Real estate records confirm that Bradley Bell and his wife, former diplomat Colleen Bell, have parted with their Holmby Hills stronghold. The 5.8-acre property, which hosts the 1925 Spanish Colonial Revival mansion once occupied by Rod Stewart, changed hands in a fragmented $86 million (£68 million) exit. This concludes a 30-year stewardship by the Bell couple, who purchased the original structure from Stewart in 1992 for $6.25 million. They spent two years stripping away Stewart’s marble floors and disco room to reveal architect George Washington Smith’s original hand-laid tiles and carved coffered ceilings.
The sellers broke the estate into two distinct parcels rather than selling the whole footprint. David Zander, a producer known for restoring historic homes like the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis summer estate, secured the four-acre main section for $57 million. His broker, Drew Fenton of Carolwood Estates, facilitated the deal for the 17,000-square-foot residence. The second two-acre parcel, featuring a cabin dating to 1911, sold to Nick Kaiser, co-founder of Marlin Equity Partners, for approximately $29 million. Ben Bacal of Revel Real Estate represented the sellers in both transactions.
This transaction ranks among the largest residential deals in Los Angeles history. The estate’s value rests on its architectural pedigree and the Bells’ meticulous preservation work. They even acquired adjacent land from actor Gregory Peck to complete the nearly six-acre footprint. Inside, the property blends 1920s grandeur with modern amenities, including a 20-seat formal dining room, a green wood-paneled speakeasy, and a resort-style pool complex.
The split sale reflects a broader trend in Westside real estate where historic land is increasingly divided to match buyer budgets. Zander and Kaiser both have track records of preserving landmark properties, ensuring the Kern-designed facade remains intact. While the Bells expanded the grounds significantly, the core 1925 structure retains its original decorative details that Jeff Hyland documented in The Legendary Estates of Beverly Hills. The transaction closes a chapter on one of LA’s most storied addresses.
Buyers will now face the task of maintaining a property with 13 bedrooms, 19 bathrooms, and a full-size professional soccer field. The Zander parcel includes a motor court built around a stone fountain, while Kaiser’s section holds the historic cabin. Both deals are recorded, finalizing the transfer of this architectural landmark. No further public sales are expected for the immediate future, leaving the Holmby Hills skyline unchanged but privately reconfigured.