Celebrity Homes

Cher's a money-making machine -- even when it comes to real estate -- she's trying to turn a MILLION profit on her fancy-schmancy L.A. condo!!

TMZ has learned Cher quietly listed her 4,000-square-foot crib last week ... in the exclusive Sierra Towers -- a celeb-magnet Courteney Cox, Elton John, and Joan Collins have all called home.

Cher bought the pad back in 2006, for a reported $4.5 million -- but immediately gutted and redesigned it. Now, she's trying to sell the only 2-story condo in the building for $5.5 mil.

The primo place is fit for a legend like Cher ... rockin' a giant outdoor terrace, 24/7 concierge service, gym, pool, sundeck, and panoramic L.A. views.

Don't even THINK about lighting a candle inside the Osbourne house -- because Sharon Osbourne tells TMZ, she's completely banned open flames from her home ... after an unattended candle nearly burned the place down last month.

TMZ broke the story ... Sharon forgot to put out the candle before going to sleep one night ... and the fire spread.

Thanks to the BHFD, the damage was minimal -- but on her way out of a Grammy party last night, the former "America's Got Talent" judge tells us ... she's done playing with fire.

An $11,000,000 mansion in Bel Air might be enough for some people, but not Kim Kardashian and Kanye West ... because TMZ has learned they have their sights set on buying THREE other multi-million dollar mansions across the globe.

As TMZ first reported, KK and KW plunked down a huge chunk of change to build a 14,000-square-foot pad in an über-private, gated community in Bel Air, CA.

But sources close to the couple tell TMZ they aren't stopping there. We're told they plan to buy homes in New York, Miami and Paris too -- and, no it's not a coincidence those are all centers of the fashion industry. Also, the Kardashians have DASH stores in all, but Paris.

Kim and Kanye have been in Brazil the last few days, and there are rumors they're looking to scoop up a home there too -- but we're told that wasn't the plan ... they were just meeting an architect they might hire for their Bel Air pad.

However, our sources say the Brazil trip has been so enjoyable ... they're now open to buying a place there too.

NFL castaway Jeremy Shockey -- who once signed a $26 million contract with the Giants -- is now locked in a legal battle with a Miami landlord ... over $16,000 ... TMZ has learned.

Shockey filed a lawsuit against the landlord of a $14,000-a-month Miami beach mansion -- where he lived for ONE MONTH last summer -- claiming she's holding his security deposit hostage for no good reason.

Shockey claims he paid the landlord one month's rent, plus a substantial security deposit ... but when he moved out, she refused to return $16,000 he's owed.

Shockey claims he left the place in perfectly acceptable condition ... so the landlord's got no leg to stand on. Now, he's suing for $16,000 plus interest.

Calls to the landlord weren't returned.

The building Lindsay Lohan is temporarily calling home is no stranger to crazy behavior ... because TMZ has learned it's the same building Courtney Love once called home.

Sources tell us ... LiLo's temporary rent free home sits in a primo building in SoHo -- which happens to be a celeb magnet, reportedly housing famous mugs like Lenny Kravitz, Nicole Kidman and Ben Stiller. Courtney Love used to call the building home, but sold her apartment back in 2006 (the photos above are of Love's old pad).

As for the swanky digs, it's valued around $6 million and the building features top-of-the-line amenities ... like 24/7 concierge service, wine cellar, tasting room, and an aromatherapy filled lobby.

Lindsay Lohan is NOT slumming it in NYC ... quite the opposite, she's livin' pretty in a penthouse.

There are reports out Lindsay is living at her mom Dina's Long Island home, but it's not true. We've learned she's staying at her friend's SoHo apartment. The friend is letting Lindsay stay there rent free until she finds a place of her own.

And the friend hasn't set any deadlines for moving.

Jewel lived in her car before hitting it big as a singer, but does that really qualify as homeless? It's a super-compassionate question that -- for some reason -- Jewel was happy to answer.

The 12-year-old boy who allegedly SWATTED Ashton Kutcher -- by reporting a fake gun battle inside the actor's home -- has been charged with several crimes in connection to the incident ... TMZ has learned.

We broke the story ... cops raced to Ashton's L.A. home in October after the boy allegedly contacted police and said there were people in the residence with guns and explosives. The caller also said several people had been shot.

When police arrived, they realized the whole thing was a prank -- there was never any real danger.

Officials believe the boy also pulled a similar "swatting" prank on an L.A. bank later that month.

The boy has been charged with two felony counts of making false bomb threats and two felony counts of computer intrusion.

Allen Iverson is officially mansionless -- TMZ has learned the former NBA star's Atlanta home has been sold off in a foreclosure auction.

TMZ broke the story ... Iverson allegedly defaulted on a $1.2 million mortgage which sent the $4.5 million home into foreclosure. He briefly fought off an auction ... but ultimately, he couldn't stop it.

Sources close to the sale tell TMZ ... Iverson's bank purchased the mansion yesterday for $2.5 million.

It's been a rough week for Iverson -- on top of losing his mansion, the judge in Iverson's divorce case basically just called him the worst dad in the universe.

An exasperated, breathless Sharon Osbourne called 911 after a rogue candle torched the living room of her Bev Hills home ... and we have the tape.

TMZ broke the story ... the living room became an inferno last month after she left a candle burning, before tucking in for the night. No one was injured, but the flames did significant damage.

In the 911 call -- placed in the wee AM hours ... a stressed-out Sharon tells the dispatcher, "We had a fire in my room ... it was a candle."

She then politely asks, "Do you think you can send a fireman?"

Amanda Bynes is currently packing up her NYC apartment ... and moving somewhere else ... after her landlord threatened to evict the actress claiming she's a disrespectful rule-breaker ... TMZ has learned.

Sources at the apartment tell us ... Bynes got a letter from building management earlier this month explaining that her lease would be terminated ... because she's a building nuisance.

We're told management made the decision after getting several complaints of marijuana smoke coming from her apartment -- "morning, noon and night." Sources say she was also seen smoking weed in the hallways.

FYI -- it's a non-smoking building.

As TMZ previously reported, Bynes is a fan of the herb -- she was photographed smoking weed around Los Angeles last year.

Sources say Amanda wasn't going to wait around and challenge management's decision -- and instead decided to simply find somewhere else to live.

The moving trucks are currently on-site. So far, no word on where she plans to live next.

Some actors play super heroes on the screen, but Taye Diggs really is one ... single-handedly apprehending a guy who tried to break into his L.A. home last night ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Diggs was at his home last night when a man broke into his home shortly after 11:00 PM. We're told Diggs -- who was at the SAG Awards earlier in the evening -- confronted the suspect, who then took off running.

According to our sources, Diggs then actually chased after the guy and eventually caught up to him. We're told Diggs held the man (who we're told was around 20) until cops arrived.

Our law enforcement sources say there was a getaway driver ... but he got away.

While "Teen Mom" star Amber Portwood is busy rotting away in the big house, her baby daddy is on the verge of getting EVICTED from his house ... this according to legal docs.

Gary Shirley is being sued for eviction by Real Property Management. In their lawsuit, the company claims Gary stiffed them for rent on his 1,500-square-foot Indiana crib ... to the tune of $1,360.

RPM is not only looking to collect the money, but they want Gary evicted ASAP.

As for Amber, she's serving a five-year sentence stemming from a drug arrest last year, while Gary has been taking care of their 4-year-old daughter -- which would be harder if he gets kicked out of his house.

A hearing is set for February 13.

Buy low ... SELL HIGH ... at least that's the real estate advice Vanilla Ice is handing out on the streets of New York -- telling TMZ, now's a better time than ever to purchase a new home.

'Nilla -- who currently hosts the reality show "The Vanilla Ice Project" on the DIY Network about renovating and flipping houses -- was out in NYC yesterday, where he told us, "The housing market right now is better than ever."

The rapper -- real name Rob Van Winkle -- said, "If you can buy a house cheaper than you can build it, it's great. Look at the stock market. It's all going up ... No better time to get in than right now."

Former NFL star Jamal Anderson took a beating on his Georgia mansion ... TMZ has learned his primo crib was sold off at a foreclosure auction ... for $225,000 LESS than what Jamal paid.

Jamal -- who played for the Atlanta Falcons from 1994 to 2001 -- bought the MASSIVE 10-bedroom, 9-bath crib way back in 1999 (when he had an NFL contract) for $1.225 million.

According to official records, Anderson defaulted on his mortgage ... so the bank foreclosed the home and recently sold it at auction for an even $1,000,000.

It was a STEAL for the buyer ... the pad is over 6,000 square feet, sits on 2 acres and is rockin' a separate guest house, arcade room, media room, pool and spa.

Cops raced to Chris Brown's Hollywood Hills home Monday afternoon ... after someone called 911 and reported a domestic incident involving a gun, but we're told it was all a prank.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the caller claimed a mother and father were in a fight and the father went to another room in the house to get a gun. At that point the caller hung up, never mentioning it was Chris Brown's house.

When cops arrived there was no evidence of a gunman or for that matter any dispute.

Chris was NOT home at the time.

This is the latest in a string of swatting incidents involving celebs, the most recent being last Friday when someone falsely reported a man with a gun in the home of Kris and Bruce Jenner.