With the end of 2023 fast approaching, it’s only fitting that we once again reflect on the most eye-popping celebrity real estate deals of the year. Though the stars behind the 10 priciest transactions spent less on average than last year’s, the number-one deal is certainly one for the books, clocking in at $27 million more than last year’s biggest power player and breaking a state record in the process. Below, we’ve gathered up the A-listers who made the biggest moves of the year, whether that meant relocating to Miami, making a tidy profit on a quick house flip, or nailing down the perfect newlywed home.
Brad Pitt, $33 million
In March, Brad Pitt sold off the Craftsman-style home in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles that he bought way back in 1994. In the years since, he added nearby properties, building an estate that spans nearly two acres. Oil heiress Aileen Getty paid $33 million for the compound where Pitt and Angelina Jolie raised their six children until their 2016 split. Meanwhile, the Babylon actor swapped with Getty, downsizing to her nearby $5.5 million midcentury-modern dwelling.
Jennifer Lopez, $34 million
Following their wedding in the summer of 2022, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck began shuffling their real estate portfolios and setting their sights on a shared home. During the process, the Mother star listed the eight-acre property in Bel Air that she bought in 2016. The nine-bedroom French Country–style home and its picturesque plot—which includes a private lake, guest cottages, and an amphitheater—sold for $34 million in October.
Rick Ross, $35 million
In April, Rick Ross announced that he had acquired a Texas mansion and bought fellow rapper Meek Mill’s Atlanta home for $4.2 million. Once summer hit, however, it became clear that the record exec was just warming up. In August, he finalized the $35 million purchase of a mansion on Miami’s celebrity-favorite Star Island. “It’s so exclusive,” the hip hop bigwig’s realtor, Kimberly Knausz, told AD. “There’s only roughly 30 homes…. [Ross] said it’s like the missing piece to the puzzle of his real estate portfolio. It’s a big accomplishment for him, as someone who grew up in Miami.” To welcome him to the island, Diddy gifted the “Hustlin’” rapper a golf cart.
Tommy Hilfiger, $41 million
Tommy Hilfiger successfully flipped a Mediterranean-style Palm Beach, Florida, abode in June after buying it less than six months prior. The fashion designer spent $36.85 million on the 1920s structure in January and listed it less than three weeks later, with a $47.95 million asking price. Ultimately, the roughly 7,000-square-foot residence changed hands for just over $41 million.
Tom Ford, $52 million
Over the summer, Tom Ford bought a historic East Hampton mansion connected to Jackie Kennedy for $52 million. The 1917 Arts and Crafts–style dwelling is known as Lasata. It spans 8,500 square feet and has 10 bedrooms. Set on a seven-acre plot, the estate was once owned by the former first lady’s grandfather, John Vernou Bouvier Jr., and Kennedy spent many of her childhood summers on the premises. The dwelling was featured in the April 2016 issue of Architectural Digest, when it was under the ownership of fellow fashion designer Reed Krakoff.
Mark Wahlberg, $55 million
Mark Wahlberg initially listed his 6.2-acre Beverly Hills home in April 2022 for $87.5 million, but it wasn’t until February of this year that the French-style château finally sold for a heavily discounted $55 million. Designed by Richard Landry, the 30,500-square-foot mansion has 12 bedrooms and 20 bathrooms. The dwelling shares its plot with a five-hole golf course, a driving range, a sports court, and a skate park. Carl Gambino of Compass was the listing agent.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, $61 million
After almost two years of looking, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck finally found their newlywed nest in June. The pair went in and out of escrow on at least three different homes throughout the process before buying a $60.9 million contemporary Georgian-style house in the Beverly Hills Post Office area. The dwelling boasts amenities that include a sports complex and a 12-car garage.
Jeff Bezos, $68 million
In August, Jeff Bezos started making moves to return to Miami as his home base. He began with the $68 million purchase of a 2.8-acre waterfront estate in the ultra-exclusive enclave of Indian Creek Island in Biscayne Bay. Known as Billionaire Bunker, the man-made island is accessed from Miami Beach by a guarded bridge and counts Ivanka Trump and Tom Brady among its residents.
Jeff Bezos, $79 million
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A couple of months later, the Amazon founder further expanded his footprint on Indian Creek by snatching up a neighboring property. Bezos paid $79 million for the 19,000-square-foot Mediterranean-style mansion, making him the owner of $147 million worth of property on the secluded island. Dina Goldentayer and Danilo Tavares of Douglas Elliman brokered the transaction.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z, $200 million
It’s been a record-shattering year for Beyoncé. In February, she broke the record for the most Grammys ever received when she was awarded four of them for her 2022 album Renaissance, making her a 32-time Grammy winner. In May, she and Jay-Z purchased the most expensive home ever sold in the state of California for a whopping $200 million. Located in Malibu, the Tadao Ando–designed concrete structure spans 30,000 square feet.
