Ellen DeGeneres just broke records – following a $70 million sale

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi have made history in Santa Barbara following the 'priciest residential deal' in South County history. 

The comedian, known for her eponymous talk show, and her actress wife spent nearly $70 million on two side-by-side properties in Carpinteria – an exclusive seaside city in south-eastern Santa Barbara. The record-breaking compound includes some of the world's best homes, including a $41.7 million Tuscan farmhouse-style mansion and another $28.2 million property now owned by the couple. 

A report from Siteline Santa Barbara describes the sale as the 'priciest residential deal' in the area – notably more than the $63 million Montecito ranch purchased by billionaire Riley Bechtel around two years ago.

According to the report, Ellen's Carpinteria home is actually only half of the original 22-acre Loon Point compound pieced together by a former hedge fund manager Bruce Kovner and his wife, Suzie, in the early 2000s. 

The estate, known as Sanctuary at Loon Point, was initially put on the market in October 2021 for $160 million – 'California’s most expensive home.' The listing featured 22 acres of lush landscaping, divided into five parcels – with two distinct estates, Ocean View and Bellevue – connected by a private road. It was set to be the second most expensive home ever sold in California, following only behind Jeff Bezos’ Warner Estate, costing $165 million. 

Ellen DeGeneres purchased one of those two homes and one of the landscaped lots available. Therefore, the other mansion and two vacant parcels remain under the Kovners-ownership and may still be available for purchase. 

Ellen and Portia already made headlines in the real estate world in 2022 after buying an iconic Richard Neutra-designed home in only November. However, this $70 million sale is arguably their most notable to date. In the past three years, they have also repurchased a ranch they previously sold in Montecito and bought a stylish Robert Skinner-designed mid-century modern home in Beverly Hills. 

The Carpinteria estate has five bedrooms and eight bathrooms over 9,000 square feet of living space. The home's color palette creates a warming, southern European aesthetic that is complemented by its exposed wood-beam ceilings, stone archways, and marble accents throughout the house. 

Meanwhile, the striking grounds, which are filled with olive trees, offer an unrivaled spot for entertaining – complete with a spacious outdoor kitchen, several fireside lounge areas, and a selection of marble mosaic pools that overlook the Pacific. The estate leads down to the shore via a private path. 

Photos courtesy of TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.