One of the main attractions when traveling to opulent locations is to check out celebrity homes. Lavish, decadent, and an esthetic feast for the eyes, residences of the rich and famous are a virtual magnet for tourists. Thanks to modern technology, the most avid star gazers can use Google Maps to scout locations.
When driving around notoriously celebrity-life neighborhoods such as Beverly Hills, it’s not difficult to find multi-million dollar homes. You can pick any street lined with sprawling estates, its landscaping so flawless that it looks like it has been nipped with a pair of tweezers. However, since Taylor Swift isn’t going to broadcast her name on her mailbox, identifying the homes of celebrities can be tricky.
Make the Most of Public Records
One way to pinpoint the home of a celebrity is to use the old-fashioned method of public records, such as Los Angeles County Public Records. Home sales are also commonly published in a newspaper or you can visit the record archive at the county courthouse or courthouse website. While this takes some effort and research, most well-planned vacations are generally thought out ahead of time. Real Estate sales records are a good source of information as well, including Velvet Ropes.com that offers photos of homes from recent transactions.
Use the Internet
Websites like VirtualGlobetrotting.com offer plenty of details about celebrity homes. For instance, the site includes an aerial shot of Charlie Sheen’s house in Beverly Hills. The information states that Sheen’s net worth is $125 million. Born with the birth name of Carlos Irwin Estevez, Sheen is the son of actor Martin Sheen and brother of Emilio Estevez. The photo of his house has zoom capability so that you can ogle his pool and tennis court.
Virtual Globetrotting offers a plethora of celebrity homes, including the Beverly Hills former residence of Paul Anka. Undoubtedly, his home is getting more hits due to the singer being one of the few who has agreed to perform at Donald Trump’s inauguration, only to bow out a day later.
Google Earth gives the most recent phase of celebrity homes Google Maps. In using this tool, you can zoom in on famous landmarks like the last home of Marilyn Monroe:
Don’t Be a Stalker
With a little research and innovation, it isn’t hard to locate individuals, especially when they have some notoriety. However, there’s a fine line between curious and creepy. Keep in mind that famous people are people too.
When pursuing your sightseeing hobby, try to think about how it would feel for you to live in a fishbowl. Well, that’s how a celebrity feels, pretty much all the time. Home is their one sanctuary, or perhaps the six sanctuaries, depending on how many homes the celebrity owns. Maybe there is a sanctuary in France, one in New Orleans, and a third in Florida. Nevertheless, each is still a place of privacy.
However, some of the homes of celebrities are actually places of public record that legitimately invite tourists to come and look. One that comes to mind is Elvis Presley’s Graceland, an effusive monstrosity in Memphis Tennessee.
There are many tools available for locating points of interest. With a little common sense, discretion and respect, you can enjoy a safe and unforgettable experience.
Sources
- VirtualGlobetrotting.com Paul Anka’s House Former
- Lonny.com http://www.lonny.com/Celebrity+Homes/articles