The Biggest Celebrity Moves of 2016

Swimsuit model Kate Upton and her husband, Detroit Tiger pitcher Justin Verlander, purchased a 5,500-square-foot home in Los Angeles for $5.25 million earlier this year. The five-bed, six-bath estate is situated in the heart of Beverly Hills but in a secluded neighbourhood, and was once owned by saxophonist Kenny G, tennis great Pete Sampras and original ‘Charlie’s Angels’ star Kate Jackson. The property is set on a 1.55-acre lot with a pool, tennis court, gourmet chef’s kitchen and open living rooms with beamed ceilings and French doors. Upton and Verlander’s house also contains a massive patio and plenty of yard space – which is perfect for entertaining and for their boxer Harley, to romp around.

Canadian-born comic Russell Peters put his Malibu mansion up for sale this past September with a listing price of $11.95 million. The 10,000-square-foot home was expanded and remodeled one year ago and features nine bedrooms and 10 bathrooms. Notable amenities include a modern kitchen with a massive island, a family room with a marble counter wet bar, a gym and a 10-seat home theater. Described as “extremely private,” the property also includes a fire pit, a separate guest house and room to park more than 15 cars behind the security gates.

Photo courtesy of Ghost Group LA

Hollywood icons Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell decided to bid farewell to their 6,389-square-foot Pacific Palisades love nest after 12 years. The longtime couple are asking $7.25-million for the estate, which features room after room of luxurious living. Highlights include a spacious country kitchen, a huge master suite with a fireplace, spa tub and dry sauna, a home theatre and a gym that opens onto a lovely terrace. The outdoor pool and spa are surrounded by thick lush green landscaping and there’s also a meditation room.

The world’s most decorated Olympian, swimmer Michael Phelps, purchased a lovely 6,010-square-foot home in Arizona this year. The recently retired swimming superstar paid $2.5 million for the five-bedroom, six-bathroom Santa Barbra-style house which features four fireplaces, a resort-style pool and hot tub. The property sits on almost an acre of land near Arizona State University where he’s coaching.

Amy Schumer recently snapped up a lavish $12.1-million penthouse in New York City’s Upper West Side. The price for the stunning five-bed, three-bath home on Riverside Drive dropped significantly, initially listed for a whopping $18.9 million. The 4,000-square-foot penthouse boasts two floors and glass walls to experience the view of neighbouring Hudson River and New Jersey. Marketing materials say the home is “like a Malibu beach house, with the sophistication of Manhattan architecture.”

Kendall Jenner dished out approximately $6.5-million for a new home which she purchased from husband-and-wife stars John Krasinski (‘The Office’) and Emily Blunt (‘The Girl on the Train’). The 20-year-old model bought the couple’s contemporary 4,724-square-foot, six-bedroom, five-bathroom home, located in the Hollywood Hills, just above Sunset Boulevard’s famed Chateau Marmont Hotel. The three-storey concrete-and-glass home boasts a gourmet kitchen, a spacious master suite with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the estate, a massive walk-in closet, and an exercise and massage room. Outside the property there’s a swimming pool, rooftop deck and an outdoor fireplace.

Jennifer Lopez recently purchased a massive compound in the ritzy neighbourhood of Bel Air for an astounding $28 million. The lavish home, which was initially listed at $39 million, boasts five bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, 10 fireplaces, a 30-seat home theatre, a massage room and even a downstairs pub. The stunning estate also features two guesthouses, a stream with a footbridge, a vineyard, a 100-seat outdoor amphitheatre and an infinity swimming pool. JLo purchased the home from actress Sela Ward.

Actress/lifestyle guru Gwyneth Paltrow shelled out $4.9 million for a new home in Santa Barbara, California. The purchase included the four-bedroom, four-bathroom house and another property next door, with an additional three bedrooms. The Venice-inspired 5,022-square-foot home boasts ocean views and gorgeously groomed gardens. Also featured are 20-foot skylights and high ceilings, a long lap pool, multiple terraces, and floor-to-ceiling windows.

‘Gilmore Girls’ star Alexis Bledel and her ‘Mad Men’ actor husband Vincent Kartheiser sold their stylish Brooklyn Heights, New York, duplex for $1.32 million this past April. The late 19th-century one-bedroom, two bathroom penthouse sits in a baroque-style building and boasts impressive soaring 18ft ceilings and a private 500-square-foot rooftop deck. The apartment is small, but smartly arranged and measures 1,000 square feet in size. Having just welcomed their first child, the intensely private couple are presumably moving up to something a bit larger.

Lady Gaga was over the moon when she purchased legendary guitarist and composer Frank Zappa’s secluded Hollywood Hills estate. Fans were less than pleased with the purchase as Gaga is the first non-family member to live in the home and there was worry the songstress would tarnish the historical elements such as the late guitar god’s legendary recording studio, which he dubbed the “Utility Muffin Research Kitchen.” However, Gaga has made it very clear that she plans on restoration only, and will maintain the iconoclastic, eccentric property’s unique charms. Zappa purchased the home in 1968 for $75,000 and proceed to transform it into a spanning collection of various design influences and creative spaces. The six-bedroom, seven-bathroom home has customized touches in nearly each inch of space, from the dragon mural in the dining room to the unusual floral wallpaper and guesthouse.

Singer-songwriter Billy Joel listed his 9,312-square-foot beachfront home in Manalapan, Florida,at $27 million. The Mediterranean-style estate is situated on two adjacent pieces of land measuring 1.88 acres, which the piano man purchased separately two years ago for $18.2 million. Buyers can purchase the land together or separately – $19.5 million for the developed portion and $9.5 million for the empty lot. The home blends modern décor with old-world design and opens to a double-height living room with a hand-stenciled ceiling and a stone fireplace. There’s a two-bedroom guest house, boat dock, a stunning pool overlooking the 150 feet of ocean frontage and private boardwalk to the beach.

After two years on the market, Caesar’s Palace headliner and superstar songstress Céline Dion was finally able to sell her palatial Montreal-area mansion earlier this year. Situated on a private 830,000-square-foot island, the 24,000-square foot home boasts a large library, elevator, wine cellar, games room and home gym. The sale of the property is considered to be the most costly sale in the Montreal area. The home boasts “luxurious classical interiors that are unrivaled in their finishing and detailing,” notes the realtor. The backyard of the home is sprawling but very private, as the only way in or out is via a gated private bridge with a manned security post.