For the first time in 21 years, a Beverly Hills estate formerly owned by Elizabeth Taylor hit the market Tuesday with a price tag worthy of the glamour-loving actress: $15.9 million.
Taylor bought the house with Michael Wilding—her second husband—in 1954, listing broker Joyce Rey of Coldwell Banker Global Luxury, told Mansion Global. In 1956 the deed was transferred to Taylor when the couple split, and she retained the home until 1957, when she sold it, Ms. Rey said.
Judy Garland’s Former Malibu Beach House Sells for $3.5 Million https://t.co/amU5kduXHn pic.twitter.com/EBmp8qldSa
— Mansion Global (@MansionGlobal) July 9, 2018
Mansion Global could not determine how much Taylor bought the estate for, or how much it sold for.
During her tenure, Taylor would make surprise entrances by arriving late to her own parties, according to a representative for Coldwell Banker.
The home is only two miles from the famed Beverly Hills Hotel, where Taylor reportedly spent six of her eight honeymoons.
Spanning 7,761 square feet, the six-bedroom home has an internal atrium, four fireplaces, a library, a sauna and an art studio, according to the listing.
The current owner is 90-year-old Marvin Gross, a retired attorney, who bought the home in 1997, according to property records. He paid $2 million for the house, he said. He made the purchase when his friend and client, architect Budd Holden, called him and told him about the home.
From Penta:Long Overlooked, Canadian Whisky Is Going High-End
He didn’t care about the celebrity connection, "I just went on Budd’s recommendation," Mr. Gross told Mansion Global.
Holden—known for creating estates for some of the biggest names in Hollywood in the 1980s and 1990s, including Barbra Streisand and Cher—was drafted to redesign and redecorate the entire house, adding about 2,000-square-feet of interior space and a lot of windows, Mr. Gross said.
He is selling because, "I’m 90 years old and this is 8,000 square feet of house," he said. "We are scaling down as they say."
The celebrity connection may very well help bag the next owner. "People love to have a house with Hollywood history," Ms. Rey said.