Celebrity Homes

"X Factor" producers tried to pull the wool over your eyes last night -- because TMZ has learned Simon Cowell and Britney Spears' mansions on the show weren't their homes at all ... in fact, one actually belongs to MLB star Alex Rodriguez.

In case you missed last night's episode, groups of contestants were invited to perform at four different homes around the country -- each allegedly belonging to one of the show's four judges.

But it was ALL A LIE -- "Simon's" Miami pad actually belongs to A-Rod. The baseball star listed the home in August for $38,000,000, but it's still on the market. Simon's real house is in Beverly Hills.

It's unclear who really owns the Malibu home Britney appeared in last night, but one thing's for certain -- Britney does NOT own that Malibu home. Her real home is in Calabasas, many miles away.

As for the other two homes -- we can't say for SURE if they're bogus, but we're betting none of the judges wanted their real homes on public display.

While Alex Rodriguez keeps striking out, Derek Jeter strikes gold ... because he just unloaded his NYC condo for a cool $15.5 mil.

Jeter just sold his penthouse in the Trump World Tower to Brazilian magnate Silvio Luiz Reichert, says the NY Daily News. The four-bedroom apartment has 16-foot floor-to-ceiling windows, a living room, billiards room, piano lounge, wet bar, hardwood floors and an actual word-burning fireplace.

D.J. originally asked for $20 mil, but dropped the price and sealed the deal last month. Fear not ... there are no cardboard boxes in Derek's future, because he still owns a giant mansion in Tampa.

As for A-Rod, he's still trying to dump his $38 million Miami mansion. So far, no takers. Maybe he should call Raul Ibanez.

Justin Bieber is the latest victim of a 911 "Swatting" prank ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

A 911 call came in last night ... the caller claiming someone was waving a gun right next to Justin's L.A. home.

Police sent the cavalry ... cars, helicopters, the works. Sources tell us ... Justin's security let the cops in, and they did a sweep of the house but found nothing. We're also told cops did a similar sweep of 2 other homes on the block.

The block is a super-exclusive area peppered with celebs, including Travis Barker, Romeo, Kourtney Kardashian, and a number of athletes.

Haylie Duff -- best known as Hilary Duff's older sis -- is trying to unload her Toluca Lake crib for $1.8 million ... just months after her sister sold a home in the same area.

Haylie bought the 4,064 square-foot-pad 4 years ago -- right around the time she was filming a couple of made-for-TV movies -- for a cool $1.75 million.

After several years in a less-than-stellar real estate market -- the Duffster listed it this week for a mere $50k more than she paid. Which leaves her a very tiny profit margin.

The 5-bedroom, 6-bath house is pretty cool ... boasting New England style decor ... hardwood floors ...a marble kitchen ... cathedral ceiling ... pool and spa. Not to mention, it sits inside a gated community.

Back in August, Hilary sold her 5,260 square foot Toluca Lake home for $6.25 million.

Kim Kardashian is ready to MOVE IN with Kanye West ... and the two are now officially on the hunt for a home together in Miami ... TMZ has learned.

Sources connected to the couple tell us ... K&K have been talking about getting their own place for a couple of months ... and believe Miami is the perfect location because they both love the city.

Plus, Kim will be in town for the next couple of months to shoot a reality show with Kourtney.

We're told the Ks checked out 4 homes yesterday -- all waterfront properties -- and the mansions all ranged between $7 and $10 MILLION.

Hayden Christensen's film producer brother Tove Christensen nearly came face-to-face with a burglar inside his L.A. home this week -- but law enforcement sources tell TMZ, the intruder ran off before anyone was hurt.

We're told police rushed to Tove's home early Tuesday AM after receiving a 911 call that a burglary was in progress.

Tove -- who produced Hayden's movie "Shattered Glass" -- was home. When police arrived, the burglar had already escaped. It appears Tove wisely did not confront the dude.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, the burglar got into Tove's home by busting a window with a rock. We're told the burglar attempted to steal a guitar ... but dropped it in the bushes on his way out.

Cops are looking for a suspect.

Giovanni Ribisi KNOWS one house in L.A. just ain't enough -- the actor dropped $3 million on a sweet new pad in the Hollywood Hills ... just 5 miles down the road from his OTHER sweet, new pad.

Ribisi's recent purchase is 3,756 square-feet of awesomeness -- it boasts 5 bedrooms, 5 baths, a library, lagoon style pool, cascading waterfall ... AND sits right next door to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie (awesome?).

All in all, the crib set Ribisi back a cool $2.95 million.

It's house numero dos for the "Ted" actor ... 3 months ago he dropped $1.4 million on a sick new 2-bedroom, 2.5-bath house in Atwater Village complete with an artist's studio -- only a few miles away.

2:06 PT PM -- A police spokesperson just addressed the media about the situation, claiming law enforcement was NOT notified via a 911 call ... but via a teletext message, as if coming from a deaf person.

The spokesperson said the message appears to be a hoax. According to the officer, it's unclear where the teletext originated from.

2:43 PM PT -- Ashton just tweeted ... he's "safe and sound" back on the set of "Two and a Half Men."

The alleged home invasion robbery at Ashton Kutcher's house today was a prank -- a case of "swatting" -- and cops are now on the hunt for the culprit ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... someone called 911 and reported they were holed up in the bathroom and that there were shots fired inside the house and people were either injured or dead.

There were indeed 3 people inside the house -- people working on Ashton's crib, but there was no one in the bathroom and no injured people or dead bodies.

Our law enforcement sources say cops have closed the "home invasion" investigation and now know it's a case of swatting -- where a caller tricks 911 and reports a phony crime of a serious nature, which happened recently with Miley Cyrus.

Our sources say cops believe the culprit or culprits were scoping out the home because they knew 3 people were inside. None of the 3 workers are suspects.

Ashton was not home at the time but his Lexus just pulled up at the house.

Police rushed to Ashton Kutcher's L.A. home today, after someone claimed there was a home invasion robbery with shots fired.

The alleged victim claimed she locked herself in the bathroom and several Russian men with weapons were in the house, robbing it.

The LAPD swarmed the area from land and by air and called out the 3 men who were on the property. The men have been detained and are being questioned, but one law enforcement source tells TMZ ... they may be workers on the property so the whole thing could be a misunderstanding.

Cops also have not found the girl who was supposedly locked in the bathroom so cops are not sure if there ever was a "victim" in the house. Translation, it could be a "swatting" prank.

"Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Taylor Armstrong's days are numbered in her beloved L.A. mansion -- because TMZ has learned ... the owners are trying to give her the boot in order to sell the place.

Taylor's been renting the 4,800 sq. ft. Holmby Hills home since 2008 -- and it's been featured prominently on "Real Housewives" ever since -- but sources close to the reality star tell TMZ, she recently received a call from her landlord informing her the owners wish to make a sale.

The house was listed last week for $3.7 million.

Sources close to the owners -- who purchased the home in 2006 for $1.65 million -- tell us Taylor's been a great tenant ... it's just time to make a change.

Taylor tells us, "It's been a fabulous home for my family, and I'm looking forward to something new and stunning for [my daughter] and me."

Sheryl Crow is selling her massive Hollywood Hills estate -- complete with THREE houses! Actually, FOUR ... 'cause you gotta count the sweet tee pee. Peace pipe, anyone?

"Grey's Anatomy" star Eric Dane has declared legal war on his "Smashing Pumpkins" neighbor Billy Corgan, claiming a falling tree nearly KILLED Eric's pregnant wife ... and it's all Billy's fault -- but Billy tells TMZ, he's innocent.

Eric and his wife Rebecca Gayheart filed the lawsuit in L.A. County Superior Court -- claiming one of Billy's trees came crashing through their Beverly Hills home during a nasty storm last year ... flooding the house ... and breaking a giant power line.

Thanks to the fallen tree, Eric claims Rebecca -- nine months pregnant at the time -- had to evacuate a "quickly flooding" home while dodging live high-voltage wires. TMZ posted pics of the damage.

Eric claims Billy had been warned about the dangerous eucalyptus trees on his property and failed to take action.

But Billy tells TMZ, that's "patently untrue" ... insisting he was never warned about his dangerous trees and didn't realize they posed a threat until it was too late.

Billy says, "I was horrified when I learned about the tree falling during what was a massive storm, a storm with winds strong enough to uproot a 50 ft tree by its base! Thankfully no one was injured."

As soon as the accident happened, Billy says he called an expert to have similarly dangerous trees removed from his property. Billy calls the lawsuit "a shame ... because [Eric and Rebecca] are nice people."

Eric and Rebecca are suing for nuisance, negligence, and injunctive relief -- demanding unspecified damages.

After several failed attempts to put a roof over her head -- Octomom is FINALLY moving her brood into a new house ... and TMZ has the pics to prove it.

TMZ obtained photos of Octo taken Sunday -- packing up all her crap and hauling her 14 kids to a new 5,000-square-foot crib in Palmdale, CA ... since the one she's living in was foreclosed on.

From the pics it's clear Octo hasn't cleaned house for awhile ... you can see a giant dumpster full of old toys, chairs, mattresses and random stuff she no longer wants.

TMZ broke the story ... Octo was supposed to move into a DIFFERENT house in Palmdale, and pulled out at the last minute, because she thought the owner was shady. Prior to that, she had been REJECTED by a slew of landlords.

But millionth time's a charm and sources tell us ... Octo made a sweet deal with this owner -- snagging the property for a cool $2500 / month and her first payment isn't due 'til April.

Sheryl Crow is unloading her rustic, Hollywood Hills estate for $16 million ... but there's a bright side to the hefty price-tag -- the property comes with not one ... but THREE HOUSES!!!

The 11 acre compound is listed for a cool $15,950,000 -- and boasts an infinity pool, a campsite area, hiking trails ... and ya know, a whopping 3 separate cribs.

House #1 (the main house) includes 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, Spanish-style architecture, a library, wine cellar and chef's kitchen.

House #2 is rocking 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, and panoramic views of Hollywood.

House #3 dates back to 1895 and has 2 bedrooms, 2 baths and an eagle claw tub ... um yeah.

So if you're keeping score, all in all you get ... 9 bedrooms, 8.5 baths, plus a bunch of rustic, outdoorsy stuff like canyon pathways ... a teepee ... and a palapa (which is a thatched roof dwelling).

We had to Google it too.

"Office" star John Krasinski and his real life "Pam" Emily Blunt are environmental warriors ... the couple just bought a $2 million house way out in the country -- run on RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY!!!!

The couple purchased the 4,177 square-foot-pad in Ojai -- nicknamed the 'Shangri-la of CA' thanks to the city's focus on health and spirituality -- back in June for $2,150,000.

But get this, the 4-bedroom, 4.5-bath digs is totally eco-friendly and decked out with state of the art renewable energy technology -- including giant solar panels, which help power their crib ... by harnessing the power of the sun.

Not only that, it sits on 5 acres surrounded by mountains and hiking trails ... has a brand new pool and spa ... separate guest house and is walking distance to an organic farmers market (ah!).

FUN FACT: The house has major historical significance too ... it was once the site of the first Ojai Foothills Hotel back 1903 ... which helped put Ojai on the map as a tourist destination.

Sean Kingston just took a BEATING in court over a Miami mansion he allegedly trashed last fall -- because TMZ has learned, a judge has ordered him to pay up $77,000 to cover the damage he allegedly caused.

TMZ broke the story ... Kingston's landlord sued him and the singer's mother -- who was also living in the $25,000-a-month home -- claiming they broke their lease agreement by moving out two months early ... and left a trail of destruction in their wake.

According to the suit, Kingston and his mother caused over $20,000 in damage to the home -- broken landscaping lights, sprinkler heads, holes in the wall, and broken railing around the waterfront dock.

Kingston never responded to the lawsuit, so the a judge entered a default judgment against the singer this month -- ordering him to pay $77,000 in damages.

The judge deducted Kingston's $25,000 security deposit from the total bill -- so right now, Kingston only has to pay $52,858.