Only 20 families in the world can afford this Beverly Hills house

Publish date: 2024-08-13

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That’s one short list.

A London-based brokerage has identified just 20 potential international buyers for the famed “Beverly House,” a mega-mansion once home to William Hearst and used as a filming location for “The Godfather” and several Beyoncé music videos.

At $119 million, the pink terracotta stucco house is the most expensive in the US and has been on and off the market for between $95 million and $195 million since 2007.

And thanks to its high property taxes and maintenance costs, even if you could afford a down payment, you’ll need to set aside quite a bit more for ongoing expenses.

“Beauchamp [Estates] has a list that they’ve actually made up [of potential buyers]. [It’s so few] because they’re not just buying it — then they need the money to run and maintain it and to not really bother about it,” a representative for Jeremy Gee, managing director of Beauchamp Estates, told The Post.

Beauchamp expects the buyer to probably only visit the house once or twice a year, though their children or friends may also occasionally use it too, he said.

There are only 20 families in the world who could afford this Beverly Hills house. Who do you think made the list? Photo Credit: The Agency
It’s not just the cost of the 18-bed, 25-bathroom Italian and Spanish-style mega-mansion. Taxes are $68,000 a year, according to Realtor.com. Photo Credit: The Agency

On the list? Royalty and high-net businesspeople from Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Tel Aviv, Moscow, China, Hong Kong, Nigeria, South Africa, Thailand and London. The press release specifically mentioned “the Saudi Royal family, the Abu Dhabi Royal family, Chinese and Hong Kong billionaires, the Thai Royal family or a Nigerian, Russian or South African commodities billionaire.”

“There is a very long history of Middle Eastern ruling families having big mansions in Beverly Hills,” Gee’s representative told the New York Post, mentioning the Beverly Hills house once owned by the sister of the Shah of Iran in the ’60s and ’70s, Princess Shams Pahlavi.

A London-based brokerage has identified 20 potential international buyers for the famed “Beverly House” at 1011 N. Beverly Drive. Photo Credit: The Agency
“Looking at an international scale, buying the Beverly House would be, for those families [in the highest luxury bracket] a relatively cheaper holiday home,” said the representative. Photo Credit: The Agency
“We will really see some traction when all the flights resume,” said the representative. Photo Credit: The Agency

It’s not just the price tag on the 18-bed, 25-bathroom Italian and Spanish-style mega-mansion: Taxes are $68,000 a year, according to Realtor.com. It seems like even the current owner can’t keep up: the Los Angeles County Assessor Portal shows that the owner defaulted on their property taxes in 2019. 

Plus the owner will need to maintain at least seven full-time staff members — a chef, two cleaners, a butler, a chauffeur and a security team, Beauchamp told The Post. 

“The gardens are just so lavish and need so much attention. You guys [Americans] do landscape gardens to such a high level, they really are something else,” said the representative. Photo Credit: The Agency
The gardens, designed by landscape architect Paul Thiene, have reflection pools with waterfalls that lead to an Olympic-size swimming pool with Roman pillars. Photo Credit: The Agency
Maintenance and landscaping of the 3.5-acre lot will cost about 1% of the property price every year, according to Beauchamp. Photo Credit: The Agency

Maintenance and landscaping of the 3.5-acre lot, which can host 1,000 guests, will cost about 1% of the property price, according to Beauchamp, or about $1.25 million every year at the current listing price.

The gardens, designed by landscape architect Paul Thiene, have reflection pools with waterfalls that lead to an Olympic-size swimming pool with Roman pillars. There is also an eight-car garage, a guest house and several staff offices. 

“The house needs to be beautifully maintained. And let’s be blunt, it’s not just the house. The gardens are just so lavish and need so much attention. You guys [Americans] do landscape gardens to such a high level, they really are something else,” said the representative.

The gardens, designed by landscape architect Paul Thiene, have reflection pools with waterfalls that lead to an Olympic-size swimming pool with Roman pillars. Photo Credit: The Agency
John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy also spent their honeymoon there in 1953, and it served as Kennedy’s West Coast presidential election headquarters. Photo Credit: The Agency

Finding the right tier of buyers

The house, built in 1926 for banking executive Milton Getz, seems astronomically expensive for working-class Americans, but the right buyers at this level will actually find this house relatively cheap compared to holiday homes in London or Hong Kong, where homes could sell for up to $279 million or $167 million respectively, said the representative.

“Looking at an international scale, buying the Beverly House would be, for those families [in the highest luxury bracket], a relatively cheaper holiday home,” said the representative.

The 800-foot driveway leads to the pink house with an 80-foot entry hall, a 22-foot high hand-painted arched ceiling and a two-story library with hand-carved paneling. Photo Credit: The Agency
The house has wide balconies, paneled walls, floor-to-ceiling windows and carved ceilings and fireplaces. Photo Credit: The Agency

Still, Beauchamp doesn’t expect the house to sell “in two seconds flat,” citing the coronavirus pandemic as a slowing factor since buyers will want a property adviser or family member to see the home in person before buying. But they have already started sharing the details of the listing with potential buyers on WhatsApp and Zoom, said the representative. 

“We will really see some traction when all the flights resume. Beauchamp won’t be able until after the summer to go out to the Gulf and Hong Kong to meet clients and show them floorplans. That’s because of COVID, but it will happen,” he said. “It’s all about the personal meeting and connection at that level [of luxury].” 

Also known as the Hearst House, it was once the home of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst and his partner, actress Marion Davies from 1946 to 1967. Photo Credit: The Agency
Beauchamp has already started sharing the details of the listing with potential buyers on WhatsApp and Zoom, said the representative. Photo Credit: The Agency
At $119 million, the pink terracotta stucco house is the most expensive in the US and has been on and off the market listing for between $95 million and $195 million since 2007. Photo Credit: The Agency

What makes this house so special?

You might recognize this house as the set of “The Godfather,” “The Bodyguard” and several Beyoncé music videos.

Also known as the Hearst House, it was once the home of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst and his partner, actress Marion Davies from 1946 to 1967.

Many say it provided the inspiration for Xanadu, the estate of Charles Foster Kane in the 1941 classic movie “Citizen Kane,” based on Hearst, but the timelines aren’t congruent — the movie more likely refers to Hearst Castle, built from 1919 to 1947 about halfway between San Jose and Santa Barbara.

John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy also spent their honeymoon there in 1953, and it served as Kennedy’s West Coast presidential election headquarters, the press release said.

Beauchamp is partnering with California’s the Agency on the listing. Photo Credit: The Agency
“Beyond its fantastic Hollywood mystique, and finishes and details steeped in its own architectural history,” said Mauricio Umansky, founder and CEO of the Agency in a statement. Photo Credit: The Agency

It’s easy to see why the location is so popular. The 29,000-square-foot house (35,000 square feet including guest houses and other buildings on the property) has an Art Deco nightclub, a wine cellar, two luxury home theaters, a spa, a gym, a massage room, a billiards room and a lighted tennis court.

The 800-foot driveway leads to the pink house with an 80-foot entry hall, a 22-foot high hand-painted arched ceiling and a two-story library with hand-carved paneling. The house with wide balconies, paneled walls, floor-to-ceiling windows and carved ceilings and fireplaces has a formal dining room, a breakfast room, a family room with an outdoor terrace, a commercial kitchen, terraces with room for a 400-guest dinner, and a 9-foot Dennis Abbe mural. 

Beauchamp expects the buyer to probably only visit the house once or twice a year. Photo Credit: The Agency
The press release specifically mentioned “the Saudi Royal family, the Abu Dhabi Royal family, Chinese and Hong Kong billionaires, the Thai Royal family or a Nigerian, Russian or South African commodities billionaire.” Photo Credit: The Agency

Beauchamp is partnering with California’s the Agency and Ryan Serhant of SERHANT brokerage on the listing. 

“Beyond its fantastic Hollywood mystique, and finishes and details steeped in its own architectural history, The Beverly House is one of the most expansive estates located in the heart of Beverly Hills with access to the best amenities and conveniences in Los Angeles,” Mauricio Umansky, founder and CEO of the Agency said in a statement. 

“The Beverly House is an incredible legacy property, period. It has such a rich history, but also offers an unparalleled modern living experience. I’m proud and honored to have the opportunity to work with a trophy property of this magnitude,” said Serhant.

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