Selena Gomez, who has 172 million followers on Instagram alone, a child actor turned international pop music star with glowing reviews and a third consecutive #1 album, has decided to greatly upsize her living quarters. A bonafide mansion tucked deep into Encino’s proverbial heart, out in the San Fernando Valley, has been purchased by the crooner, who frequently houses hops.
A plus-sized house that was built in 1989, it has an intriguing, only-in-L.A. history. After an arsonist-set fire destroyed the Tudor-style mansion that used to sit on the .87-acre property, Tom Petty and his first wife, Jane Benyo, built the new house.
In his eclectic architectural style, Petty built a house that might best be described as a ritzy mountain lodge mixed with a contemporary Mediterranean feel. With nearly 11,500 square feet of living space today — which has been expanded by successive owners — the house boasts hidden passageways, secret panic rooms, and a byzantine floorplan sure to captivate children of all ages.
Benyo owned the mansion until 2015 when the unforgiving maw of foreclosure took possession of the costly, high-maintenance property. Despite his reported love for the house, Petty gave it up during his 1996 divorce. The property has since been sold twice more, most recently to music producer Randy Spendlove, who paid about $4.5 million in 2018. Despite taxes, carrying costs, and heavy realtor fees, Spendlove made $400,000 from the sale within a year of owning the property.
It’s hidden from the street and neighbors alike due to its location at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac and high above a gated driveway. Throughout the upstairs balcony before reaching the roof of the home, a cinematic stone fireplace accents the double-height living room. Light brown driftwood floors keep things light in the airy, open public rooms, which have skylights that flood the rooms with warmth.
Among the features are a sunken media room, a kitchen with whitewashed brick, and a bevy of high-end appliances. Two master bedrooms have balconies overlooking a lush yard, walk-in closets, and spa-style bathrooms.
Additionally, an upstairs yoga studio is equipped with scented candles and a gong, as well as a massage room, gym, a second indoor kitchen, and a full outdoor kitchen adjacent to a covered loggia for entertaining outdoors. Additionally, there is a tree-shaded pool that is set on a stone terrace where guests can cool off. Expansive stone terraces are ideal for soaking up the sun.
The Encino neighborhood of Gomez contains several social media stars — YouTubers Logan Paul, James Charles, and Rebecca Zamolo are just a short jog away. Moreover, the new Gomez estate sits adjacent to a contemporary mansion owned and occupied by Vin Diesel and Paloma Jimenez, one of his longtime partners.
The actress remains the owner of her current main residence, a $2.2 million bungalow-style house in L.A.’s Studio City that she bought about three years ago and unsuccessfully sold in 2018 and 2019.
Coldwell Banker’s Jade Mills and Tiffany Mills held the listing; Compass’ Karen Medved represented Gomez.
