Portia de Rossi and Ellen DeGeneres just had to squeeze in one more real estate transaction this year. Her purchase of two properties in Carpinteria is the most expensive residential deal in Santa Barbara County for 2022.
Siteline Santa Barbara first reported the couple’s purchase of the adjacent parcels, which rest atop a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean for a mere $70 million. In addition to the $41.7 million they spent on the Tuscan farmhouse-style mansion, they also paid $28.2 million for a 6.6-acre plot of land next door that consists mostly of vegetation and a small lake. With an $80 million price tag, the two parcels create a 10-acre compound with a private pathway that leads to the beach below.
Two years ago, billionaire Riley Bechtel and his wife Susan paid $63 million for a much larger Montecito ranch, the largest ever paid for a Santa Barbara-area estate.
The new Carpinteria estate of DeGeneres is certainly impressive, but it’s less than half the original 22-acre Loon Point compound that was built in 2007 by retired hedge fund manager Bruce Kovner and his wife Suzie. A private, gated road with a guard house connects three landscaped lots on the 22-acre property known as Sanctuary at Loon Point. The property includes two custom homes on separate parcels and three landscaped lots. The other mansion, two vacant parcels and one of the landscaped lots are still owned by the Kovners, and probably still for sale. DeGeneres just bought one of those two homes and one of the landscaped lots.
According to a Wall Street Journal article, Kovner spent around $110 million buying up adjoining properties over several years. The building and completion of the private compound took several years after the land was secured. Kovner estimates the cost of the construction and other improvements at $50 million.
On three levels, DeGeneres and de Rossi’s new mansion offers five bedrooms and eight bathrooms within 9,000 square feet. Throughout the beige-toned and terracotta-roofed structure, exposed wood beams, hardwood floors, stone arches, and marble accents adorn the interior. A cobblestone motor court surrounds the attached three-car garage with a one-bedroom, one-bath guesthouse.
The main level features a stunning great room with an antique fireplace, a family room, a dining room, and a gourmet kitchen with professional-grade appliances, a center island, and butler’s pantry. Upstairs, you’ll find five ensuite bedrooms. On the lower level, you’ll find a movie theater with reclining leather seats and a wine cellar.
The grounds are dotted with olive trees and boast a marble mosaic pool, two spas, an outdoor kitchen, several fireside lounge areas, and raised herb and vegetable gardens. There is also a private beach area atop the bluff, complete with a fire-pit, tiki torches, an antique row boat, and a large stone dining table with a custom umbrella.
Other Santa Barbara-area properties owned by deGeneres and de Rossi include two tiny Montecito cottages and a circa-1880s horse ranch, along with a charming cottage in the Hedgerow District of Montecito that’s on the market for a little more than $5.8 million. Tom Ford’s former Bel Air estate was also purchased for $29 million in early November. Aside from their New York City home, the Kovners also own a home in Dutchess County, New York, and a home in Florida.
