Benedict Canyon is having one of those years where the headlines practically write themselves. A home once owned by Bruce Willis has sold for $41.3 million, landing in the thick of Los Angeles County’s priciest residential deals this year.
The nearly 100-year-old property—trading at about $2,806 per square foot—ended up being a major move for Guess CEO Carlos Alberini and his wife Andrea Alberini, who are listed as the sellers per PropertyShark records. The Alberinis bought the house from a trust tied to Bruce Willis in 2014 for $16.5 million, according to property records and listing sites.
They didn’t just hold it, either. The couple reportedly took on an extensive remodel of the property, with updates both inside and out. The home sits on nearly an acre and includes 10 bedrooms and seven bathrooms across 14,700 square feet—big enough that you can almost hear the silence settle when you walk in, like the air has its own weight. (Maybe that’s just me imagining it, but still.)
Listing coverage adds another layer to the story: Jon Grauman, Adam Rosenfeld and Bennett Bidwell of Resident Group were the listing agents. The brokerage declined comment. Grauman and Rosenfeld, along with Jon’s wife and the group’s CEO Lauren Grauman, launched Resident last year with about $900 million in inventory and 15 agents.
On the other side, Carl Gambino and John Bercsi of the Gambino Group at Compass represented the buyer. The two declined through a spokesperson to comment on their client. And if you’re wondering why everyone keeps track of these deals, it’s because the neighborhood is now anchoring the upper end of pricing—this Benedict Canyon transaction is now Los Angeles County’s second-priciest known residential deal of the year, after a Beverly Hills sale recorded last month.
That earlier deal sits at 1111 Calle Vista Drive and sold for $47 million in an off-market transaction. It was later recorded in the MLS for comp purposes with a purchase price of $4,569 per square foot. The Calle Vista Drive trade was hammered out by Westside Estate Agency’s Fred Bernstein and Carolwood Estates’ Linda May on the sell side, while WEA’s Kurt Rappaport brought the buyer.
Benedict Canyon Drive itself has been stacking notable numbers for a while. Last year, it saw several standout transactions, including the $47.5 million sale in late July of Rick Caruso’s former home at 912 Benedict Canyon Drive. That same month, 2650 Benedict Canyon Drive went for $28 million, which was once owned by KISS rocker Gene Simmons. Funny how quickly the street turns into a who’s-who—then the prices keep marching along, whether anyone feels ready for them or not.
Bruce Willis’ Beverly Hills Mansion Sells for $41.3M
Jay Slater’s mum speaks after ‘tragedy trolling’ drove her to breakdown