Ludicrously Expensive Celebrity Homes

We all want to know the inside story about our favourite celebrities. Whether you're an Internet geek that's interested in Stephen Colbert and Bill Gates or a Hollywood hound who can't get enough of Britney, you keep the media happy with your interest in the personal lives of your favourite stars. And what's more personal than where these people live? Some of the most famous people in the world live in some of the most expenses houses available and we all know that you want to know more about them. Here's a look at twenty five of the most expensive homes owned by people whose names you'll recognise.


Bill Gates

Bill Gates: The Washington state property of tech genius Bill Gates was worth over $135 million at the last estimate back in 2005. Property taxes alone cost him over $1 million annually. The multi-million dollar home includes an underwater music system and a personal shower room for the pool. It's been the site of numerous gatherings for influential people in the tech industry and the U.S. government.

William Randolph Hearst

William Randolph Hearst: The Hearst mansion in Beverly Hills went up for sale last summer at a record price of $165 million. There have been no buyers yet but someone is sure to take an interest in this house which served as the headquarters to John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign. You could house a whole organisation in the nearly thirty bedrooms and entertain everyone with three swimming pools, disco and movie theater all inside the home.
Donald Trump

Donald Trump: Is it any wonder that a man famous primarily for being rich is the owner of a mansion that is one of the most expensive in the world? It's located in Palm Beach, Florida and is on the market for $125 million. This 62,000 square foot behemoth has a library, home theater, wine cellar, fitness studio, 7 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms and a 100 foot long swimming pool. In other words: not subprime.

Rick Schroder

Rick Schroder: This television actor may be best known for his role on NYPD Blue but is also well-known in the world of real estate. Although he currently lives in a moderately expensive $4 million home in Topanga Canyon, he has sold two other properties in the past few years for a total of over $30 million. He sold a home in Scottsdale priced around the same value as the home he has now and also sold a $27 million ranch home in Colorado.

Joel Horowitz

Joel Horowitz: You may not recognise this name but you'll recognise the brand he co-founded: Tommy Hilfiger. The brand earned him a pretty penny so it's no shock that he's got a Lake Tahoe home worth a staggering $100 million. It's a 20,000 square foot stone mansion that's got just five bedrooms but also includes a 3,000+ bottle wine cellar, an atrium, indoor heated pool and a movie theater in the house.
Gwen Stefani & Gavin Rossdale

Gwen Stefani & Gavin Rossdale: This hot celebrity music couple had no qualms about shelling out over $15 million in 2006 to purchase a Beverly Hills mansion belonging to another celebrity, Jennifer Lopez. The 10,000 square foot mansion sits on a two acre plot of land in an exclusive gated community in Beverly Hills. It only has 4 bedrooms but also has basketball and tennis courts, swimming pool and home theater.
Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez: Speaking of JLo, the mansion she sold to Stefani isn't the only pricey property that she's owned. Back in 2005 she reportedly sold her $11 million Miami Beach mansion (which had 8 bedrooms and a mere 11 fireplaces) because it reminded her too much of Ben Affleck. These days she and her new hubby are residing in a Long Island estate complete with reinforced gates to protect her family. The house next door to them is up for sale for $2.3 million.
Prince Bandar

Prince Bandar: If you follow international politics then you know that Prince Bandar bin Sultan is a Saudi Arabian prince who became mired in controversy when it was suggested that President Bush informed him very early on about the U.S. intention to invade Iraq. He owns a ski lodge in Aspen called Hala Ranch that is up for sale at an incredible price of $135 million. Larger than the White House, it has 15 bedrooms, 16 bathrooms, 24K gold fixtures and sits on a mountaintop property that is nearly 100 acres in size.
Dracula

Dracula: Okay so the fictional character doesn't really own a home but he was based on the real life ruler, Vlad the Impaler, whose castle in Romania is currently on the market. Called Bran Castle, this 17-bedroom 13th Century work of architecture is currently being operated as a museum but is on the market as a residence to the tune of $140 million.
Chris Tucker

Chris Tucker: Actor and comedian Chris Tucker lives in a 5-bedroom, 8-bathroom home that cost him nearly $4 million. There's a library and a home theater but the real entertainment is to be found in an upstairs gaming room. Apparently the bedroom has 'disco lighting' that is more scary than sexy.
Spelling Home

Spelling Home: This house always makes the list of expensive celebrity homes because it's frequently rumoured to be up for sale with a price tag of $150 million. Among the fun things that you'll find at this mansion are eight double car garages, 6 gardens, 12 fountains and 4 bars.
Barack Obama

Barack Obama: The presidential hopeful got into some hot water when it came out that he'd purchased a $1.65 million home in the suburbs of Chicago in a shady deal with Tony Rezko.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger: The bodybuilding actor who governs California is currently living in a 'temporary' home in Brentwood that cost him over $11 million. It's 13,000 square feet in size and includes a screening room, a gourmet kitchen and a gym. Of course, the governor also has to spend a lot of time in the state capital for work; he doesn't own a home there but reportedly pays $65,000 per year for a hotel suite.

Avril Lavigne

Avril Lavigne: The singer used to live in a Beverly Hills mansion with husband Derek Whibley but she's moved out of the almost 7,000 square foot place and now it's on the market. The California real estate market isn't quite as buoyant as it once was as it is currently embroiled in the subprime mortgage crisis.so she's had to drop the asking price for her home inside a gated community at the top of Mulholland in the Hollywood Hillsfrom $7 million down to $5.8 million. We think she'll still do just fine though.
Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon: You would think that a 4 bedroom home in the country would be moderately priced. That's not the case with Reese Witherspoon's California home which has a list price of almost $7 million. The home is a historic 6 acre ranch in Ojai Valley where Witherspoon can relax to her heart's content. Guests can stay in either of the 2 detached cottages, each with their own bathroom.

Nicholas Cage

Nicholas Cage: Some celebrities have one awesome house that cost them a lot of money. Others, like Nicholas Cage, practically collect expensive homes. He had one home in Malibu that he sold for $10 million back in 2005 in order to finance the recent purchase of a property on a Caribbean island. In 2006, he purchased a German medieval castle and also purchased a 40 acre private island. That apparently wasn't sufficient because in 2007 he bought a 12-bedroom home in Rhode Island, a castle in England and a $3.5 million home in New Orleans' French Quarter.
Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey: Oprah Winfrey used to live in a $6 million Italian-style villa but she traded up for a $50 million, 14,000 square foot mansion on a 42 acre estate in Montecito with mountain and ocean views. So what did she get for her money? 6 bedrooms, 14 bedrooms and 10 fireplaces for a start!
Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes

Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes: This couple loves collecting expensive homes so that they can have a few nice places to choose from when trying to escape the press. They own a 6-bedroom home in London that cost nearly $5 million and includes a greenhouse and a sports pavilion. They also have a nice home in Telluride, Colorado. But the real attention-getter is the $35 million home in Beverly Hills. Of course, now that we have seen what Cruise is really like we care less about Cruise's wealth and look forward to his next video interview
David & Victoria Beckham

David & Victoria Beckham: Just down the street from Cruise and Holmes, another hot couple recently purchased a mansion worth $22 million. It's an Italian-style 6-bedroom mansion with a pool, fountains and a view of the ocean. There are numerous full-length mirrors throughout the house where Victoria is regularly seen practicing her pout.


Vidal Sassoon

Vidal Sassoon: Now there's a name that you know for its product. This hairstyling genius has a Bel-Air home that's worth nearly $20 million. Among other amenities, the home includes its own gallery, a large swimming pool and has commanding views over the Catalina Islands.
Olivia Newton John

Olivia Newton John: If you're interested in purchasing the 6,400 square foot Malibu residence of this singer then now is the time to buy since the asking price just dropped from $14 million down to just under $13 million. What a bargain!
Mary J. Blige

Mary J. Blige: You may not have ever heard of Saddle River, New Jersey before but it's where Mary J. Blige has her 18,000+ square foot mansion. It has a price tag of almost $14 million and includes everything from an indoor basketball court to a wine tasting room.

Billy Joel

Billy Joel: Joel is another one of those people who seems to love buying expensive properties. In 2000, he made a $32 million sale of one home to Jerry Seinfeld. He sold another property for over $8 million and invested in a $22 million home. That latter property (in Long Island) is now up for sale; the cost was reduced last year from $37.5 million to $32.5 million. Joel also put a home in Miami Beach up for sale for around $14 million.

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson: Neverland Ranch has got to be one of the most famous properties out there. Michael Jackson doesn't own it any more, of course, not since the foreclosure. But this longtime haven of his is sure to fetch a pretty penny when it goes to auction in mid-May. Supposedly there's $46 million in escrow right now as one of the bids. There's no telling which celebrity with buku bucks might want to pay for this infamous property.