Frank Sinatra’s Former Los Angeles Home Finds a Buyer for $5 Million
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Frank Sinatra’s former Los Angeles mid-century home, now a prime Hollywood filming spot, sold for $5 million on Tuesday.
The boxy, glass home on a promontory in Chatswood was rented by Sinatra in the 1960s and was an industry party spot and “playground” for the elite during Hollywood’s Golden Age, according to the listing. It’s since become a popular filming location, more recently setting the backdrop for multiple music videos from Miley Cyrus’s album “Endless Summer Vacation.”
Sinatra’s former address, which includes the main home on a 4-acre parcel and a 9-acre plot with a guest house, was built by mid-century master William Pereira for Chase Bank heiress Dora Hutchinson.
Besides music videos, it was featured in the long-running TV show “Mad Men” and the 2006 movie “Dreamgirls,” and hosted a Hermés launch party in 2022.
According to its listing, “every studio, every production designer and every location manager knows about this fabled property,” that generates between $750,000 and $1,200,000 annually in rentals.
The main 4-acre property listed for $12.75 million in 2022, Mansion Global previously reported .
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Last year, Rock Asset Management Trust took over the estate in a foreclosure sale for $2.1 million. “Between reliance on a single revenue stream, Covid and the [2023 Hollywood] writers’ strike, the owners were unable to service the mortgage obligations,” said the sellers’ agent, Craig Knizek at the Agency.
Rick Wolfen, president of Rock Asset Management, did not immediately respond to requests for a comment.
Previously, the main property and its neighboring parcel with the guest house—which once housed Marilyn Monroe and was reportedly a rendezvous location during her affair with John F. Kennedy—were listed together for $21.5 million.
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“While this listing has been over-priced for the past 13 years, under new ownership, it finally is ready to sell, for the right fair market value,” the most recent listing read.
Tuesday’s buyer also paid $3 million for the larger guest-house parcel that is now primed for new development, separated into 11 single-family lots.
The L-shaped Midcentury Modern house faces a classic California valley panorama. The main living space on one end connects to a stretch of outdoor lounges under a trellis lined with succulents. The trellis extends past the 50-foot pool into an indoor gym and massage room.
Knizek said that he thinks the modernist masterpiece had still been “underutilized” and that the space has even more potential. Think corporate retreats, restaurant collaborations and weddings, he said.
The buyer, who could not be identified, is “someone who appreciates the history and the architecture and appreciates the investment income opportunities,” Knizek said.
The home, with modernist accents like white tile floors, a dais in the bedroom, and wood panel walls, has four bedrooms and six bathrooms.
“I anticipate that the house gets spit and polished, to take it to a whole elevated level,” Knizek added.
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Buyer demand, seller confidence and the First Home Guarantee Scheme are setting up a frantic spring, with activity likely to run through Christmas.
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The spring property market is shaping up as the most active in recent memory, according to property experts Two Red Shoes.
Mortgage brokers Rebecca Jarrett-Dalton and Brett Sutton point to a potent mix of pent-up buyer demand, robust seller confidence and the First Home Guarantee Scheme as catalysts for a sustained run.
“We’re seeing an unprecedented level of activity, with high auction numbers already a clear indicator of the market’s trajectory,” said Sutton. “Last week, Sydney saw its second-highest number of auctions for the year. This kind of volume, even before the new First Home Guarantee Scheme (FHGS) changes take effect, signals a powerful market run.”
Rebecca Jarrett-Dalton added a note of caution. “While inquiries are at an all-time high, the big question is whether we will have enough stock to meet this demand. The market is incredibly hot, and this could lead to a highly competitive environment for buyers, with many homes selling for hundreds of thousands above their reserve.”
“With listings not keeping pace with buyer demand, buyers are needing to compromise faster and bid harder.”
Two Red Shoes identifies several spring trends. The First Home Guarantee Scheme is expected to unlock a wave of first-time buyers by enabling eligible purchasers to enter with deposits as low as 5 per cent. The firm notes this supports entry and reduces rent leakage, but it is a demand-side fix that risks pushing prices higher around the relevant caps.
Buyer behaviour is shifting toward flexibility. With competition intense, purchasers are prioritising what they can afford over ideal suburb or land size. Two Red Shoes expects the common first-home target price to rise to between $1 and $1.2 million over the next six months.
Affordable corridors are drawing attention. The team highlights Hawkesbury, Claremont Meadows and growth areas such as Austral, with Glenbrook in the Lower Blue Mountains posting standout results. Preliminary Sydney auction clearance rates are holding above 70 per cent despite increased listings, underscoring the depth of demand.
The heat is not without friction. Reports of gazumping have risen, including instances where contract statements were withheld while agents continued to receive offers, reflecting the pressure on buyers in fast-moving campaigns.
Rates are steady, yet some banks are quietly trimming variable and fixed products. Many borrowers are maintaining higher repayments to accelerate principal reduction. “We’re also seeing a strong trend in rent-vesting, where owner-occupiers are investing in a property with the eventual goal of moving into it,” said Jarrett-Dalton.
“This is a smart strategy for safeguarding one’s future in this competitive market, where all signs point to an exceptionally busy and action-packed season.”
Two Red Shoes expects momentum to carry through the holiday period and into the new year, with competition remaining elevated while stock lags demand.
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