Few people are more synonymous with Los Angeles than Rick Caruso. Despite his recent mayoral race loss, the high-profile businessman-turned-aspiring politician remains an ubiquitous part of the sprawling city’s landscape, not just thanks to his massive real estate developments but also by way of his frequently outspoken views on current events.
Of course, the most discussed event in recent memory has been the devastating L.A. wildfires, and Caruso has been far from shy in criticizing current mayor Karen Bass’s response. The billionaire magnate himself also faced viral criticism after the fires, when it turned out he’d hired private firefighters to protect his Palisades Village shopping center while most of the community burned to the ground.
It wasn’t just the Caruso businesses that were affected. Caruso has long lived in Brentwood, but his family was still personally impacted by the Palisades fire; the 66-year-old told multiple news outlets that Justin and Gigi Caruso—the younger of his two adult children—either had their homes destroyed or heavily damaged by the blaze. A look at recent aerial imagery confirms that Gigi’s $9.5 million house, which she’d bought less than two years before, was indeed leveled. And Justin’s $4.5 million house (below) is one of the few structures in his area that remains relatively intact, though it may not be livable.
Forbes says the elder Caruso’s net worth tops $5.5 billion, so naturally the younger Carusos had little trouble locating replacement homes. They’ve both moved to Brentwood, where each has paid north of $10 million for mansions near the longtime family estate.
As it turns out, Justin Caruso’s new home was once owned by DJ Calvin Harris, who lived there for just one year, from 2012 until 2013, when he sold it for $4.9 million—a nearly $700,000 loss. The Spanish/Mediterranean-flavored structure changed hands twice more and underwent at least one big renovation before Caruso, 29, picked it up this year, paying $10.3 million.
Originally built in 2005, the double-gated house sports creamy white walls contrasting with periwinkle trim and stands three stories tall on a long and thin corner lot north of Sunset Boulevard. Within its 7,100 square feet of living space are five bedrooms, six bathrooms, and hardwood floors and abundant natural light throughout.
The main floor greets guests with a proper entrance foyer, plus a two-story living room with a fireplace, Palladian-style windows, and French doors opening to manicured gardens. The eat-in kitchen has been upgraded with Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances, and it offers stone countertops and space for a casual dining table.
There’s also a more formal dining room with matching blue-and-white floral curtains and wallpaper. Beyond that are a wood-paneled library and family room, each outfitted with a grand fireplace.
Upstairs, the floors switch to a darker hardwood and they travel into the primary suite, which boasts a stone bathroom and private balcony, and each additional bedroom suite. And somewhere there’s also a mirror-walled gym.
On the lowest level are a two-car attached garage, a soundproof home theater, and a combo laundry room and spare kitchen, complete with a sink, refrigerator and dishwasher, plus additional storage space.
Because the mansion-sized house is situated on a relatively compact 8,200-square-foot lot, the property does not include as much outdoor space as one might expect for a $10.3 million home. But the manicured boxwoods are exquisite, and at least a half-dozen olive trees are situated around the residence, which is high-hedged for privacy. Out back, a patch of AstroTurf lawn spills out from an outdoor kitchen and dining patio to a plunge pool and spa.
Shortly after her brother bought his new home, Gigi Caruso similarly splurged, spending $10.2 million on a different Brentwood property. But since that house was never listed on the open market, we don’t know nearly as much about it, other than it is a modern farmhouse-style structure sporting five beds and seven baths in 6,500 square feet of living space.
Built in 2019 and situated well north of Sunset Boulevard, the house was last sold that same year for $6.9 million to a non-famous Las Vegas couple. From the street and aerial views, it’s clear those buyers made some significant changes to the place during their six years of ownership: they re-landscaping most of the yard, built a backyard pool house and big back patio cover, and moved and replaced windows in the main house itself, although we don’t know the extent of any other interior renovations.
Gigi, 25, will also enjoy a two-car attached garage, an ample motorcourt, tall privacy hedges, an AstroTurf lawn, and a backyard pool/spa combo surrounded by patios ideal for afternoon sunbathing.
Nice as those new Caruso homes are, they certainly do not compare to their father’s longtime L.A. estate, which features multiple acres of land in the heart of posh Brentwood Park. In addition to a sprawling main mansion, several accessory buildings, a giant koi pond, a pool and grassy lawns, there’s a sports court and a separate, full-size tennis court.
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