Kanye West Finds a Buyer for $39 Million Malibu Mansion He Gutted, Removed Windows from and Abandoned
In a surprising turn of events, Kanye West has reportedly found a buyer for his controversial Malibu mansion. The property, which the rapper put on the market in December 2023 after gutting it, has been the subject of much speculation and intrigue. Selling Sunset star Jason Oppenheim, whose brokerage sold the architecturally significant property, confirmed to PEOPLE that the home is now in escrow.
The Background
In 2021, West paid a staggering $57 million for the beachfront home, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect Tadao Ando. Since then, the rapper has stripped the mansion of all its interior fixtures and fittings. Initially listed for $53 million, the price was dropped to $39 million in April 2024, reflecting the cost of installing new finishes.
The Current State
Photos and video of the property in its current state, published by the New Yorker in July, show the ocean-facing facade with all the windows removed and its railings rusting in the open air. The mansion, which features views of the Pacific Ocean from every room, now stands as a stark, unfinished shell.
Legal Troubles
A few months before West listed the property, a former employee of the rapper, Tony Saxon, sued him over allegedly dangerous working conditions and unpaid wages in September 2023. Saxon, who was hired in September 2021 as a project manager and served as a full-time security guard and live-in caretaker for the residence, claims he made “constant complaints” to West about various safety hazards, including “workers unsafely demolishing various parts of the house with no safety equipment.”
Saxon alleges he worked 16-hour days, during which he was responsible for cleaning, construction, demolition, coordinating all workers, hiring contractors, and 24/7 security. The document alleges that Saxon was sleeping in “makeshift conditions” on the ground with his coat as bedding throughout his employment. The complaint also claims that West “disregarded” Saxon’s concerns that he needed to rest due to a “severe” back injury.
Saxon alleges he was fired in November 2021 after refusing to remove all of the windows and electricity from the home. When Saxon “refused to engage in unlawful conduct or to engage in activity that would further cause him physical injury,” West allegedly responded, “If you don’t do what I say, you’re not going to work for me, I’m not gonna be your friend anymore and you’ll just see me on TV.”
The Sale
The contractor’s attorney, Ron Zambrano, filed a mechanics lien on the property in January. A mechanics lien is described by California’s Department of Consumer Affairs as “a ‘hold’ against your property, filed by an unpaid contractor, subcontractor, laborer, or material supplier.” If unpaid, the lien “allows a foreclosure action, forcing the sale of the property in lieu of compensation.” The current status of the lien is unknown.
“We just want to make sure [West] has enough money to pay the more than $1 million he still owes our client before he goes completely broke,” Zambrano said in a statement in January, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “So in this case, if someone wants to buy Kanye’s Malibu home, they’ll have to deal with us first. That sale cannot happen without Tony being paid.”
The Architectural Significance
The home, which includes 4,000 square feet of interior space and about 1,500 square feet of outdoor living areas, was designed by Tadao Ando, who has designed fewer than 20 homes in the U.S. Ando also designed Jay-Z and Beyonce's $200 million Malibu property.
When the property was listed, Oppenheim said it was a privilege to sell a home from the renowned architect. “I wanted to have a listing with such architectural pedigree,” he said, adding that the property’s Malibu Road location is “one of the most desirable areas in the world.” The Oppenheim Group founder said the value of the property, which he called “a unique home for a unique and discerning buyer,” was “really in its structure.”
According to the listing, the home is constructed of approximately 1,200 tons of concrete, 200 tons of steel reinforcement, and 12 “massive” pylons driven more than 60 feet into the sand.
Conclusion
The sale of Kanye West's Malibu mansion marks the end of a tumultuous chapter for the property. With its architectural pedigree and prime location, it remains to be seen what the future holds for this unique piece of real estate.