Celebrity R.E.: Rapper The Game Lists Glendale Home At A $101K Loss

Images courtesy Rodeo Realty

Image courtesy Google Maps

Back on October 24, 2013, the always informative Lauren Beale at LA Times Hot Property revealed that the rapper known as the Game or Game who goes by the real name Jayceon Taylor has listed his Glendale home at a $101K loss for $1.799 million on October 15, 2013. The Game purchased this home on November 4, 2005 for $1.9 million near the peak of the last housing bubble. 

The home measures 4 Beds/5 Baths on 4,667sqft on a total lot size of 0.31 acres built in 1958. The listing description states:

Incredible 4 bedroom, 5 bath home on one of the most desirable streets in Glendale. Approx. 4,667 sq ft with an open floor plan, gourmet kitchen with custom maple cabinets, stainless steel appliances, marble countertops and center island. Incredible master suite with tons of closets and entertainment center with big screen TV. Master bath has custom maple cabinets. The family room/den has custom built-ins, huge game room with big screen TV and stereo system. High ceilings with custom sky lights and entertainer~~~s backyard with pool and one-of-a-kind custom built-in barbeque area.

Surprising thing about this home when reviewing the property records, The Game was assigned a Notice of Trustee's sale which means that The Game had fallen behind on his payments and was about to be foreclosed with the notice dated on January 19, 2010 and the trustee's sale to be held at the county courthouse steps on February 8, 2010. This sale was later cancelled as it appeared that The Game cleared some of his outstanding debts.  

Image courtesy Bing Maps

In addition to the Glendale home, it appears if my research is correct that The Game also maintains a home in the Porter Ranch area north of the 118 Freeway which I am not sure if he lives there, was originally purchased for family, and/or if he plans to move here after selling the Glendale home. This home measures 3 Beds/3 Baths on 2,449 sqft built in 2006. This home was purchased on May 31, 2007 for $875,000 just slightly past the peak of the last housing bubble. Similar to the Glendale home, this home was also slapped with a notice of trustee's sale on September 21, 2009 with an sale date scheduled on October 13, 2009 that was also later cancelled which I guess The Game cleared any outstanding debts at that time. 

We wish good luck to The Game in offloading his Glendale home and hopefully he calls Porter Ranch home to help liven things up in this quiet and sleepy part of the SFV. 

You can view more SFV Celebrity Real Estate here. 

Celeb. R.E.: Cuba Gooding Jr. Lists Porter Ranch Home

[Update August 21, 2013]: This home sold for $735,000 on August 9, 2013. 

[Original Post]:

Images courtesy Rodeo Realty

Fresh on the MLS is the Porter Ranch home of actor Cuba Gooding, Jr. which entered the market with an asking price of $729,000 on May 23, 2013 which is already in a pending status. The location of this home is in the heart of the Filming Locations for E.T. The Extra Terrestrial movie filmed in 1982.

Cuba Gooding Jr is an Academy Award winning actor for his portrayl of Rod Tidwell in the 1996 film, Jerry Maguire. He has also performed in various films like Boyz n the Hood, A Few Good Men, Lightning Jack, and a variety of other films with his career in acting going all the way back to 1981. Gooding, Jr is a native of the San Fernando Valley who attended North Hollywood and John F. Kennedy High School salthough he was born in New York City. I am not sure where he actually lived but according to Wikipedia, he lived in various hotels throughout Los Angeles after his father left the family. 

The home measures 5 Beds/3 Baths on 3,538 sqft on a total lot size of 0.25 acres built in 1976. The listing description states:

Porter Ranch 5 bedroom, 3 bath home with bonus room and pool. Spacious living and dining rooms. Large master suite. 3 car garage. Cul-de-sac street. Needs TLC. Sold "as-is".

This home was last purchased on February 10, 1999 for $439,000 which I believe was used by Cuba's mother, Shirley, or either as an investment property. If this home were to sell at today's asking price of $729,000, Cuba stands to profit $290,000 before taxes, commissions, carrying costs, and any renovation expenses. 

Image courtesy Prudential California Realty

Cuba is no stranger to the SFV as I mentioned above he had attended local high schools, but also at one point owned a Cliff May designed Studio City mid century modern home (shown above) on Coldwater Canyon near Mulholland Drive which was discussed on this blog.  The Studio City home was originally purchased in 1994 for $305,000 and later sold to Roger Neill, an orchestrator known for scoring the animated King of the Hill series, for $1,375,000 on December 30, 2009 equating to a massive profit of $1,070,000. Neill later sold this home on February 3, 2012 for $1,550,000 equating to a decent gain of $175,000.

Image courtesy Google Maps

Today, Cuba lives in a Pacific Palisades home (shown above) that was purchased on May 31, 2000 for $3.5 million which measures 6 Beds/7 Baths on 6,753 sqft on a 0.86 acre lot. His mom owns a Victorville home that was purchased on July 27, 2001 for $73,000 on a 1/2 acre lot with 3 Beds/2 Baths on 1,144 sqft. 

Other celebrities living nearby primarily in Granada Hills are Chris Tucker's baby momma in a gated community.  Vivica Fox also lived in the same community but sold in 2010 and prior to that was living in the same gated community as Chris Tucker in Tarzana. Vivica now lives near the Odyssey Restaurant in a townhome. This area is also home to baseball pitchers and Granada Hills native, Jon Garland, as well as the former home of Jeff Suppan who now lives in Calabasas near Justin Bieber. Tony award winning actress, Viola Davis and actor husband Julius Tennon, (who also own a North Hills townhome), long time actress and Miss America 1955, Lee Meriwether, the former home of NBA star, Jason Kidd, Extreme Makeover host, Paige Hemmis in nearby Porter Ranch, the voice of Bart Simpson, Nancy Cartwright, in Northridge, and the former home of actor Morris Chestnut in Granada Hills, who also just short sold his Hidden Hills home and previously to that sold his Calabasas home. 

You can find more San Fernando Valley Celebrity Real Estate here.  

Filming Locations: E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982)

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (often referred to simply as E.T.) is a 1982 American science fiction film co-produced and directed by Steven Spielberg, written byMelissa Mathison and starring Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore, and Peter Coyote. It tells the story of Elliott (played by Thomas), a lonely boy who befriends an extraterrestrial, dubbed "E.T.", who is stranded on Earth. Elliott and his siblings help the extraterrestrial return home while attempting to keep it hidden from their mother and the government (Wkipedia).

There are three other sites that have already found the filming locations for this film which this post would not be possible with their contributions. I definitely recommend visiting both sites especially the first link which has a great movie by filming locations expert, Herve Attia. 

Herve Attia's On The Set of E.T.

Filming Locations of Chicago and Los Angeles

Beyond The Marquee

One of the few movies that really put the SFV in the map most notably the Porter Ranch/Northridge/Granada Hills area. A lot of this area was new with homes built in the late 70's/early 80s while filming began in 1981. You can see how new the area was compared to today as there were a minimal amount of trees and plants on top of some of the new construction occurring at the same time.

You can view more SFV Filming Locations here.

The movie begins with an overview shot of the SFV from Mulholland Drive. Exact location is unknown but probably somewhere near the 405 in Van Nuys or Sherman Oaks. 

Elliot's house is located 7121 Lonzo Street Tujunga 91042. The home was built in 1980 which was barely one year old when filming began in September 1981.  Spielberg picked this location because he wanted a home with a mountain backdrop that wasnt available in Porter Ranch.

The Halloween scenes start at Elliot's house in Tujunga.

The bus stop scene is at 19230 Vista Grande Way Porter Ranch 91326 (Northwest corner of Capistrano Lane and Vista Grand Way). In real life, no bus stop exists at this location.

The Halloween scene is located approximately at 18902 Granada Circle Porter Ranch 91326 (intersection of Granada Circle and Killimore Avenue). Steven Spielberg added the Yoda character as a surprise for George Lucas he saw an early screening of the film and said, "that was cool." Harrison Ford also visited Spielberg in Porter Ranch while filming as his then wife, Melissa Mathison wrote the script for E.T. 

The toilet papered house is located at 18967 Granada Circle Porter Ranch 91326 (intersection of Granada Circle and Killimore opposite to the above Halloween scenes; Granada Circle makes a loop). This scene was added in the 2002, 20th Anniversary release

Michael riding his bike while the U.S. government agents in the blue Ford Fairmont chase him down occurred at the intersection of Killimore Avenue and Brasilla Drive. 

The chase continues down this street that I am not able to locate but is obviously in the Porter Ranch area. 

Michael begins his escape at the intersection of Killimore Avenue and Viking Avenue which he turns left onto  Viking Avenue in Porter Ranch.

I am not sure of the next two locations but obviously in the same Porter Ranch area. 

Michael's escape into the alley and up the hill is located at 19023 Rinaldi Street Porter Ranch 91326.

The U.S. Government Ford Econoline van with the bubble travels down the street at the intersection of Brasilia Drive and Killimore Avenue Porter Ranch 

The U.S. Government Ford Econoline van with the bubble gets dislodged at the intersection of Granada Circle and Killimore Avenue which is the same intersection of the toilet papered house shown above.

The caravan of U.S. Government vehicles I believe start at Reseda Blvd and Sesnon Blvd Porter Ranch.

The park and playground is located at Porter Ridge Park at the intersection of Reseda Blvd and Sesnon Blvd Porter Ranch. The first image below is approximately at 18848 Muirkirk Drive. Most of the park looks different today with the only equipment remaining being the caterpillar.

The bike chase scene with the gang starts at the corner of Granada Circle and Killimore Avenue Porter Ranch which is the same location for the toilet paper house and where the van dislodges the bubble discussed above.

The bike chase scene continues at 11876 Killimore Avenue Porter Ranch 91326.

The bike chase continues onto the intersection of Beaufait Avenue and Eddleston Drive Porter Ranch. This part of Porter Ranch was barely in development. These scenes are now filled with homes. 

The bike chase continues onto the intersection of Beaufait Avenue and Darby Avenue Porter Ranch.

The U.S. Government Ford Fairmont makes a right turn onto 11940 Beaufait Avenue Porter Ranch 91326.

The bikes jump onto the U.S. Government Ford Fairmont at Aliso Canyon Park but I am not sure of the exact location. 

The bike chase continues at 11860 Eddleston Drive Porter Ranch 91326. Some of the ongoing construction  while filming.

The infamous bike scene where E.T. assists all the bikers and magically start flying to evade the U.S. Government workers is located at White Oak Avenue and Tulsa Street Granada Hills 91344. One note of interest for SFV history buffs is that this stretch of White Oak Avenue in Granada Hills contains 114 Deodar Trees that were declared a Historic Cultural Monument on August 3, 1966 meaning they cannot be destroyed without special city permission. 

Most of the overhead panning shots were from the Palisades and Wilbur Tampa Park which can be accessed from Reseda Blvd. Some of the streets that can be seen in these shots are Brasilia Drive and Killimore Avenue in Porter Ranch.  According to Herve Attia, Steven Spielberg placed his camera at approximately 11845 Stewarton Drive to obtain some of the overhead shots.

The next two shots were roughly at 11845 Stewarton Drive Porter Ranch. Some of the supports for these chain link fences still exist.