Once listed for $250 million, real estate developer Bruce Makowsky’s Bel Air mega-mansion has sold for $94 million after nearly three years on the market and a $60 million lawsuit filed against Zillow.
The flashy Los Angeles spec house, which Makowsky first listed in 2017, is one of the most expensive sales in the city this year. Named the Billionaire, the 38,000-square-foot home boasts four stories, 12 bedrooms and 21 bathrooms.
Every inch of the mansion is doused in ultra-flashy luxury — the top floor has a 17,000-square-foot entertainment deck overlooking the city while the back patio has a spacious infinity pool. A non-operational helicopter once used by filmmakers in movies sits on the roof. Inside, visitors will find a 40-seat movie theater, massage studio, fitness center, a cellar full of rare wine and champagne and a automobile gallery with $30 million worth of custom cars. The home’s interior is decked out in furniture and accessories from designers such as Fendi, Bentley and Louis Vuitton.
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Nonetheless, what was once the most expensive listing in America did not sell as fast and as profitably as its owner might have anticipated — according to the Los Angeles Times, Makowsky cut the asking price to $188 million in 2018 and to $150 million again this year.
The house was also the subject of a lawsuit that Makowsky filed against Zillow. In February, a Zillow user used a Chinese IP address and a fake phone number to hack into the site and change the listing price. As a result, the listing appeared as though it had sold — first for $110 million, then $90.54 million and then for $94.3 million. Makowsky then claimed Zillow had allowed the listing to appear devalued and sued the real estate company for $60 million in damages. (The ruling, which is currently under investigation by a judge, should be made in the coming months.)
The listing for the Billionaire was held by Branden and Rayni Williams of Hilton & Hyland and Shawn Elliott of Nest Seekers International Realty. Ben Bacal of Revel Real Estate represented the buyer, who has not been identified.