Kat Von D Sells 'Cheaper by the Dozen' Home ... Lucky Buyer is Owner of Hollywood Cemetery
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Kat Von D has finally found a buyer for her home, the same property once featured in 2003's "Cheaper by the Dozen" -- selling the massive pad to the owner of one of L.A.'s most famous cemeteries.
Real estate sources tell us the 12,565-square-foot 13-bed and 10-bathroom mansion in L.A. is closing Tuesday for $7.75 mil ... TMZ broke the story, Kat listed it back in January for $15M.
We're told the lucky buyer is Tyler James Cassity, co-owner of Hollywood Forever Cemetery -- kinda fitting, given the gothic/victorian vibes all over the home.
Kat bought the home back in 2016 for $6.5M and did a ton of restoring.
Just like the decor, the home's got some unique perks -- like a hidden bar, hand-carved walls, a library, and a whopping 7 fireplaces! It also has the obligatory pool and spa out back.
The home might look a little familiar to "Cheaper by the Dozen" fans, too -- because it was the Baker residence back in the day, but it's obviously had a huge makeover since then.
Jamie Sher of The Sher Group and Bryce Lowe and Kirby Gillon of AKG Christie’s repped Kat, and Michael Bergin of Compass represented Tyler. You'll recall, Kat listed the house after announcing that she was moving out of California to Indiana.
BTW -- looks like the sale came in just days before the CA mansion tax goes into effect -- with a 4% tax on property sales above $5 million, and a 5.5% tax on properties above the $10 million mark ... way to dodge those extra fees.
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Brad Pitt Sells Incredible Hollywood Hills Compound for $39 Million
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Brad Pitt has just sold an estate he's owned for almost 3 decades ... an estate he used to sharpen his pretty amazing architectural skills.
Real estate sources tell TMZ ... Brad sold the property for $39 million ... pretty impressive since he bought it from Elvira (aka Cassandra Peterson) back in 1994 for $1.7M.
The California craftsman estate was built in 1910 by an oil baron. It has a lot of history ... it's also the place where Jimi Hendrix wrote "May This Be Love."
Brad lived in the house for many years ... he and Angelina Jolie, along with their 6 kids, called the place home until they split in 2016.
Brad scooped up several lots adjacent to the estate over the years and was heavily involved in designing and building new structures and remodeling old ones.
The main house is 6,700 square feet. There's also a skate park, a ballroom, a movie theatre, a motorcycle garage, a stone house and a huge Koi pond. The property is surrounded by lush landscaping, making it entirely private. It's also in a gated, Hollywood Hills community.
Brad listed the house in back January for $45 million. We've learned he sold the estate because he's moving to Carmel in Northern Cali.
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Nashville School Shooting Entrepreneur's Quick Fix ... Collapsible Class-Based Safe Room
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One entrepreneur/inventor has a creative and seemingly effective way teachers and students can protect themselves against school shootings ... a safe room embedded in classrooms.
We talked to Kevin Thomas Tuesday on "TMZ Live," and he broke down a product he sells through his company, KT Solutions. It's basically four foldable walls -- they look like dry erase whiteboards -- a teacher can quickly pull out to create a bulletproof shelter to hide kids in a nightmare like the one in Nashville.
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Kevin calls it RASR, or ... Rapid Access Safe Rooms. They're available to the public, but are intended for classrooms -- as they offer educators/pupils a quick option to seek cover and protection in the event a mass shooter is roaming the halls ... and cops aren't there yet.
Check out the video to see how it works -- the "room" is flat at first and can function as just one wall or whiteboard for teachers and students ... so it has multipurpose utility for the school beyond just protection.
3/27/23
If there's an active shooter situation and a school wants something beyond locked doors to help, they can use RASR to open up a full-blown safe room good enough for the military and government agencies -- so says Thomas. In other words, it's impenetrable.
There's a demonstration here that shows you how to do it ... it's actually quite simple, and only takes seconds to lock into place. It's not the permanent fix to this ongoing issue -- as Thomas notes -- but this can certainly save lives in the interim.
We asked Thomas what sparked this innovative idea, and he said the Uvalde, TX school shooting forced his hand. As far as the price, it's $50k for delivery and installation -- and while one might presume this would come out of a school budget ... KT says that's not necessarily the case.
Even if a school does have to pay for it, he says it's a good investment, and can be affordable if things are prioritized the way they should be.
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Magic Johnson Group Submits $6 Billion Bid ... To Buy Commanders
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Magic Johnson may soon be adding the title of NFL owner to his legacy ... the NBA icon is part of a group that just submitted an offer to buy the Washington Commanders that meets Dan Snyder's asking price.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Lakers Hall of Famer, alongside 76ers owner Josh Harris and billionaire Mitchell Rales, officially submitted a $6 billion bid to buy the franchise on Tuesday.
The development is substantial ... because Snyder -- who revealed in late 2022 that he was exploring selling the Commanders -- had been reportedly seeking $6 billion for his club ... which could mean a sale to the Johnson/Harris/Rales group is now imminent.
The move would spell bad news for Jeff Bezos and Jay-Z ... as the two titans had big interest in buying the Commanders, even grabbing dinner in L.A. back in November to formulate a potential purchase plan.
Jay-Z, Jeff Bezos Interested In Buying Washington Commanders, Sources Say
Others with interest in buying the Washington franchise reportedly included Canadian billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos and Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta.
If the Commanders do sell ... the $6 billion deal would break the previous record sale for an NFL franchise set last summer, when billionaire Rob Walton purchased the Denver Broncos for $4.65 bil.
As for Johnson, it would add to a seriously impressive business resume that already features ownership stakes in the L.A. Dodgers, the L.A. Sparks and the Los Angeles Football Club.
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'Moonshiners' Star Josh Owens Breaks Silence on Motorcycle Crash ... I Broke Just About Everything!!!
"Moonshiners" star Josh Owens is opening up about a very scary motorcycle crash that left him in pieces ... saying he suffered a broken neck, back, arm and legs.
Josh posted a video Monday from his hospital bed ... updating his followers for the first time on his condition after his severely violent accident earlier this month.
JO only showed off one of his wounds, but it's pretty insane ... he turned the camera on his leg, which had about 50 staples and a huge scar.
Gory as hell, for sure ... and Josh admitted he's hanging on by a thread, but he's also confident he'll bounce back.
Josh crashed on March 4, while taking part in a motorcycle race at Florida's Daytona International Speedway.
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Shortly after, his "Moonshiners" co-star Richard Landry said he'd talked to some people who talked to family members ... who said Josh was doing okay, but was not out of the woods yet. One of Josh's friends started a GoFundMe to help cover what's sure to be a hefty hospital bill, as Josh doesn't have health insurance ... according to his friend.
Despite all that, he's staying remarkably positive.
In the video update, Josh says it's only by the grace of God he survived the wreck, and adds ... "I'm still here and I love ya'll."
Get well soon, Josh!
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Robert Downey Jr. Chew on This ... for $55k!!! Used Gum from Walk of Fame Hits eBay
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Robert Downey Jr. fans now have a shot at an interesting piece of history from Jon Favreau's Walk of Fame ceremony ... cause a guy is selling what he claims is Iron Man's chewed-up gum!!!
The gum is currently up for sale on eBay and it has a starting bid of $55,000. According to the listing, the seller attended the ceremony where actor/producer and "Iron Man" director Jon Favreau was added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Iron Man himself, RDJ, was on hand for the big event ... and created a moment by taking chewed gum out of his mouth and sticking on Jon's shiny new star. Downey joked it was "just to make it official."
The seller claims he was able to snag the gum, right where RDJ left it. Now, it's apparently up for grabs "in the same condition" he got it 😬
We know what you're thinking ... how in the hell's he gonna authenticate???
Well, the seller is super confident it's the real deal, and says the buyer can even test the gum for RDJ's DNA. Good luck getting Robert to provide a sample for comparison, though.
If used celeb gum is your thing, bidding ends Friday! Also ... ew.
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Trae Tha Truth Delivers Full Home Makeover ... For 82-Yr-Old Woman Busted for $77 Trash Bill
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Trae Tha Truth fell out of the sky with angel wings ... at least, that's how Alabama resident Martha Menefield sees things.
You might recall, Martha's the 82-year-old who was hauled off to jail right before Christmas for failing to pay a $77 trash bill ... but Trae just poured thousands of dollars in upgrades into the very spot where she was arrested, turning it into her dream home!
Trae tells TMZ Hip Hop the absurdity of the "crime" sparked a friendship with Martha, and after spending time at her Alabama home, he realized she needed assistance.
He then teamed up with BEL Furniture in Valley, Alabama for $15k worth of items ... including a full couch with multiple recliners, a queen bed and new dressers.
They also fully refurnished her living room, dining room and bedroom, but still have to solve the problem of her lack of central heat and AC.
Trae tells us the work is far from done ... he's currently looking for a team to fix the foundation in Martha's home to prevent flooding, and working to secure her a car, as she doesn't have any transportation at the moment.
She says she still doesn't truly understand how she got on Trae's radar of generosity, but is more than grateful she did.
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Gwyneth Paltrow Trial Doctor Heard 'Blood-Curdling Scream' Before Impact
Gwyneth Paltrow was flying down a Deer Valley ski slope, screaming and so out of control, it sounded like someone who was about to careen into a tree and die ... so says the skier who is suing the actress.
Dr. Terry Sanderson laid it all out Monday, testifying he was skiing down the Utah mountain and coming around a curve when he heard something he's never heard before on the slopes -- a "blood-curdling scream" coming from behind him.
Terry faintly recreates what he heard, telling the jury he never saw it coming, but he sure felt it. He says after hearing the scream there was a boom, and he felt the thunderous impact of fists and poles connecting with his back. He says all he remembers is flying in the air.
Gwyneth wasn't buying it ... shaking her head and looking incredulous as Sanderson testified.
MARCH 2023
Gwyneth insists Terry got it backward ... she says he's the one that crashed into her. She told her side last week, claiming to have initially thought she was being sexually assaulted when it went down.
We covered it all in the most recent episode of The TMZ Podcast.
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Gladys Knight Biden Shot Down PPE Meeting ... This Hurts Black Businesses
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Gladys Knight's husband says President Biden straight up told them he didn't have 15 minutes to chat with them about what they see as a huge problem ... Black businesses being passed up for government contracts.
The singer and her husband, William McDowell, joined us on "TMZ Live" Monday and explained their experience trying to nail down a meeting with Biden ... which has so far proven impossible, much to their chagrin.
Remember ... Gladys has been trying to meet with Biden since 2021 -- she wants to get a government contract so her company can provide PPE to the public -- and her husband says he finally cornered Biden in the White House and was told the meeting wasn't going to happen.
Biden presented Gladys with the National Medal of Arts last week, but her husband says when he brought up the meeting to POTUS he was immediately shut down.
Gladys and William are adamant they're not looking for a government payday or handout here ... they say Biden's refusal to meet with them is an example of a much larger problem ... Black businesses continually coming in last for federal contracts, which they feel is a civil rights issue.
Gladys Knight Demands Meeting With Biden Over PPE Company, Why BTS and Not Me?
It's a problem Gladys says is not unique to Biden, though ... she says the feds have always been unfair to Black business owners, dating back to when JFK was in office ... at least in her experience.
The issue here though ... Gladys and William say the Biden Administration is talking about wanting to create a level playing field, but actions aren't backing up words.
Gladys and her husband tell us they went through all channels to try and get to Biden ... working their Democratic contacts in D.C. and even going to Biden's right-hand man ... but it's all been for nothing, and they can't help but wonder if Biden simply doesn't care.
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Sebastian Lletget, Soccer Star Responds to Becky G Cheating Claims ... 'I'm Being Extorted!'
Soccer star Sebastian Lletget says he's the victim of an "extortion plot" amid rumors he cheated on his fiancee, Becky G ... but admits he did, in fact, screw up.
It started last week when an Instagram user claimed the FC Dallas midfielder cheated on the award-winning singer with a woman last year while at a nightclub in Madrid, Spain.
Along with the accusation, the person also seemingly provided receipts including alleged video, text messages, DMs and audio from Lletget.
FYI, Sebastian proposed to Becky G just 3 months ago.
Sebastián Lletget has *allegedly* cheated on Becky G. The couple just got engaged recently.
— Anthony (@anthonykyaw) March 23, 2023 @anthonykyaw
Lletget lost his spot in the USMNT, got bounced around by teams in MLS, and now about to lose Becky G is just over a year. The man is fumbling HARD.
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After the posts went viral, the accuser's IG account was deleted ... but the damage had already been done. Days later, Lletget has decided to address the rumors (though not in specifics) in a lengthy statement, saying on Monday, "a 10 minute lapse in judgement results in an extortion plot."
"Since this person did not get what they wanted it has now become a public social media spectacle filled with more lies than any truth and false posts aimed at the love of my life, the one person who I should never take for granted or put at risk."
Lletget -- who joined the Dallas football club in 2022 -- apologized to Becky and vows to do better honoring their love.
"I know that any actions made that put us here should have never happened to begin with," Lletget said.
Becky G Engaged To Soccer Star Sebastian Lletget
Sebastian continued ... "You have been the light in my life, my strength, who has always shown me unconditional love. Instead of honoring that love every day, I have done the opposite, hurting you, and disrespecting the one person I love more than anything."
"I am so sorry and Know I have to do whatever it takes to earn back the trust and love you deserve."
Lletget also revealed he'll participate in a wellness program to work on his mental health.
The "MAMIII" singer has yet to comment on the allegations ... or Lletget's statement.
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Lamar Jackson Get Me Out Of Baltimore!!! ... Requests Trade From Ravens
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Lamar Jackson just dropped some bombshell news -- the NFL superstar announced he requested a trade from the Baltimore Ravens earlier this month ... claiming the team is not interested in paying him what he deserves.
The former MVP shared his intentions via Twitter minutes ago ... giving his fans a direct update on his NFL future.
"As of March 2nd I requested a trade from the Ravens organization for which the Ravens has not been interested in meeting my value," Jackson said Monday. "any and everyone that’s has met me or been around me know I love the game of football and my dream is to help a team win the super bowl."
"You all are great but I had to make a business decision that was best for my family and I," he added. "No matter how far I go or where my career takes me, I’ll continue to be close to my fans of Baltimore Flock nation and the entire State of Maryland. You’ll See me again"
Of course, Jackson's contract situation has been a hot topic this offseason ... with the Ravens placing a nonexclusive franchise tag on the former first-round pick, which allows him to sign an offer sheet with another team.
Lamar made it clear he wanted to be locked in long-term with a big payday ... but that didn't happen.
As it turns out, Ravens coach John Harbaugh was speaking with the media as Jackson sent out the tweet ... and he said he expects Lamar to be a Baltimore Raven come Week 1.
Coach Harbaugh from owners meetings: pic.twitter.com/TOcrMPZeX3
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) March 27, 2023 @Ravens
"Thinking about Lamar all the time, thinking about him as our quarterback, we’re building our offense around that idea," Harbaugh said. "I’m just looking forward to getting back to football and I’m confident that’s gonna happen."
"I’m pretty fired up about Lamar Jackson," he added. "Lamar Jackson is a great player. Lamar came back in great shape last year, he’s fired up to play. That’s the Lamar I’m looking forward to seeing. Can’t wait to get back on the grass and go to work, and I’m confident that's gonna happen."
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Motown's Martha Reeves Raising $55K for Walk of Fame Star ... Before Window Expires
Motown singer Martha Reeves is once again calling out around the world ... hoping fans will help her secure the star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame that was supposed to be hers 2 years ago.
The "Dancing in the Streets" singer was selected by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce back in 2021 after getting nominated by a former manager -- and she was clearly honored, saying at the time, "My wildest dreams are coming true."
But, the WoF plaque costs about $55K, and Martha didn't have that kinda cash-on-hand, according to Detroit Free Press. Costs for the hardware and ceremony are often covered by a record label or some studio, but the stars weren't aligning this time around.
Martha says her now-former manager assured her the funding was secured ... but that's not how it went down -- now, her new manager, Chris Roe, has launched a public campaign to raise funding before the June deadline.
Chris claims Martha's old manager didn't realize how tough it would be to get the job done, noting they "wasted a year of fundraising time." Regardless, he's gunning toward the $55K mark, working with corporations and private benefactors to hit the goal.
BTW -- Chris has successfully done campaigns for the WOF before ... with celebs like Malcolm McDowell in 2012 and George Romero in 2017, who sadly died before getting to see the honor set in stone.
As for Martha, she's also well deserving of the honor -- for those unaware, she's the lead singer of the Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas, cranking out over a dozen hits during their long-running success. Her group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, and she's celebrating 60 years in Motown this year.
Seems like the perfect candidate for a star... good luck, Martha!
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Elon Musk Twitter's Worth Just $20 Bil, Y'all ... <Half My Purchase Price!!!
Elon Musk says Twitter is now worth less than half of what he bought it for -- and, if you'll recall, that was like $44 billion ... so, yeah, a BIG drop-off indeed.
The Chief Twit made the new valuation in a company-wide email he sent to remaining employees -- this per the NYT, which says it got its hands on a copy. In the internal memo, EM says Twitter is currently worth $20 billion ... $24 billion less than his purchase price.
Wild to see the Twitter office on auction. Board room tables, phone booths, chairs, monitors... even the Twitter bird statue. Great memories from a different era. https://t.co/kLOx69ZbeI pic.twitter.com/BFfvFy6Pg4
— Kevin Weil 🇺🇸 (@kevinweil) January 15, 2023 @kevinweil
While that may seem abysmal, Elon actually told his workers that -- for a time -- things were at risk of being much worse after he took the reins ... explaining Twitter was 4 months away from running out of money and going bankrupt at one point over the past several months.
In his note, he reportedly goes on to say that "radical changes" he's imposed were necessary to save money -- including the mass layoffs and other cost-cutting measures (i.e. auctions, etc.). The Times reports EM also said Twitter should be looked at as an "inverse start-up."
Now, as for why he was spilling these deets to the Twitter fam ... the Times says he was explaining their new stock compensation package. Basically, Twitter employees will receive stock grants for the holding company he used to buy Twitter -- the "X Corporation" -- which will operate under the current $20B estimate. Workers will then be able to sell and cash in on their privately held stock every six months. His other company, SpaceX, acts similarly.
One last thing ... apparently Elon has high hopes for Twitter. He wrote that he believes the bird app could one day be worth as much as $250 BILLION! *Insert Dr. Evil laugh*
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Top NFL Draft Prospect Steve Avila Hoping To Stay In Dallas ... Meeting With Cowboys Soon
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Top NFL draft prospect Steve Avila sure wouldn't mind blocking for Dak Prescott and Tony Pollard next season ... telling TMZ Sports "it would be, honestly, like, the best" if the Cowboys pick him next month.
The former TCU star offensive lineman -- an Arlington, Texas native -- has played all of his home football games for the entirety of his life in the Dallas area ... and he said if that could continue in the NFL, he'd be thrilled by it.
And, it seems there's a decent chance it all goes down ... the Cowboys need a new left guard after losing Connor McGovern in free agency. They also have the No. 26 pick in the first round, right around the time in the draft when Avila is expected to be selected.
The 23-year-old will have a chance to let America's Team know his feelings on the matter soon ... he's actually got an interview set up with the Cowboys in just a couple days.
Of course, Avila says while it would be a dream to wear the silver and blue -- he's open to everybody ... and has recently met with multiple teams, including the Falcons, Commanders, Jets and Lions.
As for when he'll get drafted, Avila says he fully expects to be taken within the first two rounds next month ... slamming anyone who thinks he'll fall to the third.
"I'm a humble person -- I hate talking about myself," he said. "But when I see that, I'm like, 'Dude.'"
Avila will keep things low-key on draft night -- he tells us a small party with friends and family is in the works. But, when the NFL money finally comes in, he says he'll look into ballin' out a bit, with the goal of snagging a new Mercedes and a new house.
The draft officially kicks off in Kansas City on April 27.
By the way, Avila also shared some stories from his experience at the NFL's combine earlier this month ... telling us he had a wild interview with Atlanta -- while some of his pals had some unique talks with teams in Indianapolis, too.
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Larry Johnson Knicks Can 'Go Far' This Season ... But No Championship
Larry Johnson loves what he sees with the NY Knicks (granted, we talked to him before the Magic loss) ... and says if they keep hooping like they've been, he sees Jalen Brunson's squad making a run in the playoffs!
"I'm very happy with what we look like this year," the Knicks legend told Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weeknights on FS1) earlier this week.
"I do believe Jalen is the best player or he's definitely the most valuable, running the team and getting the people to their right spots."
Brunson -- who Johnson calls "nephew" (LJ was teammates with Jalen's dad, Rick Brunson) -- has been playing lights out since signing with New York for $104 million last July. At the time, pundits called him overpaid. Now, it's called one of the most team-friendly contracts in the sport.
Jalen's averaging 23.8 points, 6.2 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game.
During the season, the Knicks traded for Jalen's former Villanova teammate, Josh Hart ... and Johnson loves the move, lauding the former Blazers forward for being "a dog on defense."
"That's that New York mentality," Johnson said.
With Brunson playing like an All-Star, Hart's hustle, and the Knicks in fifth position in the East, Johnson doesn't believe the Knicks will be a one-and-done playoff team.
But, he doesn't foresee a ticker-tape parade, either.
"Definitely don't see them winning the championship this year. I see them going far," the 54-year-old said. "I can definitely see them winning the first series."
We also asked Larry -- an NCAA champ at UNLV -- about this year's tourney and the endless shocking upsets ... like number-one seeds Purdue and Kansas, amongst other teams, being sent home early.
"I like that," the former #1 overall draft pick said. "I like it being more competitive. I mean it didn't happen as often when I was around."
"I much love this more competitive tournament than like a blowout tournament."
Now, his bracket's another story ... 💣
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Ant Anstead Unloads Laguna Beach Home ... But Not Going Far!!!
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Ant Anstead is looking for a small change of scenery ... TMZ has learned he's sold his O.C. home, but he's hoping to stay in the neighborhood.
Real estate sources tell TMZ ... the "Celebrity IOU: Joyride" host sold his 3-bedroom, 2-bath, 1,968-square-foot Laguna Beach pad on Monday with the closing price of $3.1 million. Ant bought the place for $2.8 million a few years back.
We're told he plans to find a new place in Laguna, although he hasn't found the right spot to call home just yet -- but he's not the only one leaving his old block.
Our sources say Ant's GF Renée Zellweger moved out of the house across the street from Ant's home last summer. As we reported, Renée started renting that place in November 2021 for $30k/month.
You'll recall, the Discovery+ personality listed his pad in October of last year and began storing his stuff at Renée's home.
At the time, our sources made it clear, Ant's intentions were NOT to move in with her ... and we're told that's still the case.
Whoever snagged Ant's now-former pad got quite the spread -- it has cool features like vaulted ceilings, a brick fireplace for those SoCal winter nights (climate change, bro) and a sunroom that can be transformed into a studio.
Plus, there's a wraparound deck to take in incredible Pacific Ocean views -- those are great year-round, even in the winter.
Azita Sadeghi of Compass held the listing.