Actor Mark Wahlberg has sold his longtime home in Los Angeles for just over $55million, over $30 million below the initial asking price, as he leaves in favor of Nevada in a quest to eventually build ‘Hollywood 2.0’ in Sin City.
Wahlberg put his astonishing 12-bedroom, 20-bathroom Beverly Hills mansion on the market for $87.5 million in April 2022. TMZ reported the sale price to an unknown buyer as just above $55million.
Although Wahlberg had lived in his Beverly Hills mansion for more than a decade, he described his time in California almost as if it was a missed opportunity.
‘I want to be able to work from home. I moved to California many years ago to pursue acting and I’ve only made a couple of movies in the entire time that I was there,’ he explained. ‘So, to be able to give my kids a better life and follow and pursue their dreams whether it be my daughter as an equestrian, my son as a basketball player, my younger son as a golfer, this made a lot more sense for us.’
Wahlberg — who shares Ella, 19; Michael, 16; Brendan, 14; and Grace, 12, with his wife Rhea Durham, 44 — may have only been referring to films shot near his home or in California, as he has starred in around 30 films since purchasing his Beverly Hills land in 2009.
It comes as many celebrities have been getting out of California over taxes, rising crime in major cities and the state’s notorious homeless problem. The likes of Elon Musk, Joe Rogan, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne and Matt Damon have departed in recent years.
Wahlberg told The Talk in October that he moved to Nevada in hopes of getting a tax credit that would ease the creation of his proposed film studio.
Many celebrities have made their home in the state, with musical performers decamping there to take part in lucrative Vegas residencies, like Celine Dion, Criss Angel, The Osmonds, Imagine Dragons and David Copperfield.
It comes as Vegas has exploded in recent years, with both the NFL and the NHL expanding or relocating teams to brand new arenas and stadiums in the city and MLS and the NBA (potentially backed by LeBron James) looking into setting up in Sin City as well.
Wahlberg wasn’t shy about admitting that his move out of California was about taxes, though he focused on how they would affect his businesses.
He added that he was hoping to get a film studio off the ground, as well as a ‘shoe factory’ and a ‘factory for [his clothing line] Municipal.’
‘So we came here to just give ourselves a new look, a fresh start for the kids, and there’s lots of opportunity here, so I’m really excited about the future,’ he said.
Earlier, he explained that his desire to work close to where he lives was because he’s a homebody whenever possible.
‘Every free moment that I have, I’m at home,’ he said.
Back in August, Wahlberg purchased a 7,327 square foot two-story townhome in Las Vegas for $14.5 million, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The townhome is part of The Summit Club, which boasts a golf course and plenty of other luxury homes. The purchase was his second recent on at the wealthy Las Vegas community, as he previously purchased 2.5 acres for $15.6 million in July 2022.
While speaking with Beond TV’s Lights, Camera, Vegas show in August, he was already describing Vegas as his ‘home town.’
‘We want to create a lot of jobs, and a lot of excitement. Hollywood 2.0,’ he said.
The Boogie Nights star previously opened a location for his food chain Wahlburgers in Vegas in 2017.
It’s not yet known if his enormous Beverly Hills mansion has found a buyer yet, and its enormous size and hefty price tag will likely deter all but the wealthiest and most committed individuals.
Wahlberg’s recently departed LA home is spread out over an eye-catching 30,500 square feet on a 267,335-square-foot lot, with a gate that is located just below the iconic Mulholland Drive.
He was in good company at the location, with plenty of A-list neighbors, including Denzel Washington, Sylvester Stallone, Justin Bieber, Eddie Murphy, Samuel L. Jackson and even Lisa Vanderpump.
Guests to the home are greeted in style via a stunning two-story entranceway and a grand foyer with dual staircases and elegant wainscoting on the walls.
Much of the home featured elegant marble flooring, but a dark hardwood floor further into the home gave it a more earthy, lived-in feel.
The mega-mansion’s abundant space made it a summer paradise, as Wahlberg built a grotto with gorgeous pools that would have been right at home in a theme park.
The Happening actor’s youngest son Brendan is an aspiring golfer, and it was easy for the two of them to shoot some holes together, as Wahlberg had a small course constructed on the property, which was complete with rolling hills and sand traps.
Although Wahlberg has been located on the West Coast in recent years, he originally hails from Boston, Massachusetts.
Los Angeles’ wealthiest residents are fleeing the city as Governor Gavin Newsom hikes taxes on the rich and the city crumbles under soaring crime rates – with actor Jim Carrey the latest A-lister to list his home for sale.
Carey, 61, who purchased his Brentwood mansion for $3.8 million in 1994, listed his home for a whopping $28.9 million after announcing his plan to retire from acting.
In a statement to the Wall Street Journal, Carey said he no longer spends much time at the property and was ready for ‘Cha cha cha cha … changes,’ referencing the David Bowie hit. It’s unclear whether Carey will remain in Los Angeles.
It’s unclear whether Carey will remain in Los Angeles but, with several other icons of entertainment departing, will there anyone who wants to enjoy it?
According to the LA Times, the state of California has lost over 500,000 residents between 2020 and 2022. It’s the fourth largest decrease in the country in that time, behind New York, Illinois and Louisiana.
Not only are California lawmakers are pushing legislation that would impose a new tax on the state’s wealthiest residents, there’s also a rising crime and homeless problem which has led these celebs to flee:
