The sale closed at $21 million, beating the former record of $15.95 million paid by Netflix co‑CEO Ted Sarandos in 2015. The property had been listed at $25 million before the asking was trimmed to $23 million, and negotiations finally settled on the record price.
The mansion, built in 1923 by architect Elmer Grey, spans 12,000 square feet across three floors. Grey’s portfolio also includes the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Huntington Art Gallery, and the house originally showcased an Italianate villa style before a later Santa Barbara mission‑style makeover.
Shonda Rhimes, who purchased the home for $8.8 million in 2014, oversaw a $5 million restoration led by interior designer Michael Smith. The renovation returned the home to Grey’s original vision, swapping a heavy wood door for a glass front, removing a first‑floor loggia ceiling, and installing skylights that flood the space with natural light.
The record sale has sparked comments from local residents. "Seeing a historic home fetch $21 million makes me think more owners will invest in preservation," Maria Lopez, a Hancock Park resident of 25 years, told the Los Angeles Times. The price may prompt a wave of renovations across the Wilshire district.
The transaction will appear in the county’s public records next week, and Rhimes’s next move—whether she will keep the home or list it again—has not been announced yet.