sea Cliff, New York for $1.375 million, then sold it for $1.75 million in 2007. She also purchased a two-bedroom loft in the West Village in 2005 for $5.7 million, which she sold in 2008 for $6.5 million. Suffice it to say, she has a history of turning profits on her real estate investments... More >> ..

This French-inspired home is more than a mansion-it's a "chateau." Located in Bel Air, this home is one of the most expensive listings ever to hit the L.A. market. The "chateau" is owned by Mohamed Hadid, a hotel developer and residential home builder. Hadid paid $59 million to construct the home.

 

The complex sits on 2.2 acres of land and houses 10 bedrooms (the structure measures in at 35,378 square feet in total). There are 14 baths, a game room, a professional screening room, a grand ballroom seating up to 250 people, three master suites, a 5,000-bottle wine cellar, 19 fireplaces, a Moroccan room, a gym, a commercial kitchen, and an elevator for when you tire of traipsing around the home's massive interior.

 

The outdoor features are just as impressive as those found indoors. The gated property protects seven fountains, a loggia, a 70-foot infinity pool, a 12-person spa, a swan pool, a 20-car motor court, and 280-degree views of the city and ocean... More >> ..

Ashton is throwing in the towel and selling off his bachelor pad; his 4,860-square-foot Beverly Hills home is now on the market for $3.7 million. Ashton bought the house back in 2001 for close to $1.7 million. Maybe he can buy Demi and the kids something nice with the cash he makes from this deal.

 

The house includes six bedrooms, six baths, a living room with a fireplace, a two-story foyer, a master suite with double limestone baths and double closets, and a fireplace. The property is a petite 0.45 acres, but it includes a three-car garage, a pool, a spa, a tennis court, and a well-maintained putting green big enough for Ashton to work on his short game.  

 

Looks like Ashton is really ready to let go of his bachelor days. With kids who aren't his and a wife who's significantly older, he's entering the realm of adulthood. Good luck, Mr. Kutcher!

Talk about dwarfing all other big-shot properties in Hollywood-you haven't seen anything yet! One of the biggest and most expensive mansions in the world is up for grabs. Candy Spelling, wife of the late, great television titan Aaron Spelling, has listed the family estate for a near-record-breaking $150 million. Go ahead and read it again . . . $150 million!

Aaron Spelling built the French chateau-style mansion, dubbed "The Manor," in 1991 at the height of his success. Spelling, who produced worldwide television hits including Dynasty, Charlie's Angels, and Beverly Hills 90210, died in 2006, leaving his home and fortune to his wife Candy. Her reasons for selling are plain and simple: she has stated that she's moving onto a new chapter in her life. She's also lost touch with her daughter Tori, so she doesn't feel she needs the super-sized home.

So what do you get for $150 million? Well, for starters, fifty-seven thousand square feet with at least 11 bedrooms (Candy lost count) and 16 bathrooms... More >> ..

It's official: the house made famous by Victoria Gotti and her three "hottie-Gotti," hair-gel-loving sons on their A&E reality series Growing up Gotti has been foreclosed upon. Victoria, 46, the daughter of infamous mobster Jon "the Teflon Don" Gotti, apparently failed to pay over $650,000 of loan repayments from lender JP Morgan Chase. The Old Westbury, Long Island estate, initially listed at $4.2 million, was recently reduced to $3.2 million-and now, according to Weichert Realtors, it's listed for a staggeringly low $2.3 million.

 

Victoria won the house in her divorce from husband Carmine Agnello while he was serving prison time for racketeering in 2005. The 8,400-square-foot house sits on six acres and boasts five bedrooms, five and a half baths, a swimming pool with a three-tier waterfall, a three-stall horse barn and paddock, tennis and basketball courts, and a four-car garage. "Not bad for a free house," you might be thinking... More >> ..

Last year Shannen Doherty placed her 3,410-square-foot Malibu home on the market for $4.4 million. With no buyers in sight, she's recently dropped the asking price to $4 million.  The home was built in 1976 and boasts multiple skylights, terracotta floors, four and a half baths, a fireplace in the kitchen, five bedrooms, a master suite, and cathedral ceilings.

 

But the outside of the house is what turns casual lookers into buyers. The home sits on 1.1 acres of land and includes a pool, a spa, rolling lawns, a spacious motor court, beautiful ocean views, and a flower-lined driveway.

 

If you're lucky, Doherty might even let you keep the shrine she's built to herself in one of the rooms. Rumors have been floating around that Shannen is selling the home because she wants to spend more time in NYC-and, after all, she still has another 3,601-square-foot Malibu home she can fly back to... More >> ..

Remember Richard Gere?  He picked up a hooker, domesticated her, and then went on to tap dance for Renée Zellweger. Yeah, me neither.  
Unfortunately for Gere, the real estate market is plummeting even faster than the star's career, so get ready for the next celebrity garage sale.  
Although listing agent Linda Haugevik of Saunders & Associates refuses to reveal the home's owner herself, records in Water Mill indicate that the seven-bedroom Long Island farmhouse belongs to Richard Gere and his wife, Carey Lowell. Seated on 1.2 acres of property, the 5,500-square-foot house features a heated pool, country architecture a la Martha Stewart, and, strangest of all, 10.5 baths. Given that the man has spent significant time trying to quash a nasty rumor about certain rodents entering certain orifices, his home's excessive bathroom count can only leave us questioning what he's trying to flush... More >> ..

Singer-songwriter Jewel has listed her Hollywood Hills home for $1.75 million - and she seems to have a buyer. The two-bedroom home sits on a somewhat small 0.15-acre lot, and the home itself totals 1,781 square feet.

 

The property, a Spanish-style home built in 1938, boasts amazing views of Los Angeles, a home office, a large kitchen with an island, a three-car garage, two bedrooms, two baths, and a master suite with a spacious private deck.

 

Jewel purchased the home in October of 2003 for a reported $1.325 million and is now selling it for $1.75 million, making her one of the few celebrities actually profiting from the sale of real estate during these rough times. Maybe our other celebrity friends should take some advice from her.

Hollywood power couple Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner are the proud owners of a $17.55 million Pacific Palisades ranch house once owned by Hollywood movie legend Gregory Peck. The couple, however, purchased the property from its most recent owner, A-list film producer Brian Grazer, who shared a "Best Picture" Oscar with Ron Howard for A Beautiful Mind.

Built in the 1930s, the Cliff May-designed home was considered innovative in its time for its flowing design and large picture windows. Peck lived on the property from 1947 to 1952 with his first wife, Greta.

The 8,800-square-foot home was completely updated and expanded by Grazer when he bought the property in the mid-1990s. There are five bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a swimming pool, a guesthouse, and an office/gym/art studio-plenty of room for a fast-growing family.

I have Grey’s Anatomy to thank for many things: reliable weekly drama; the average (i.e., jealous and fiercely competitive) man’s newfound interest in mousse and a comb; and most importantly, the Mc’s. McDreamy’s the original; there’s really no argument here. McSteamy’s a smokin’ addition. And while I don’t recall a McNickname for Denny—I was probably distracted by his puppy-dog eyes—I rush to my couch every Thursday just to see him, even if he is a ghost.

 

Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who plays Denny and is currently in the action flick Watchmen, has come a long way over the past few years. To celebrate Watchmen’s opening-weekend success—or rather in anticipation of its success, since the celebration took place before the film’s release—McPuppy-Dog Eyes has purchased a new Studio City house for $1,900,000... More >> ..

Promoting boxing has landed Don King some serious cash, and now he's seeking to make more via the sale of his home. King is listing his Palm Beach estate for $27.5 million; he purchased the nearly-three-acre estate back in 1999 for a mere $14.3 million. King is now in the market for a cozy home priced somewhere in the range of $5 to $10 million.

 

The main house was built in the Mediterranean style and is 17,726 square feet. It contains nine bathrooms, seven bedrooms, a three-car garage, a bridge-adorned goldfish pond, and an open-air courtyard. The "smaller" guest house is 6,747 square feet and has four bedrooms, nine baths, a large living room, and of course an ice cream parlor- de rigueur, don't you know?

 

Given the current state of the economy, Mr. King is going to have a tough time getting rid of these digs. I give it six months before the asking price comes down.

Are you looking for a gated Hollywood Hills celebrity estate with panoramic views of both the city and the surrounding canyons? Are you looking for a half-acre property with a three-bedroom main house and a separate guest unit? Do you covet hardwood floors, a theater with a top-of-the-line sound system, security cameras, and walls of glass that open to an outdoor fireplace and the hippest private pool and spa ever? Are you a baller on a budget, hit so heavily by the stock market death spiral that you can't afford to plunk down the cash for a down payment?

Then you'd better give my boy Adam Levine a call. As long as you have $10,000 to spare each month, accidentally walking into glass walls can become your new favorite pastime.
    
Levine picked up this pad in November 2005, presumably while the cash from Maroon 5's debut album Songs About Jane was rolling in. At the time, the house was listed for $3... More >> ..

Mel B of the Spice Girls has listed her Mount Olympus home for $2,999,000. She bought the 3,476-square-foot home in August 2007, and since then has invested $1 million in a makeover that includes an über-chic contemporary-style master bathroom with generous quantities of glass and gray-veined marble throughout.

The property's tropical grounds include ornate landscaping, a saline pool, a spa, three waterfalls, an outdoor living room complete with a flat-screen entertainment system, and a Viking kitchen. Eight security cameras equipped with night vision keep everything safe.

The house also has five bedrooms, four bathrooms, and an open floor plan for entertaining: there's a spacious living room, an elegant dining room, and a casual kitchen area whose walls of windows flood the interior with glorious sunlight.

Diane Keaton's 1927 Beverly Hills home is on the market for $11,995,000. The Oscar-winning actress has a hobby of buying and refurbishing early-twentieth-century Los Angeles homes, then lovingly restoring them to their original splendor. Keaton is a member of America's National Trust for Historic Preservation, which helps restore Los Angeles architecture that's almost as old as Keaton herself-pretty darn ancient, at least in L.A. terms. Keaton's avocation keeps her busy in between her acting gigs, which is important, given that roles for women over 50 are few and far between in Tinseltown.

The Spanish Colonial Revival home was built by architect Ralph Flewelling and features an inner courtyard with a fountain that stands between the kitchen and the family room on one side and the media room and den on the other side.

Totaling 7,145 square feet, the house has seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms, including a master suite with dual bathrooms and a separate guest suite... More >> ..

Located directly next door to the well-known Playboy Mansion is Hefner's second mansion. Built in 1929 and backing up to the Los Angeles Country Club, the mansion sits on 2.3 acres of land, with the home totaling 7,318 square feet. Hefner purchased the home in 1996 for a reported $6.7 million.

 

The home is not as impressive as the Playboy Mansion, but it's spectacular in its own right. It includes seven bathrooms, seven bedrooms, hand-painted walls, a hand-carved staircase, a library, a large eat-in kitchen, leaded glass windows, and two staff rooms with seven beds-and that's just the interior. Once you step outside the home, large rolling lawns, tennis courts, a private pool (no grotto, though) and a substantial motor court present themselves.

 

With the economy in a recession, it seems that even the Playboy himself needs to free up some cash. So let's all help Hugh out: go buy a few copies of Playboy and know that you're contributing to a good cause... More >> ..