Ariana Grande has “one less problem” or at least one less high-maintenance property on her agenda. Records indicate the Florida-born singer sold her stylish Montecito property for $9.1 million, significantly more than the $6.8 million she paid Ellen DeGeneres two years ago. Siteline Santa Barbara was the first to report the private transaction.
Michael Kives, who may not be a ubiquitous name, has been a member of Hollywood’s elite for decades. He is also the founder of the venture capital firm K5 Global, which characterizes itself as a “media and financial services advisory and consulting firm.” Kives and his wife also own a $12 million property in Beverly Hills, in addition to their new residence in Montecito.
Kives now possess the keys to one of Montecito’s most unique and storied properties. Originally constructed in England in the 1700s as two separate barns, the so-called Porter House resulted from the two 18th-century structures being dismantled, shipped to California, and painstakingly reassembled in the 20th century to form a Tudor-style main residence with a reported 5,500 square feet and two bedrooms.
Fans of Ariana Grande will recall that the “7 Rings” singer was married on the enchanted Montecito property last summer. And if it looks like it just stepped out of a Thomas Kinkade painting, you can thank DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, who purchased it in January 2020 for $3.6 million, renovated it as seen in these photos, and sold it to Grande for the aforementioned $6.8 million within four months.
On a 1.3-acre property enclosed by tall hedges and imposing gates, the residence is perpetually shaded by mature trees. The Narnia-like interior spaces include two separate kitchens with designer appliances, two dining rooms, two complete bathrooms, and two powder rooms. There are vaulted ceilings and a combination of concrete, stone, and masonry flooring throughout. In addition, the property contains a utility room and at least five fireplaces.
DeGeneres renovated the interiors in her signature style, which is characterized by an abundance of milky white, dark gray, and other natural hues. The lofted master bedroom overlooks one of the home’s two living areas and features an octagonal library with antique casement windows. The property lacks a swimming pool, which is somewhat surprising for a $9.1 million home in Southern California, but the attractive grounds and proximity to the Pacific Ocean may make up for this shortcoming.
Grande still possesses two expensive properties in the Hollywood Hills, including a $9 million estate in the Bird Streets neighborhood and a more modest cottage she purchased earlier this year from Cameron Diaz. Additionally, she once possessed a mansion designed by Paul McClean that was sold for $14 million to talent agent Nancy Josephson and film producer Larry Sanitsky last year.