Multibillionaire mining tycoon Robert Friedland continues to make waves in Santa Barbara’s ultra-high-end real estate market. Just five months after acquiring an oceanfront estate on Carpinteria’s prestigious Padaro Lane for about $47 million, the chairman of Ivanhoe Mines and former business mentor of Steve Jobs has once again made headlines. Records indicate that the charismatic 73-year-old is the buyer of Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi’s spectacular Montecito compound, for which he paid a lofty $32 million.
Iron front gates guard a quarter-mile-long driveway.
Ancient oaks watch over the estate grounds.
For indoor occasions, the dining room features a fireplace and space for a large gathering.
Every room in the house opens to the gardens or the central courtyard.
The kitchen has been done up in DeGeneres’ signature style.
Situated just four miles northwest of Friedland’s new Carpinteria property, the Montecito estate, while not oceanfront, still boasts remarkable features. Despite the final price falling short of DeGeneres’ initial $46.5 million asking price, it represents a substantial increase from the amount the former talk show host paid for the property less than a year ago, in June 2023. True to her style, DeGeneres and her team transformed the residence into a trendily minimalist and luxuriously serene retreat.
Known as Pompeiian Court and completed in 1919, the estate sprawls over 8 acres of manicured grounds, concealed from public view by an enormous iron gate and a quarter-mile-long driveway lined with mature olive trees. The compound comprises a classic Roman courtyard residence as its main house, accompanied by two guesthouses, a poolside cabana, and an art studio. Formal gardens, ancient oaks, eucalyptus trees, and Italian cypresses adorn the property, while a swimming pool, tennis court, and meandering pathways offer further amenities and secluded retreats.
Fancy a game of tennis in a forest?
Friedland’s real estate portfolio extends beyond Santa Barbara, encompassing two Beverly Hills estates, Zsa Zsa Gabor’s former Bel Air property, a luxury flat in Singapore, and an oceanfront home in Thailand. Meanwhile, DeGeneres and de Rossi retain several other properties in the Santa Barbara area, including a vast estate atop a Carpinteria blufftop and multiple smaller homes scattered throughout Montecito.
Chicly minimalist, the primary bedroom features a fireplace of its own.
