Oprah Winfrey sold a 'spare' ranch opposite her 'Promised Land' estate for $14.3 million
The media titan sold the Montecito home to filmmaker Rawson Marshall Thurber in an off-market transfer – here's what we know
TV personality Oprah Winfrey sold a 'spare' home opposite her famed 'Promised Land' estate to 'Central Intelligence' filmmaker Rawson Marshall Thurber for $14.3 million. The completion of the off-market deal means the host now has a new neighbor in Montecito – as the ranch is situated 'right across the street' from her primary residence.
Oprah, best known for her eponymous talk show, lives in one of the world's best homes (reportedly worth an estimated $100 million) – but she is known to own a property portfolio that extends across California and the US (including homes in Hawaii and Colorado). Until recently, her collection featured this home – consisting of a four-bedrooms on 5.6 acres in the prestigious Hedgerow community.
Siteline Santa Barbara, who reported on the off-market sale, suggests Hollywood producer Rawson Marshall Thurber (also behind Red Notice and We're the Millers) purchased Oprah's home – making him the newest resident in the celebrity-favorite neighborhood.
Since the transaction was held off-market, photos of the home (and consequently, its decorating ideas) are sparse). However, tax records acquired by Dirt say that Oprah purchased the house in 2005 for $7 million. It is, however, unclear whether she ever lived in the 'spare' ranch for any period of time.
Aerial shots show that much of the exterior appears barren, though there is a full-size tennis court, a sprawling lawn, and a swimming pool, surrounded by a stone bathing space (which is also, no doubt, a great place for hosting al-fresco dinner parties around the calendar).
The land also is surrounded by a lush wall of hedges – a great garden screening idea that blocks the public view of the estate – and is no doubt popular amongst the celebrities and millionaires of Montecito.
Considering its position, it's also likely that the home boasts views of the surrounding Santa Ynez Mountains.
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Oprah, who lives in a 23,000-square-foot mansion on the Promised Land estate, is no stranger to the real estate industry in recent months. In November 2022, she sold her Tuscan Farmhouse (also in Montecito) to actress Jennifer Aniston for $14.8 million.
Records (once again from Siteline Santa Barbara) showed that the host sold a large estate in two separate transactions for $17 million – one of which was to the Friends star.
We'll certainly be keeping up with Rawson Marshall Thurber's social media for a glimpse into the estate over the coming months...
Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes, before becoming H&G's News Editor in April 2022. She now leads the Celebrity/ News team. Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US while studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site. She currently lives in London with her antique typewriter and an expansive collection of houseplants.
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