Recently our old pal Vlad the Revealer at Celebrity Address Aerial asked us who bought a fully renovated residence in the wilds of Encino. As many of y’all know, Encino is a suburban neighborhood way out in the big bad San Fernando Valley. Once upon a time — it wasn’t that many years ago, actually — almost nobody in Encino wanted to admit they were from Encino. (Think of the area as the red-headed stepchild of LA’s luxury markets). Nowadays, however, the unlikely Encino ‘hood is the hottest celebrity destination. Famous folks love the neighborhood for its family-friendly nature, its proximity to shops and restaurants, and the lack of those pesky tour buses that clog up Beverly Hills. Prices, of course, have soared.
Anyway, Yolanda’s ears perked up when Vlad mentioned the big “E” word, so we took a peek and discovered the new owner is a dude we ain’t ever heard of: Khalid Donnel Robinson. But three seconds of Googling reveals that Mr. Robinson — like Beyoncé and Omarosa, he’s known mononymously by his given name — is a very big deal in the music industry.
Though he’s barely out of his teens and first came to public recognition a mere two years ago, the R&B crooner Mr. Khalid has already established himself as a reliable hitmaker. His debut single, the mellow “Location“, was the 21st biggest hit of 2017 on the Billboard charts and has been certified 5x Platinum. The follow-up single “Young Dumb & Broke” also went Platinum, and his song “Love Lies“ went top 10 here in 2018. Oh, and his debut album American Teen was recently certified double-Platinum here in the states.
Last year, Mr. Khalid embarked on a nationwide tour. Every single location (pardon the pun) sold out, including a massive 1,500-seat arena in his hometown of El Paso, Texas (or Hell Paso, as Yolanda’s friend Lilly — a native of the area — calls it). So congrats, Mr. Khalid. Yolanda doubts you’ll have any trouble paying for your fancy new starter home.
Speaking of money, it appears that Mr. Khalid and/or his realtor are good negotiators. Though the property was listed at $2.2 million, records show he paid just $1,875,000 for the property. That’s a hefty 15%, $325,000 discount. Under $1.9 million for a fully renovated Encino home seems like a good deal.
Built in 1952 as a modest ranch-style residence, the 2,787-square-foot structure was recently updated in a trendy and inoffensive (if slightly generic) manner. For the record, we suspect the house was originally a single-level abode and the loft-like second story was added on at a later date.
The listing calls the house a “Contemporary Mediterranean retreat“, but Yolanda sees absolutely nothing Mediterranean about this place. We do agree, however, that this casa has undergone some very extensive contemporary plastic surgery — with varying degrees of success. We aren’t crazy about the all-grey exteriors or the cliché glass garage doors, but those are easy fixes. So let’s move on.
For any fans who think it might be cute to cruise around Encino lookin’ for Mr. Khalid, just pack up and go home. His house is not visible from the street-front — it’s set down a long driveway and privately behind a large security gate and overgrown ivy hedging.
The front door opens to a open-concept living area anchored by an expensive Calacatta marble fireplace smack-dab in the middle of the room. An adjacent kitchen includes high-end stainless appliances, Caesarstone quartz countertops and plenty of bar-style seating. Vaulted ceilings and fold-away walls of glass give the room an airy feel and open to the backyard terrace. Out there is a pool, firepit, and a sloped grassy lawn. The hillside .44-acre lot has views of trees.
There are 4 bedroom (all of them en-suite) and 4.5 bathrooms in Mr. Khalid’s new home. The master suite takes up the entire second floor and includes an all-new bathroom with glassy shower, built-in soaking tub and dual vanities. Off the large bedroom is a wraparound terrace with space for outdoor R&R.
The other three bedrooms are downstairs, tucked away in a private wing of the residence. All have hardwood floors and fully renovated bathrooms. One of the bedrooms is currently being used as an office — perhaps Mr. Khalid might want to convert that into a wee soundproofed music studio?
As noted in the listing, the Encino pad isn’t just a regular home, it’s a cool “smart home” with Nest technology and Sonos indoor/outdoor speakers. We imagine those features make will make Mr. Khalid’s home a regular party location destination — if it ain’t already.
Listing agents: Andrea Best & Shukura Shimura, Nourmand & Associates
Khalid’s agent: Haili Michaels, Brixton Gate Realty