Serena Williams sold her long-held Bel-Air estate for $8.1 million in April 2019, ending a sale process that lasted about 18 months. The tennis star had bought the property in 2006 for $6.612 million and first listed it in late 2017 for $11.995 million, or nearly $12 million. The 1935-built home sits on about 2.7 acres and has 6,101 square feet of living space, six bedrooms and seven bathrooms. Williams later reduced the asking price to $9.995 million, but the property eventually changed hands for $8.1 million, giving her a gross gain over what she originally paid.
What did Serena Williams pay for her Bel-Air estate in 2006
Serena Williams bought the Bel-Air property in 2006 for $6.612 million, according to property records reported by The Washington Post. At the time, the home gave her a large private space in one of Los Angeles’ most well-known luxury neighborhoods.The house was built in 1935, so it was not a newly constructed celebrity mansion when Williams bought it. Instead, the property had an older California feel, with plenty of land around the main house. Its location in the Stone Canyon area also gave the estate a level of privacy that is difficult to find on a large residential property in Los Angeles.Williams kept the home for more than a decade. During those years, her life changed in major ways, both on and off the tennis court, while the Bel-Air house remained one of her main Los Angeles properties.
Why did Serena Williams list the Bel-Air mansion for nearly $12 million
Williams put the property on the market in late 2017 with an asking price of $11.995 million. The timing came after she welcomed her daughter, Olympia, in September 2017, and married Alexis Ohanian.Around the same period, Williams and Ohanian bought a newer home in the Beverly Hills area for about $6.7 million. That five-bedroom property was built with features aimed at modern family living, including a pool, wine cellar and yoga room.The move meant Williams no longer needed to keep the older Bel-Air estate as her main Los Angeles home. The Bel-Air house was much larger in terms of land, but the newer property offered a different kind of setup for the family.The initial $11.995 million price was also well above what Williams had paid for the house. At that figure, the estate was being offered for roughly $5.4 million more than its 2006 purchase price.
What was inside Serena Williams’ 6,101-square-foot Bel-Air mansion
The Bel-Air home had six bedrooms, seven bathrooms and about 6,101 square feet of living space. It was built across a large, tree-filled property, giving the house a more private setting than its street address might suggest.Inside, the home had marble and hardwood floors, high ceilings and a large living room. The living room included a curved wall of clerestory windows and French doors that opened toward the greenery outside. There was also a dark wood executive office or study and a wet bar.The main bedroom area was larger than a standard bedroom suite. It included a sitting area, dressing rooms and a large bathroom.One of the home’s more unusual features was a full-service hair salon. That stood out even among the property’s other luxury features and suited Williams’ busy life in tennis, fashion and public appearances.The estate also had a gym and a three-car garage. Outside, the grounds included a swimming pool, pool house, gardens, covered patio areas and private walking trails.Despite being owned by one of tennis’ greatest players, the property did not have a tennis court.
How much did Serena Williams reduce the Bel-Air asking price
The original $11.995 million asking price did not bring a sale quickly. After the property had spent months on the market, Williams cut the price by about $2 million in April 2018.The new asking price was $9.995 million. That was still nearly $3.4 million above the $6.612 million Williams had paid for the home in 2006, but it was a major step down from the original listing.The house continued to sit on the market. By the time it sold, the final price was much lower than both of the earlier asking prices.The Los Angeles Times reported that the property finally sold for $8.1 million in April 2019. That meant Williams accepted about $3.895 million less than the original $11.995 million asking price.
How much profit did Serena Williams make from the $8.1 million sale
On the basic purchase price alone, Williams still made money from the sale. She paid $6.612 million for the property in 2006 and sold it for $8.1 million in 2019.That puts the difference at about $1.488 million before expenses linked to the sale, such as commissions, taxes and other closing costs. So the $8.1 million transaction was not a loss compared with her original purchase price.At the same time, the final sale was far below the number Williams had hoped to get when she first listed the home. The gap between the initial asking price and the final sale price was close to $3.9 million.For a property that stayed with Williams for about 13 years, the final deal therefore tells two different parts of the story: she did not get close to the original $12 million target, but she also sold the estate for more than she had paid for it.The Bel-Air sale closed a long chapter in Williams’ Los Angeles real estate history. The 2.7-acre property had been part of her life since 2006, but after her family grew and her housing plans changed, the older estate was eventually sold for $8.1 million.
