Zoe Saldana Bought a Grand Old Montecito House – Robb Report

Today’s real estate market is sluggish, but Zoe Saldana has not been deterred by the slowdown. Last week, the Daily Mail revealed—and property records confirm—that the prolific Hollywood actress, 45, was the buyer who earlier this year paid $17.5 million for a historic estate in prime Montecito, complete with sweeping mountain and ocean views.

Built circa 1930, the home was designed by prolific Santa Barbara architect George Washington Smith. In 1933, following Smith’s death, the Spanish Revival-style villa was expanded by Lutah Maria Riggs, the noted pioneer who became Santa Barbara’s first licensed female architect. In the 90 years since, much of the estate’s original period details have survived — the light fixtures, tilework and windows remain largely intact — though the place has also seen upgrades over the years.

Owned by the same family for the past several decades, the house first hit the market last December, asking $18.9 million. It’s perhaps not surprising that Saldana saw the place as a prime candidate for an overhaul—as noted by Siteline Santa Barbara, the quirky old house has a very atypical floorplan. There are two guest bedrooms on the main floor, neither of which currently sports an ensuite bathroom. The kitchen, while large, appears to have undergone an unfortunate 1980s remodel. And upstairs, there’s a third guest bedroom that is only accessible via traipsing through the carpeted master bedroom.

Still, some quirkiness is to be expected in an old house, and charm abounds here. There are rambling hallways that seem to go on forever, a gorgeous wood-paneled library with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, intricately crafted ceilings, and grand public rooms with big windows.

And then there are the 4.7 acres of grounds, where vast terraces spill out to gardens containing dozens of ancient oaks, charmingly overgrown flowers and grassy lawns. A proper north/south tennis court abuts a classically oval swimming pool. Also on the estate are a detached art studio, a guesthouse with ocean views, two three-car garages and a two-bedroom staff apartment attached to the main house.

In addition to their newly-acquired Montecito classic, Saldana and her husband Marco Perego also maintain a lavish tennis court estate in the mountains above Beverly Hills. That property, once owned by Kimora Lee Simmons, was up for grabs at $16.5 million over the fall but is now available for longterm lease at a princely $47,500 per month.