Thread: 2nd Homes of the Stars

Under the impression that, in daily life, stars are the same as everyone else? When it comes to buying a second (or third) home, it seems that they more or less are. Like lesser-knowns who can afford multiple properties, celebrities buy second homes to get away or to make a little extra money in real estate--or both.

"Just like other wealthy people, money managers were advising celebrities to park their money in real estate up until about a year and a half ago [when the market started downward]," says Mark David, editor of celebrity real estate site The Real EStalker. "Now, if they are buying, they're doing it to 'get way from it all,' not simply to invest."

"When it comes down to it," he says, stars are "just normal people who happen to be famous and are looking to get away."
Or make a little money.

George Clooney

Lake Cuomo, Italy
This property, Villa Oleandra, is one of two the actor owns on Lake Cuomo. Villa Oleandra has 15 bedrooms, a gym and an outdoor pool.

Oprah Winfrey

Santa Barbara, Calif.
Billionaire Winfrey, who also owns homes in Hawaii, Milwaukee and Chicago, uses this 42-acre, $50 million estate in Santa Barbara while visiting friends on the West Coast. The mansion has six bedrooms, 14 bathrooms and a driveway that stretches a quarter of a mile.

Tom Cruise

Telluride, Colo.
Cruise has held property in Telluride for more than 15 years. The home offers mountain views and a sanctuary for the actor, wife Katie Homes and their daughter, Suri, from the glare of the paparazzi. Cruise also owns homes in Beverly Hills, Calif., and Sussex, England.

Harrison Ford

Jackson Hole, Wyo.
Indiana Jones star Ford keeps a fleet of planes at his 800-acre ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyo., which he shares with partner Calista Flockhart. Last year, Ford donated 400 acres of his own property for conservation easement to the Jackson Hole Land Trust.

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban

Nashville, Tenn.
Kidman and Urban put their four-bedroom, five-bath, $2.5 million house on the market in September 2007. The property includes a gym, pool and spa, but the expecting couple decided to build a new home on 36 acres of land in the area.

Julia Roberts

Taos, N.M.
At her 40-acre, $2.5 million ranch outside Taos, N.M., near the community of Arroyo Seco, Julia Roberts is able to live a relatively normal life. Locals often spot her shopping at Target.

Madonna

London, England
The Material Girl owns six homes in London, where she and her husband, British film director Guy Ritchie, spend part of the year. In the summer of 2007, the couple bought a $12 million, 10-bedroom Georgian townhouse in London's Marylebone neighborhood.

Jerry Seinfeld

East Hampton, N.Y.
The comedian and his wife, Jessica, split their time between an apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and a sprawling $32 million home in the Long Island vacation spot. The home includes a 22-car garage and a baseball diamond.

Ricky Martin

Private island off of Brazil
Former Menudo singer Martin decided to break free of the limelight by buying an $8 million private island off the coast of Brazil. Newspapers in the country went wild over the news, meaning he may not get the privacy he sought.

Second Homes Of The Stars - Forbes.com



Do you agree that stars are normal people? Do you think Ricky Martin has a nude gay beach at his island?

and where they gather for social events

Originally Posted by chinthee

Do you agree that stars are normal people?

Normal folks just like me. Reason I moved to Roiet was to avoid the the glare of the paparazzi!

In Pictures: Cars Of The Soccer Stars

© Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

David Beckham

Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet
Former Real Madrid star Beckham celebrated his move to the Los Angeles Galaxy last year with a new addition to his auto collection: a Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet. The world-famous athlete even used the $140,000 auto to pick up his Spice Girl wife Victoria from Los Angeles International Airport. Beckham's apparently a finicky driver; his agent says he has already traded it in for another model, but would not say which one.

© CARL DE SOUZA/AFP/Getty Images

Wayne Rooney

Lamborghini Gallardo
The Manchester United player may only be 22 years old, but he can already afford treats like the $200,000 Lamborghini Gallardo. And according to the gossipy British tabloids, he has already gone one further, putting an order in for a $340,000 Lamborghini LP640 Murcielago.

© Dave Hogan/Getty Images

Thierry Henry

Aston Martin Vanquish
French striker Thierry Henry made his name at the British Arsenal, so it is no surprise that one of his reportedly prized possessions is a classically British sports car. The $350,000 Aston Martin Vanquish was James Bond's car of choice in the Die Another Day movie, but was discontinued in 2007.

© DAMIEN MEYER/AFP/Getty Images

Alessandro Del Piero

Fiat 500
Italian star Del Piero is the captain of Juventus, a team effectively controlled by the Agnelli family, who also owns Fiat. That may explain why Fiat offered Del Piero his own exclusive "No. 10" white Fiat 500 mini car last year. Del Piero wears the No. 10 shirt for Juventus, and Fiat gave him the tenth newly revitalized model to roll off the production line. The "cinquecento" first made its name as a cheap and cheerful model for post-war Europe.

© YASSER AL-ZAYYAT/AFP/Getty Images

Didier Drogba

Mercedes SL65
Chelsea's classy striker may be struggling with injuries this season, but he can console himself with his $200,000 silver Mercedes. The SL-65 boasts a 604-horsepower V-12 engine and can go from zero to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds.

© Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

John Terry

Bentley Continental GT
Former England captain and Chelsea star John Terry is not shy when it comes to spending money, and his $180,000 Bentley is a case in point. Unfortunately, his decision to leave it for two hours in a disabled parking space may have cost him the position of England captain this year.

© PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images

Rio Ferdinand

Bentley Arnage
The Manchester United player has run into trouble several times over his driving, but given his choice of wheels it is easy to see why. Ferdinand's 6.8-liter Bentley Arnage was given a baptism of strawberry yogurt by his teammates when he bought it in 2005, a prank which apparently did not get too many laughs out of the player.

© Stuart Wilson/Getty Images

Sol Campbell

BMW X5
England defender Sol Campbell is not the only soccer player to appreciate the virtues of this luxury SUV, which is hefty but made for city life rather than off-road escapades. Rooney, Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo are just a few of the names associated with this $55,000 gas-guzzler.

© Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

David James

Chrysler 300C
James' choice of Chrysler's classic sedan may seem unusual, but the England goal-keeper is a new breed of "footballer." He spent $4,000 converting his Chrysler to run mostly on biofuels, which certainly sets him apart from his teammates. The only problem is, James told local media, the car broke down two months later.

^^^ And Joe Cole has a condo in Hua Hin. I guess that makes him 'not quite A-list'??

^ not A-list, maybe taste-list.

Thanks guys ! This thread has brightened up my day to no end !

Meow's pad : crappy bedsit with bed, plastic chair and stunning plain table to support clapped out laptop.

Offers stunning views into an abandoned 10 story council block, and 1 bathroom shared by 3 other weirdos.

Meow's transport : bus pass.

Pros: I live next to a bus stop.

Cons:

^ But you have a meow kitty.

Originally Posted by meow

Thanks guys ! This thread has brightened up my day to no end !

Meow's pad : crappy bedsit with bed, plastic chair and stunning plain table to support clapped out laptop.

Offers stunning views into an abandoned 10 story council block, and 1 bathroom shared by 3 other weirdos.

Meow's transport : bus pass.

Pros: I live next to a bus stop.

Cons:

You complain constantly yet you live in one of the World's most beautiful and culturally rich cities.

Originally Posted by EmperorTud

Originally Posted by meow

Thanks guys ! This thread has brightened up my day to no end !

Meow's pad : crappy bedsit with bed, plastic chair and stunning plain table to support clapped out laptop.

Offers stunning views into an abandoned 10 story council block, and 1 bathroom shared by 3 other weirdos.

Meow's transport : bus pass.

Pros: I live next to a bus stop.

Cons:

You complain constantly yet you live in one of the World's most beautiful and culturally rich cities.

You are right on that one, I was being serious about my pad, but was also trying to be a bit funny in comparing it to the one's above.

Actually today was really nice ! Lots of sunshine and I walked up to the top of Arthur's Seat to take in the view, Fantastic & good exercise !

I'm sure my overall mood will brighten up when I eventually land a job and can actually have the money to be part of the city (and leave this damned room !).

Meow