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Ellen DeGeneres Pays $49 Million for Dennis Miller’s Cape Dutch-Style Montecito Compound

Back in October, “Saturday Night Live” alum-turned-multimedia host and conservative political commentator Dennis Miller and wife Slim Paley rocked Montecito by inking a clandestine, off-market deal to sell their vast estate for a whopping $49 million in cash.

At that time, the new owners’ names were not publicly known, but now it turns out the mystery buyers were Ellen DeGeneres and her longtime wife Portia de Rossi, as was first revealed by the Wall Street Journal. The property-mad pair have an extensive and highly publicized affinity for buying and selling some of Santa Barbara’s most valuable homes.

Way back in 2006, the couple dropped $15.8 million on a Montecito estate that they sold the following year for $20 million to former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. Several years later, in 2013, they paid another $28.8 million for another Montecito compound that was offloaded five years later for $34 million to Netflix COO Ted Sarandos and his wife Nicole Avant. In fall 2017, they shelled out $7.2 million for a late 1800s Montecito ranch that sold just eight months later for $11 million to Tinder founder Sean Rad. Also in fall 2017, the couple paid $18.6 million for a waterfront Carpinteria mansion that they lucratively flipped to cosmetics mogul Jamie Kern Lima in summer 2019 for $23 million. That same year, they tossed out $29 million for a Bali-style compound that was flipped last month for $33.3 million to an as-yet-unidentified billionaire. And just this August, they paid nearly $27 million for a Tuscan-style Montecito mansion that has already been resold — for a hefty $29 million — to venture capitalist Marc Stad.

However, this particular splurge is the couple’s biggest yet, and one of the priciest deals ever inked in Santa Barbara County, behind only the $63.3 million paid by Riley Bechtel for his far larger, 237-acre Montecito ranch and the widely reported $50 million Oprah Winfrey paid for the bulk of her 66-acre “Promised Land” fiefdom, way back in 2001.

Of course, DeGeneres’ new 4.3-acre compound isn’t just any old 4.3-acre Montecito compound, it’s a fairytale-like confection of an estate that more closely resembles a small village than an ordinary home. The sprawling property sits behind walls and tall gates and comprises five separate structures — there’s a guesthouse, a detached garage building, a poolhouse, a barn designed by venerated architect Tom Kundig, and a 9,000-square-foot main mansion designed in the authentic South African Cape Dutch architectural style.

Per property records, Miller and Paley paid $11 million in 2006 for the three-parcel property, and spent nearly a decade cobbling together the premises. All five of the buildings surround a central lily pond that’s the size of a small lake, stocked with fish and equipped with a rowboat to boot. Set on a knoll just above the pond is an infinity-edged swimming pool with bird’s eye views over the entire property; for exercise aficionados, an array of pathways criss-cross the entire compound, perfect for a scenic jog or walk.

Since the property was never on the market, photos are few, but tax records and aerial views show there are 16,000 square feet of total living space, organic vegetable gardens, mature specimen trees, vast motorcourts with parking for 30+ cars, lush green hillsides, and hidden outdoor seating areas for moments of reflective solitude.

Besides their new Montecito mega-estate, DeGeneres and de Rossi still maintain a small condo elsewhere in Montecito, plus a $42.5 million Beverly Hills mansion they bought from Adam Levine last year. Though it’s not currently for sale on the open market, that Beverly Hills property is believed to be quietly available for showings to qualified buyers, if you know the right L.A. real estate broker to call.

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by Anonymousreply 84December 10, 2020 10:40 PM

WTF???!!! Dennis Miller has that kind of money?! I know he was on SNL and had that shitty HBO show, but I can’t believe he made that much money during his heyday, especially when he hasn’t been relevant in 20 years.

And leave it to dummy Ellen to give money to a conservative asshole.

by Anonymousreply 1December 7, 2020 7:59 PM

He only paid $11 million for it in 2006.

I also wonder if his wife has money. Is she descended from Bill and Babe Paley?

by Anonymousreply 2December 7, 2020 9:05 PM

Without cut and pasted article...

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by Anonymousreply 3December 8, 2020 2:59 AM

Why did his wife change her name from Ali Epsley to Carolyn Epsley to Slim Paley?

She was the woman in the Kajagoogoo “Too Shy”video.

by Anonymousreply 4December 8, 2020 3:22 AM

The suffocatingly horrendous Karma is now permanent at that house!

by Anonymousreply 5December 8, 2020 3:26 AM

R4

It is her way of paying hommage to Slim Keith and Babe Paley

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by Anonymousreply 6December 8, 2020 3:26 AM

More:

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by Anonymousreply 7December 8, 2020 3:27 AM

Can't imagine not having roots and moving every two years.

by Anonymousreply 8December 8, 2020 3:39 AM

Where the fuck are the pictures?

by Anonymousreply 9December 8, 2020 3:44 AM

I vaguely remember reading somewhere that Mrs. Miller is a former Playboy playmate.

by Anonymousreply 10December 8, 2020 3:47 AM

At first I thought why on earth would two people need that much space and then I remembered the size of Ellen’s ego and that alone would take up half the house.

by Anonymousreply 11December 8, 2020 3:47 AM

“Why did his wife change her name from Ali Epsley to Carolyn Epsley to Slim Paley?”

So won't the real Slim Paley, please stand up, please stand up, please stand up?

by Anonymousreply 12December 8, 2020 3:48 AM

She looks insane in R7 photo.

Or drunk.

Or stoned.

by Anonymousreply 13December 8, 2020 3:54 AM

[quote]He only paid $11 million for it in 2006.

It appreciated that much?

or Ellen is a real sucker

by Anonymousreply 14December 8, 2020 4:19 AM

Or she just has money to burn, R14.

by Anonymousreply 15December 8, 2020 6:21 AM

I guess he's doing better than me...

by Anonymousreply 16December 8, 2020 6:27 AM

These kinds of deals increase the value of all her other properties.

by Anonymousreply 17December 8, 2020 6:34 AM

[quote] The sprawling property sits behind walls and tall gates

We'll never see Portia again.

by Anonymousreply 18December 8, 2020 6:47 AM

Ellen refused to make eye contact with the realtor.

by Anonymousreply 19December 8, 2020 6:49 AM

I like Rob Lowe’s house better.

But holy fuck, how did it appreciate that much??

And SLIM PALEY??!? What’s her goal in life, Quest Magazine?

So much to swallow here. But I can’t believe DM has that kind of money now. Maybe he can start his own network.

by Anonymousreply 20December 8, 2020 6:50 AM

Someone wanted pictures?

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by Anonymousreply 21December 8, 2020 8:50 AM

Look at the sq footage of the various properties on the parcel that Ellen just bought. The main house is 9000 sq ft. That isn't all that big. There are other buildings included. Yes, I was in RE biz way back when. location location location.

by Anonymousreply 22December 8, 2020 10:13 AM

What do these people do in these enormous houses and vast estates? Do they wander around all day in the hope that they’ll somehow bump into happiness?

by Anonymousreply 23December 8, 2020 10:18 AM

How could Miller have maintained the California property taxes on that house through the years?

He appears on Fallon once a year for scale and contributes to the FOX News Channel periodically which pays nothing.

by Anonymousreply 24December 8, 2020 10:21 AM

R21 thanks for that. I like that house much better. The 4.6 acre property they mention is the one that just sold. But he owns “multiple properties” in Montecito and elsewhere ....where the f is he getting all that money? Are he and “Slim Paley” escorting?

by Anonymousreply 25December 8, 2020 12:59 PM

You’ve got to be an idiot to pay that kind of money for a home. I don’t care how big it is.

by Anonymousreply 26December 8, 2020 1:18 PM

[quote] He only paid $11 million for it in 2006. It appreciated that much? or Ellen is a real sucker

If you read the article it says he has been adding buildings and is now a compound, not just one house.

by Anonymousreply 27December 8, 2020 1:19 PM

Apparently he invests in properties and sells to big profit.

by Anonymousreply 28December 8, 2020 1:23 PM

I assume he tours relentlessly,telling flyover fraus what they want to hear about Hollyweird as he flies back to his seaside compound.

by Anonymousreply 29December 8, 2020 1:24 PM

He stopped making appearances in 2018, apparently because he was hardly selling tickets, but he said it was so he could "regroup" and start focusing on less political stand-up.

I suspect he just invested, especially in real estate. He made good money in the 1990s until about mid 2000, I'd say.

by Anonymousreply 30December 8, 2020 1:31 PM

Cape Dutch architecture is like LITERAL white supremacy. Ellen needs to tear that racist shit down and build something more PC.

by Anonymousreply 31December 8, 2020 1:36 PM

Is she now the world's richest lesbian?

by Anonymousreply 32December 8, 2020 1:41 PM

Since when is 4.6 acres a "vast estate"?

by Anonymousreply 33December 8, 2020 1:52 PM

One of these days, the music will stop, everyone will have found a chair....except Ellen who will be stuck standing with a white elephant she can’t sell.

Does she and the Mrs. ever move into these monster homes? Does she have to prove two years of residence to avoid capital gains taxes? Does she have some mental issues that keep her moving around every so frequently?

by Anonymousreply 34December 8, 2020 1:54 PM

Is she just constantly running 🏃‍♀️ away from the ‘dead bed’?

by Anonymousreply 35December 8, 2020 2:17 PM

If she makes enough money from all the homes she's flipped, getting stuck with one or two at the end of the run won't hurt her too badly.

Somehow I don't think she actually moves into them, though she may have her people tell the real estate/entertainment press she does, for tax reasons.

by Anonymousreply 36December 8, 2020 2:18 PM

It's like the Windsor Mansion, where if she stops flipping houses the ghosts will catch up to her!

by Anonymousreply 37December 8, 2020 3:34 PM

I hate Dennis Miller and his smug sellout repug personality as much as I hate Bruce Willis and his.

by Anonymousreply 38December 8, 2020 3:53 PM

Lesbian Bed Death so severe she and Portia can't even sleep in adjoining wings.

by Anonymousreply 39December 8, 2020 3:57 PM

Slim Paley is Dennis Miller's "wife," yet Portia de Rossi is Ellen's "longtime wife."

Who writes this shit? Who edits it? And why is it published? FEH!

by Anonymousreply 40December 8, 2020 4:00 PM

Someone who knows about lesbian relationships obviously.

A year is a long-time lesbian relationship. That's why Ellen is U-Haul's best client.

by Anonymousreply 41December 8, 2020 4:04 PM

I would pay to see a movie about a U-Haul executive surreptitiously trying to break up high-profile lesbian couples because their longevity is hurting his business.

by Anonymousreply 42December 8, 2020 4:21 PM

I have always hated Dennis Miller, before I even knew about his politics...would have never imagined he'd been able to afford a place like this.

by Anonymousreply 43December 8, 2020 4:27 PM

I'm fairly surprised that Dennis Miller would be rich enough to afford a $49 million follar home.

I must have missed something.

by Anonymousreply 44December 8, 2020 4:29 PM

Agreed with everyone - it's mind-blowing that F-list Dennis Miller has the funds to expand the property and pay the taxes and living expenses on a place that big.

He hasn't worked seriously in 10 years - so he must have saved and invested well.

This is news to me - his younger brother is a partner in the Hollywood Talent Agency Gold/Miller - who represent Jim Carrey, Sacha Baron Cohen, Judd Apatow and others. Although that company split up several years ago - Miller still manages may big name talents.

I wonder if his brother helped finance these investments somewhat. He's invested quite a bit in real estate as well.

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by Anonymousreply 45December 8, 2020 4:40 PM

R44, I think you missed the following.

[quote]Per property records, Miller and Paley paid $11 million in 2006....

A fuck of a lot less than $49 million. This is why you should only rent if you absolutely have to rent.

Also, the wife's name is Paley. That could easily mean big money. Usually a quick google barfs up more information on a person than anyone would ever want or use for a good purpose. But I found nothing about her parents. Nada. Only that she is a Santa Barbara native.

Who the fuck is Slim Paley? Anyone? Don't tell me she's an influencer and a blogger. No one cares about that. We are interested in her pedigree and any family money.

by Anonymousreply 46December 8, 2020 4:50 PM

R46 Read the thread and all will be revealed re: "Slim Paley."

by Anonymousreply 47December 8, 2020 4:53 PM

Yeah. That's her name. It's in the article. But that Paley name is a big one. What is the story on this woman. Her name is obvious, you silly ass.

by Anonymousreply 48December 8, 2020 4:55 PM

She used “Slim Paley” as her blog name. In the real world, people don’t call her that. Carolyn Espley -Miller.

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by Anonymousreply 49December 8, 2020 4:59 PM

R48 you may have overdone your morning coffee!

by Anonymousreply 50December 8, 2020 5:03 PM

I second R23 — what the fuck do you actually DO with your own rowboat equipped lilly pond?

I can understand dropping serious money on an art collection, and certainly a really beautiful home or an apartment in the Dakota, but the types of endlessly outfitted properties like this seem like they sit mostly empty and unused 364 days of the year. It’s the billionaire equivalent of needing an open-concept McMansion because “entertaining.” Just join a country club or something; at least then you can get caught up in pointless petty gossip & politics.

by Anonymousreply 51December 8, 2020 5:21 PM

Another compound for Ellen to stumble around drunk in. She’s a very sick woman.

by Anonymousreply 52December 8, 2020 5:23 PM

For those not reading the thread - his wife is NOT a Paley. She adopted that name. She is not from money and didn't contribute much to the purchase.

I still say it was his brother that helped him out.

by Anonymousreply 53December 8, 2020 6:26 PM

I think there's only one of us confused about "Slim Paley," and he's mad at everybody else because of it.

Who's Dennis Miller's brother? I had no idea there were two of them running around out there. Unnerving.

by Anonymousreply 54December 8, 2020 8:36 PM

R24, The article even more astoundingly mentions that Miller owns SEVERAL Montecito homes!

by Anonymousreply 55December 8, 2020 8:40 PM

The last sentence:

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by Anonymousreply 56December 8, 2020 8:44 PM

Meant the first sentence, under "Real Estate."

by Anonymousreply 57December 8, 2020 8:45 PM

Dennis is thrifty....what can I say?

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by Anonymousreply 58December 8, 2020 8:49 PM

R22, 9000 sq. ft. is not that big? That's SO data lounge... you know, like 9 inches isn't that big.... lol.

by Anonymousreply 59December 8, 2020 8:56 PM

Ellen just put FORTY NINE MILLION DOLLARS into Republican coffers.

Are we sure she's not a Republican, herself?

She should have objected to the purchase on moral grounds alone.

But of course, she probably has no morals. Fucking mean ass BITCH!

by Anonymousreply 60December 9, 2020 12:40 AM

Ellen is still not Richer than Oprah. But she's still Rich as Fuck.

by Anonymousreply 61December 9, 2020 4:21 AM

Ellen has company...

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by Anonymousreply 62December 9, 2020 6:56 AM

“The sound of two lesbians scissoring must never stop.”

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by Anonymousreply 63December 9, 2020 7:16 AM

R21, that doesn't look like the house in OP's link.

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by Anonymousreply 64December 9, 2020 8:35 AM

For those wondering about Dennis Miller's money.

Miller did high profile commercials for various brands all thru the 90s. That's very good money. And if he was smart with his money, which I bet he was, that turns into more money.

by Anonymousreply 65December 9, 2020 1:08 PM

Ellen will probably barricade herself in this compound, and never come out.

People absolutely hate her now.

She's the new Queen of Mean!

by Anonymousreply 66December 9, 2020 11:55 PM

Only obsessed misogynistic trolls think that, r66.

by Anonymousreply 67December 10, 2020 3:03 PM

Great topic - the absurdity and unfairness of Dennis Miller having that kind of money, the wife who just decided to name herself after the chicest socialite in history, the “news” article using that pseudonym as her actual name and to top it all off - the now thoroughly-Satanized Ellen DeNotGeneres casually dropping $50 million on yet another huge house in the midst of a PR-horror year. Oh, Hollywood - such a pleasant diversion from the true miseries of life.

by Anonymousreply 68December 10, 2020 4:39 PM

Where did Rob Lowe get the money to own a $46 million estate in Montecito? He's never been more than a B-list actor.

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by Anonymousreply 69December 10, 2020 5:14 PM

Rob Lowe just purchased another house in Montecito this week for $13 million.

Montecito has seen a flood of big-ticket deals this year.

News recently broke that luxury house flippers and investors Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi were the buyers of Dennis Miller’s estate, paying $49 million for the deal that closed in September. Another sprawling estate traded in October for $63 million.

And that month saw Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry paying $14.2 million for a Montecito home. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also moved to Santa Barbara in July. [Variety]

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by Anonymousreply 70December 10, 2020 5:19 PM

R69 - he has worked steadily for almost 40 years. He did 80 episodes of West Wing, 76 episodes of Brothers and Sisters, and 77 episodes of Parks and Recreation.

That's a good deal of money. Plus he probably bought the place over 20-25 years ago, before major housing inflation and before Montecito became a thing.

Also, he grew up in Malibu before the fame. So he doesn't come from dirt - his family has money.

by Anonymousreply 71December 10, 2020 5:23 PM

So, they flip houses? Don't they have enough money between the talk show gig, the ED pet supplies brand, the ED clothing brand at Walmart, etc? Maybe this is Portia's hobby.

by Anonymousreply 72December 10, 2020 5:25 PM

Montecito sounds like a spiritual garbage dump! Do any other well known, 5 star ⭐️ Assholes live there?

by Anonymousreply 73December 10, 2020 5:44 PM

Rob Lowe's wife looks decidedly white trash.

by Anonymousreply 74December 10, 2020 6:11 PM

Just in, Ellen has covid.

by Anonymousreply 75December 10, 2020 6:13 PM

As many commented above, Slim Paley is her blog name - a mix of 2 of Truman Capote’s socialite swans: Babe Paley and Slim Keith.

by Anonymousreply 76December 10, 2020 9:16 PM

So much money.

Yet no one likes her.

by Anonymousreply 77December 10, 2020 9:30 PM

[quote] So much money.

[quote] Yet no one likes her.

That's usually the case with ambitious people.

They burn a lot of bridges, on their way to the top.

It's lonely up there.

by Anonymousreply 78December 10, 2020 9:33 PM

Why does she keep buying new homes? Wouldn't you get tired of redecorating every few years? It seems very very odd that those two just can't sit still.

by Anonymousreply 79December 10, 2020 9:33 PM

Lesbians are always moving.

But I assume in her case she just has so much money she doesn’t know what to do with it.

by Anonymousreply 80December 10, 2020 9:40 PM

It's probably investment properties. But who will she leave her fortune to? Do she have any nieces or nephews?

Maybe an animal charity etc?

by Anonymousreply 81December 10, 2020 9:41 PM

Montecito has become THE place to own a home among billionaires, CEOs and royalty. It's the equivalent of the Hamptons on the East Coast. If you don't own a home there, then you're missing out on lucrative business deals and social connections with the most powerful movers and shakers in the world.

by Anonymousreply 82December 10, 2020 9:43 PM

At what point do you stop and slow down and just enjoy your life and wealth? Oprah dosen't seem to be going crazy with her money.

She's lived in the same house for nearly 20 years at this point. She buys new luxury properties every now and then, but not the way Ellen does. Ellen is obsessive about it.

Ellen seems to be somewhat restless about something. Because you can't take it with you.

by Anonymousreply 83December 10, 2020 9:44 PM

r82 I always think of Michael Jackson and his Neverland Ranch. A gorgeous area that allows for a trip to LA on the weekend. Given the traffic, I wouldn't want to do the drive every day.

by Anonymousreply 84December 10, 2020 10:40 PM
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