Hot Property: Just when you thought things couldn't get any crazier

[Hot Property] Hot Property [Send to friend] | [Open in browser] Now we have officially seen it all. The Bel-Air mansion that hit the market mid-week at $250 million is the most expensive home for sale in the U.S. Where to begin? Well, at the top of the four-level, 12-bedroom house there’s a deck displaying a decommissioned helicopter as art. The chopper was brought in by crane — because owner/developer Bruce Makowsky wanted it there. And, just for grins, the interior of the ornamental bird has all-new high-end upholstery. Talk about a home full of ultimate amenities. – [Neal J. Leitereg] and [Lauren Beale] Inside the tour Our tour of the [$250-million megamansion in Bel-Air] was conducted by Makowsky himself. The home builder for billionaires made his fortune in handbags. So we found it interesting that he collected ours at the beginning of the tour — no photos, selfies or videos allowed. To follow him through the 38,000 square feet of interiors is to get a glimpse into what makes him happy — there’s a four-lane bowling alley, a wall of candy bins and a movie theater with a sound system to rival any other. Art and leather are everywhere as are automobiles and nautical accessories, all included in the purchase price. Of indiscriminate middle-age, Makowsky is a man who appears comfortable in his fashion choices. On the day of our tour he was clad in a blue jacket, blue jeans and striking blue shoes. The overall effect was casual yet uncommon, which brings us back to the house. If a windowed contemporary palace can be warm and comfortable for its occupants, he has made it so. [Bel-Air megamansion] The spec house in Bel-Air is for sale at $250 million. (Bruce Makowsky / BAM Luxury Development) ADVERTISEMENT Or for a fraction of the cost Though it has been shopped as a whisper listing since October, the [home of musicians Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale] now appears in the Multiple Listing Service with a price tag of $35 million. Set in a gated community north of Beverly Hills, the renovated contemporary has an eye-catching kitchen with black-and-white striped cabinetry. The 11,845 square feet of interiors include a theater room, a gym and two offices. Including the guesthouse, there are seven bedrooms and 10 bathrooms. An infinity-edge swimming pool, a lighted tennis court, a playground and a chicken coop complete the two acres of grounds. The property was once owned by singer-actress Jennifer Lopez. The Grammy winning Stefani, 47, gained fame as co-founder and lead vocalist for the band No Doubt. Rossdale, 51, is the frontman and guitarist for the rock band Bush. They are divorced. [Gwen Stefani home] The L.A.-area home of Stefani and Rossdale has publicly listed for sale at $35 million. (Redfin.com) A legendary getaway A Big Bear retreat [where boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya and mixed martial arts fighter Tito Ortiz once trained] has sold for $1.575 million. The wooded hideaway was designed by De La Hoya, who sold to Ortiz in 2007 for $2.1 million. Surrounded by pines and encompassing more than an acre, the compound includes a pair of log-cabin-style homes with a total of five bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms in nearly 7,200 square feet. Both feature knotty pine paneling, stone fireplaces and antler chandeliers. A detached garage once used as a gym has parking for four cars. There’s also a putting green and a footbridge that crosses a stream. [Big Bear retreat] A Big Bear retreat designed by De La Hoya and later owned by Ortiz sold for $1.575 million. (RE/MAX Big Bear | Inset: Los Angeles Times) He completes his lap Ian Thorpe, the Olympic freestyle champion known as the “Thorpedo,” didn’t set a record for a speedy sale but he did sell his [home in the Laurel Canyon area] of Hollywood Hills for its asking price of $950,000. The rustic post-and-beam home, which sold in 55 days, has 960 square feet of living space — yes, it could easily fit in an Olympic size swimming pool. An updated kitchen with white subway tile, an open living room, a wood-paneled office, two bedrooms and two bathrooms are within the tidy space. No pool! Thorpe, 34, bought the house a decade ago for $879,000. One of Australia’s most decorated athletes, he won a combined five gold medals at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games. [Ian Thorpe home] Thorpe sold his scenic retreat in Laurel Canyon for the asking price of $950,000. (Realtor.com | Associated Press) A lucrative move San Antonio Spur LaMarcus Aldridge seems to know his way around Southern California real estate deals. The five-time all-star bought a home in Newport Coast for $7 million in late summer and [sold it last month for $8.35 million], records show. Set behind gates in Crystal Cove, the estate combines Spanish and Mission design details such as arched openings, wooden beams and a tile roof. Beyond the stone motor court are 6,800 square feet of interiors with four bedrooms and six bathrooms. The 31-year-old power forward spent nine seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers. He signed an $80-million contract with the Spurs in 2015. [LaMarcus Aldridge home] Aldridge bought the Spanish-style home in Newport Coast’s gated Crystal Cove community last year for $7 million. (Realtor.com | Getty Images) Finding his groove Dijon McFarlane, the record producer and beat maker better known as DJ Mustard, has bought a [home behind gates in Chatsworth] for $2.36 million. Sitting on nearly three acres of grounds, the English-style estate includes a swimming pool and spa, a lighted tennis court and a six-car garage. Lion statues flank the steps leading up to the front door. The sprawling house features a two-story foyer with a sweeping staircase, a library/den with a curved wet bar and six bedrooms within its 7,400 square feet of living space. McFarlane, 26, has worked with such artists as YG, Tyga, Young Jeezy and Ludacris. [DJ Mustard home] McFarlane paid $2.36 million for the estate on about three acres in Chatsworth. (Juwan Li | Courtesy of 10 Summers Records) From the archives Ten years ago, Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush bought a Hollywood Hills home for close to $5 million. The former USC tailback was with the New Orleans Saints at the time. We got a smile out of the headline: “A place to run back to in L.A.” He intended to use the house in the off-season. Twenty years ago, comedian Carol Burnett exchanged her Century City house for a Wilshire condo in what was described as “an even trade.” Each home was valued at about $3 million. Thirty years ago, singer Luther Vandross moved from New York and purchased a home in Beverly Hills for close to $6 million. The rhythm-and-blues vocalist bought a two-story gated estate with an elevator, a projection room and a lavish master bedroom with spa and sauna for just under $6 million. ADVERTISEMENT What we’re reading — Not sure how to tell a Georgian from a Greek Revival? Lifehacker has come up with a [nifty online chart] to help home buyers (and others) identify different housing styles. — Bisnow tracked down [housing projects around the globe] that serve underrepresented groups by targeting very specific residents, such as homeless veterans and adults with autism. — Although our focus is on Southern California, Hot Property still loves to look at architecture elsewhere. This [soaring midcentury modern] was designed by the architect of Oregon’s Eugene Airport. We’re digging the wing-like entry and the asking price: $480,000. For more luxury real estate, visit us at the [Hot Property blog] and follow us on [Twitter] and [Instagram]. [Email][Twitter][Facebook] [Sign up for Newsletters] | [Privacy Policy] | [Unsubscribe] | Copyright © 2017 Los Angeles Times | 202 West First Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90012. | 1-800-LA-TIMES