Top 5 celebrity home sales of 2016

It appears that 2016 was a good year for celebrities to shed some real estate. Here's a countdown of our favourite celebrity homes that were finally sold this year.

5. Bob Hope's UFO home

Bob Hope's UFO home is number five on our list for its out-of-the-box and futuristic design. The actor, comedian, athlete, dancer and singer had a very unique taste in housing, as indicated by his former home resembling a UFO.

John Lautner designed the home for Bob and Dolores Hope in 1973. The 23,000-sq.-ft. home features a bold undulating roof mirroring a concrete spaceship, with open spaces for skylights offering natural lighting. Additionally, the six-bedroom, 13-bathroom home also includes a spa, indoor and outdoor pools, pond, putting greens and tennis court.

Selling this home was an uphill real estate battle. It was first listed with a hefty price tag of $50 million in 2013, and went unsold for three years. The price was continuously axed and was most recently listed at $25 million. However, it turns out that a UFO-shaped home is only worth $13 million, according to the recent buyer, Ron Burkle, co-founder and managing partner of a private equity and venture capital firm.

4. Pharell Williams's Miami Penthouse

2016 was a "Happy" year for Pharrell Williams. Although the singer, songwriter and producer took a financial hit with his Miami penthouse, the good news is that he finally sold it.

The 10,000-sq.-ft. penthouse includes five bedrooms, seven bathrooms, 5,000 sq. ft. of terraces and its own rooftop swimming pool. Despite these luxe features, it took years for Williams’ to get it off his hands. He purchased the condo in 2007 for $12.5 million, and originally listed the home in 2012 for $16.8 million. It was then on and off the market for years until he finally sold it to a New Jersey businessman for $9.25 million.

3. Tyler Perry's record-breaking Atlanta home

Number four on our list is Tyler Perry's Atlanta mansion located in the prestigious Buckhead community.

The 34,688-sq.-ft. home sits on 17 acres of land overlooking the Chattahoochee River. The estate boasts seven bedrooms, fourteen bathrooms and is complete with a gym, underground ballroom, movie theatre, two-storey library and spa. The backyard features a resort-style infinity-edge swimming pool and tennis court.

In July 2015, Perry's estate hit the market for a whopping $25 million. In 2016, the actor and filmmaker finally sold it for $17.5 million and broke the city's record for most expensive residential sale.

2. Robin William's Villa of Smiles

Coming in at number two is Robin Williams's Napa Vineyard.

The late comedian and actor was trying to rid himself of this estate – appropriately titled, “Villa Sorriso” or “Villa of Smiles,” – for years. He first listed it back in 2012 for $35 million and then re-listed it in April 2014 for $29.9 million. After his death, the price dropped to $25.9 million. In 2015, his widow axed another $3 million off the asking price, reducing it to $22.9 million. Finally, in 2016, the home sold for $18.1 million.

The home is complete with five bedrooms, 10 bathrooms and sits on 640 acres of land. The 20,000-sq.-ft. main residence features a bell tower, oak-panelled library, billiards room, a 12-seat home theatre, an elevator and safe rooms. The outdoor space is undoubtedly the main selling point with a 65-ft. infinity-edge pool, tennis court, 18 acres of vineyards, hiking and riding trails. The lot also features a caretaker’s house that contains four bedrooms.

1. Hugh Hefner's Playboy Mansion

The iconic playboy mansion is number one on our list for two reasons: firstly, it's one of the most infamous homes in Beverly Hills, and secondly, the home was sold despite the fact that Hugh Hefner had no intention of moving out.

Hefner decided to list his iconic mansion back in January, but there was one caveat: He wouldn’t be moving out. The buyer would be required to accept a lifetime tenancy by Hefner. Eventually, Hefner found someone to agree to these terms — his next door neighbour, Daren Metropoulos, the son of billionaire investor C. Dean Metropoulos and principal at the investment firm Metropoulos & Co. Metropoulos paid $100 million for the mansion and is renting it out to Hefner for $1 million a year.

While the mansion was originally listed for double this amount — at $200 million — it wasn't a bad deal for Hefner. Not only does he get to stay in the home for the remainder of his life, but he still made a pretty penny off of the estate. Hefner purchased the home back in 1971 for $1.1 million, which was the largest real estate transaction in L.A. at the time.

Photo credits: toptenrealestatedeals.com, Luke Ford CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons