Celebrity Real Estate

Ellen DeGeneres flips $96M California estate to mining tycoon in a high-stakes property swap

Ellen ꩲDeGeneres is at it again — flipping multimillion-dollar homes like they’re playing cards. The talk show tita🉐n just offloaded her sprawling blufftop estate in Carpinteria, California, near Santa Barbara, for a whopping $96 million.

The buyer is Robert Friedland, a mining billionaire with a taste🅺 for p🌺rime real estate, according to the .

DeGeneres, who scooped up the ꩲluxury property less than two years ago for around $70 million, made a cool $26 million profit on the resale.

Ellen DeGeneres flipped her Carpinteria estate for a $26 million profit. Sotheby's International Realty
The home is situated on 10 acres. Sotheby's International Realty

A few months ago, she and her wife𒈔, Portia de Rossi, shelled out $32 million to reclaim a Santa Barbara mansion they sold to Friedland earlier this year for the 𒐪same price.

Carpinteria, a celebrity magnet on California’s coast, has attracted big names lik෴e George Lucas and Kevin Costneওr over the years.

DeGeneres’ former estate there spans 10 acr⛄es and features an 8,000-square-foot home complete with exposed wood beams, a cabana and a guest cottage.

The power couple snagged t🎃he place from hedge-fund guru Bruce Kovner in 2022, who had originally listed his 22-acre compound for $160 million before selling off parcelꦉs.

Friedland, the founder of Ivanhoe Capital, has been busy flipping properties of his own. Bloomberg via Getty Images

Kovner still owns a neighboring chunk of land, which🍃 he’s trying to unload for $75 million.

The Carpinteria home sits on Padaro Lane, one of the priciest and most𒅌 exclusive spots in the area.

Meanwhile, DeGeneres and de Rossi have also sna෴tched up a vacant 3-acre property next to their reclaimed Santa Barbara estate for $6 million, adding even more land to their growing portfolio.

The home boasts beach views. Sotheby's International Realty

The property itself, a nearly century-old home sitting on 8 acres, fits right into the couple’s penchant for historic pr𒐪operties with a luxurious allure.

Friedland, the founder of Ivanhoe Capital, has been busy flipping properties of his own. He recently sold another Carpinteria property for $49.6 million, just a year after buying it for $46.9 milli🀅on.

DeGeneres and de Rossi’s real estate empire isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Back in 2020, they dropped $49 million on a Montecito estate from comedian Dennis Miller and🍷 his model wife, Carolyn Espley-Miller.

The primary ensuite bathroom is seen above. Sotheby's International Realty
The home also features a giant pool. Sotheby's International Realty

🔜As for the local market, Santa Barbara, Montecito and Carpinteriౠa are on fire.

Single-family home prices in South Sant🌜a Barওbara County jumped 8% in the first half of 2024, with the median sale price hitting $2.265 million, according to Village Properties, as cited by the Journal.

Sales volume also surge🌠d 19% compared to last year.