Selena Gomez lives in a sprawling Los Angeles mansion that has a wild history. Once owned by singer Tom Petty, the home has seen quite a few things in its three decade history — from a massive fire that almost razed it to the ground to wild parties, and hosting the legendary Stevie Nicks.
Featured image credit: property – Realtor.com; Selena Gomez – Denis Makarenko / Shutterstock.com
While the whole world was in quarantine last year, Selena Gomez quietly moved out of her Studio City house and into a spacious mansion in Encino, Los Angeles.
She bought the property for $4.9 million and it seems to be worth every penny.
The sprawling home, which boasts 11,500 square feet, is a sight to behold. It has six bedrooms, ten bathrooms, and an amazing resort-style backyard.
It sits on .87 acres of land, with a long gated driveway at the end of a cul-de-sac, giving the superstar some much needed privacy from fans and paparazzi.
But beyond the extra square footage and gorgeous rooms, the mansion also boasts an interesting history that makes it even more priceless.
The estate was originally built in 1989 and was previously owned by singer Tom Petty. Being a musician herself, Gomez was naturally drawn to the property. In an interview with Zane Lowe, the singer admitted that she often thinks about her home’s previous owner.
From Grand Prairie all the way to Encino
Selena has come a long way from her simple life in her hometown of Grand Prairie, Texas. The Disney star grew up in a quaint 3-bedroom home before she rose to stardom. She was raised by her mom, who once struggled to keep food on the table.
Fast forward to now, a couple of decades after her Barney days and Selena has become one of the most successful child stars.
She has a booming career that spans from music, to acting, to entrepreneurship — having launched her new makeup brand, “Rare Beauty”.
While she now has an estimated net worth of $75 million, Selena is still surprisingly grounded and humble. She still visits her childhood home from time to time and even shared a snap of herself sitting on the porch of her old house on Instagram.
Selena’s house almost burned down in the ’80s
Selena’s new Encino mansion has a pretty interesting and rich background, which only adds to its appeal.
The mansion was custom built by Petty and his wife. Back in the ’80s, the whole house almost burned down to the ground. According to reports from the LA Daily News, an arsonist doused the back wooden staircase with a can of lighter fluid, allowing the fire to spread quickly.
Petty, his then-wife Jane Benyo, and their 5-year-old daughter were having breakfast when they started smelling the odor of smoke. Petty’s daughter was the first one to spot the flames, which were quickly engulfing the interiors. The family evacuated, unharmed, but their maid suffered minor injuries.
The entire house almost burned down, causing about $400,000 in losses, plus $600,000 worth of Petty’s belongings destroyed. His music studio in the basement, however, was spared from the fire.
According to investigations, the fire was set intentionally. Petty believes it was an attack on his life. To this day, the case hasn’t been solved.
Petty rebuilt the house and made it even bigger. It eventually went to his wife after they divorced.
Bankruptcy and a nightmare tenant
Jane Benyo wasn’t able to keep the house for too long. She went bankrupt and had to put up the property on the market for $3.58 million. It failed to sell and the house eventually went into foreclosure.
After being tangled in court, the house had to be rented out. The tenant was, however, a nightmare, who threw wild parties and even charged admission for them. In the end, he was evicted out of the property by law enforcement.
The house had to go through a major overhaul before going back on the market. Music executive Randy Spendlove bought the estate for $4.85 million. He only spent two years in the house and sold it to Gomez just $50,000 over what he paid for it, making it a good deal for everyone involved.
Inside Selena Gomez’s house: farmhouse glam kitchen and cozy vibes
One of the most remarkable areas in Gomez’s mansion is the kitchen, which has been featured in the star’s HBO Max show Selena + Chef.
In the unscripted cooking series, Gomez cooks different recipes with the help of a professional chef, who teaches her how to cook remotely.
Viewers got to see Sel’s glorious kitchen, which features a beautiful farmhouse glam look. The star of the kitchen is a gorgeous white brick-wall stove, which houses the gas stove, and ovens. The ceiling is decorated with wooden beams and a rustic chandelier, complementing the farmhouse aesthetic of the space.
In the center of the room is a huge L-shaped island with white marble countertops. For a little bit of whimsical flair, some of the cabinetry is decorated with dragonfly handles and flower knobs.
The kitchen area gives off a very cozy finish, which looks to be the obvious theme all around the house. The mansion is large — Selena’s biggest house purchase to date — but it still gives off a warm and cozy vibe.
Its new look and Gomez’s warm homemaking have successfully transformed the ambiance, removing all the traces of the house’s dark past.
