Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, purchased the dwelling in 2022 for $US29 million. Picture: Realtor
Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi are set for a massive loss on one of their last remaining US homes, knocking $US5.4 million ($A8.2 million) off their original asking price.
The comedian, who is currently living in an $US18 million ($A28 million) farmhouse in the Cotswolds, about two hours outside of London, initially put the sprawling home on the market in May 2024 for $US33.9 million ($A53.9 million), Realtor reports.
With no sign of a buyer, the house was delisted three months later and remained off the market through the end of 2024.
After news of their move was made public, the couple relisted the home in January with a reduced price of $US29.99 million ($A47.8 million) — just $900,000 more than what they paid for it in 2022.
But even that discount failed to attract buyers, and the residence was once again taken off the market in May.
Ellen DeGeneres is set to take a big loss on one of her last remaining US homes. Picture: Getty
Now it’s back, with a significantly reduced price of $US28.5 million ($A43.7 million), exactly half a million under the pair’s purchase price.
It’s believed the property is one of the last remaining homes DeGeneres and de Rossi currently own in the US.
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The couple have sold several properties over the past year since moving to the British countryside.
The duo recently sold a two-bedroom in Montecito for $US5.2 million ($A8.2 million), more than $US200,000 ($A312,000) over its $US4.995 million ($A7.9 million) asking price.
The property flew off the market less than two weeks after it was listed in March this year, around four months after DeGeneres and de Rossi moved to the UK.
However, the success they had with that home has not translated to the Neutra property, which sat on the market for 109 days before its listing was removed.
They originally put it on the market in 2024 with a much higher asking price of $US33.9 million. Picture: Realtor
A sale would mark only the fourth time the property has changed hands since it was built in 1955 by famous Austrian-American architect Richard Neutra, having been owned by the same family for 40 years until finally being sold for the first time in 1994.
That owner, who purchased the modernist home for the bargain price of just $US1.42 million, held onto the property for a further 25 years before putting it on the market in 2019, when it sold for $US20 million.
Three years later, DeGeneres and de Rossi added the five-bedroom pad to their already-impressive property portfolio, paying out $US29 million for the dwelling.
They have since renovated the home extensively, helping to restore Neutra’s “pioneering vision,” while also adding a host of modern-day amenities.
It was the second time the comedian had attempted to offload the dwelling. Picture: Realtor
Per the listing description, the home, which is widely known as “The Brown House,” has plenty to offer a potential buyer, not least the architectural caché that comes from owning a Neutra design.
“Originally crafted in 1955 by the renowned Richard Neutra, [the house] stands as a quintessential architectural masterpiece nestled in the prestigious enclave of Bel Air,” the listing states.
“One of the most iconic homes to be built, it has undergone a meticulous restoration, thoughtfully revering Neutra’s pioneering vision while integrating modern luxuries. A true encapsulation of living in a work of art.”
The home also offers sweeping views of the Los Angeles skyline, as well as two “state-of-the-art” kitchens and a sizeable living area.
“This is a rare opportunity to acquire a piece of architectural heritage, offering a lifestyle marked by grandeur and exclusivity in one of the most coveted locations,” the listing concludes.
Their struggle to find a buyer for the property has not held the couple back from investing in new real estate in the UK, where they are understood to have snapped up an $US18 million ($A28 million) farmhouse in 2024, according to People magazine.
The dwelling was placed back on the market on June 5. Picture: Realtor
It’s believed the property is one of the last remaining homes DeGeneres and de Rossi currently own in the US. Picture: Realtor
Since then, the couple — who made a second career out of flipping homes in and around California while they were living in Montecito — have been carrying out extensive renovations to the abode, which have landed them in some hot water with their neighbours.
According to the Daily Mail, DeGeneres found herself “in peril of getting on the wrong side” of a high-profile member of her new neighbourhood after she “committed a ‘technical breach’” during the build of a single-story extension at her new home. The outlet described it as a “planning clash”.
Several neighbours voiced their objections to the couple’s plans.
Despite the protests, a spokesperson for West Oxfordshire Direct Council insisted that the work was “completed to a high standard,” according to the New York Post.
“The works at the property involved a single-story extension and garden landscaping,” the spokesperson said.
“Although the extension technically breached permitted development rights, it was considered acceptable in planning terms.
“As the works were completed to a high standard with no impact on surrounding amenities or other planning concerns, no further enforcement action was necessary, and the case has been closed.”
Parts of this story first appeared in Realtor and was republished with permission.
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