Mary Cummins Investigative Reporter Los Angeles, California: Walt Disney mansion 355 Carolwood, Bel Air, just sold for $74 million - Mary Cummins, real estate appraiser, Los Angeles, California

Friday, June 20, 2014

Walt Disney mansion 355 Carolwood, Bel Air, just sold for $74 million - Mary Cummins, real estate appraiser, Los Angeles, California

355 N Carolwood, Bel Air, California, Walt Disney, Playboy Mansion, Michael Jackson, Mary Cummins, Animal Advocates

355 N Carolwood Drive, Bel Air, California 90077 just sold for $74,000,000. The home was previously owned by Walt Disney. It is located very close to Michael Jackson's last residence, Playboy Mansion, old home of Burt Reynolds and me.

"The Carolwood Estate, formerly the Disney Estate, located at 355 Carolwood Drive and as rich in historical significance as it is in accommodating the most luxurious of lifestyles.

Eight bedrooms and 17 bathrooms span two levels for a total of more than 30,000 Sq. Ft. of construction – an especially accommodating number for those who enjoy entertaining friends. Of special note are the estate features which include a wine cellar, pool house, tennis court, putting green, custom movie room, three bars, library, gym, and two safe rooms. Guests can be assured that every square inch of this nearly four-acre property has been carefully crafted and properly cared for, from the green copper roof to the manicured grounds. Beyond the trees surrounding the pool and tennis court lies a ravine that leads into a bridal path/curtain shared by homeowners of Carolwood. Not only does this separate the lots but also makes the property feel even more vast; indeed, four acres feels like seven. No houses are in sight, ensuring an unparalleled level of privacy and serenity.

Separate quarters are designated for help and special event staff that includes two beds and a living room made accessible via a service entrance off the garage. A Gavin de Becker security system provides peace of mind using Crestron monitors throughout the house and the ability to see which doors are open and which are locked at all times.

Upon walking through the front entrance, one is greeted by a two-story oval foyer with plaster-veneered walls, crown molding, and statuary and verde jade marble flooring. The main staircase is positioned off to the side to offer additional privacy for the children’s suites upstairs. Each main room has commanding 12’ high ceilings showcasing three inch-thick mahogany doors, to either open or close off an area, and double-framed windows throughout. The living room ceiling was raised to 15’ to emulate the scale of a grand house of the 1920s and 30s. Natural light seeps into the gallery that flanks the sitting and dining rooms, which are built extra wide to allow for the flow of guests during parties."

Asking Price: $90,000,000 Sold: $74,000,000

Walt Disney, 1946, 355 N Carolwood, Bel Air, California 90077, sold

The History of Holmby Hills & The Estate

"In the early 1930s, Holmby Hills was just a vast parcel of undeveloped land – that is, until Arthur Letts Sr. chose to purchase the acreage in hopes of creating a neighborhood of grand estates. Unable to see his vision fully come to life before his death, son-in-law Harold Janss, along with brothers Florence and Arthur Jr., gladly took the reigns. The name “Holmby Hills” derives from Arthur Letts Sr.’s original birthplace, a small hamlet in England called “Holdenby.” Each brother selected the best site to build their personal home and began developing a residential masterpiece to attract the attention of the rich and famous. An impressive list of high-level entertainment industry executives and icons have called or still call Holmby Hills their home. These include Frank Sinatra, Hugh Hefner (owner of the famed Playboy Mansion), Michael Jackson, Marilyn Monroe, Sonny and Cher, and Bing Crosby, to name a few. The exclusivity of the Holmby Hills community speaks volumes about its desirability. Walt Disney is one such figure that fell in love with the land. In 1949, Lillian, his wife, telephoned Harold Janss about purchasing a property in Holmby Hills. Designed in the contemporary style by architect James Dolena, the Disney family settled into their dream home on 355 Carolwood Drive. Walt and Lillian remained there until their deaths upon which the subsequent owner purchased the property from Mrs. Disney’s estate and rebuilt it in 2001. Thus, only three owners have had a stake in the property since Janss first developed the land.

Today, Holmby Hills remains among the most elite and sought after neighborhoods. With Beverly Hills to the east and Bel Air to the north, the neighborhood forms the “Platinum Triangle” of Los Angeles, home to the priciest and most lavish homes. What continues to attract celebrities, industry icons, and Hollywood power players lies in the subtle yet powerful ways in which the rich and famous lifestyle can be realized. For starters, the Letts brothers made sure to secure generous lot sizes for future inhabitants. All electric and telephone wires are buried beneath the wide, tree-lined streets to preserve the landscape. In addition, the property lines are bordered by towering trimmed hedges and lush landscaping to ensure the most private and secure enjoyment to all who grace the residences. Uniquely handsome, English-style street lamps–designed exclusively for Holmby Hills–dot the neighborhood, which is split into a north side and a south side by the iconic Sunset Boulevard. Two parks ringed by mature sycamore trees, a nine-hole putting green, and classic lawn bowling can be enjoyed by members of the community.

Walt Disney moved his family to 355 Carolwood to fulfill his dream of having a miniature railroad around his home for him and his children to enjoy. It was there on the property that the Carolwood Pacific Railroad was born, complete with an “S” shaped tunnel, overpasses and a 46-foot long trestle. The railroad would go on to serve as inspiration for his creation of Disneyland.

Perhaps the most iconic keepsake from Walt Disney’s years spent on this land is the etching that reads the date “1950.” Bordered by ivy, this miniature stone archway marks the spot where his famous train, the “Carolwood Pacific Railroad,” as it came to be known, emerged from an underground tunnel. Back in 1950, when the first official run of the train he built set off steam, grownups and kids from all over the neighborhood would board the live locomotive that stretched through nearly 1⁄2 mile of the backyard. It’s no secret that his fascination with trains followed him from childhood into adulthood, helping to fuel the inspiration that led him to manifest the one place on earth where dreams come true: Disneyland. Today, railroads and monorails are featured at Walt Disney Company Theme Parks worldwide, and it all started here at The Carolwood Estate. The “1950” inscription remains a fond relic of his incredible imagination and conviction to bring about joy to those around him."

Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.

Mary Cummins, Mary K. Cummins, Mary Katherine Cummins, Mary Cummins-Cobb, Mary, Cummins, Cobb, real estate, appraiser, appraisal, instructor, teacher, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Brentwood, Bel Air, California, licensed, permitted, single family, condo, pud, hud, fannie mae, freddie mac, uspap, certified, residential, certified resident, apartment building, multi-family, commercial, industrial, expert witness, civil, criminal, orea, dre, insurance, bonded, experienced, bilingual, spanish, english, form, 1004, 2055, land, raw, acreage, vacant, insurance, cost, income approach, market analysis, comparative, theory, appraisal theory, cost approach, sales, matched pairs, plot, plat, map, diagram, photo, photographs, photography, rear, front, street, subject, comparable, sold, listed, active, pending, expired, cancelled, listing, mls, multiple listing service, claw, themls,

Friday, June 20, 2014

Walt Disney mansion 355 Carolwood, Bel Air, just sold for $74 million - Mary Cummins, real estate appraiser, Los Angeles, California

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