Today the Rams qualified for their first Super Bowl game since 2002. Although Yolanda isn’t the biggest football fan, we still love LA so we’re happy with that. But more importantly, this is the perfect excuse to discuss the new Malibu home of Rams bigwig Samuel Lester “Les” Snead.
And since all our recent stories have featured obscene eight-figure pricetags, we thought a property attainable for the Average Joe & Jane a worthy diversion. While nearly $2.5 million for a house remains outta reach for most “normal” folks, it’s certainly a far cry from billionaires-only territory.
Les Snead has toiled as the Rams’ General Manager since 2012. According to Mr. Wiki Pedia, an NFL team’s general manager “typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the team during contract discussions with players.” And in Mr. Snead’s GM position, Yolanda believes, he reports directly to Rams team owner (and real estate baller) Stan Kroenke.
A native of rural Eufaula, Alabama, Mr. Snead began his career in the mid-nineties as a pro scout for the Jacksonville Jaguars and later for the Atlanta Falcons before securing his lucrative Rams job (back in 2012). We don’t know how much our boy is worth, but the majority of NFL GMs typically earn in the low seven figures annually.
On the personal side, 48-year-old Mr. Snead is married to former sports personality Kara Henderson. Though the couple have no children together, they are quite the blended family — he’s got two teenage kids from a prior marriage and she has a teenage son, also from a prior marriage.
Mr. Snead’s new home is located in Malibu West, a subdivision of approximately 200 tract houses, nearly all of them built in the 1960s and 70s. The community is one of the most affordable in Malibu and features a family-friendly neighborhood vibe. To reinforce that feelin’, Mr. Snead’s property is surrounded by a white picket fence beside the sidewalk.
Property records show the petite 1962 cottage has 4 beds and 3 baths in a humble 2,315-square-feet of living space. Last sold in 2012 for just $1,025,000, the home has since been remodeled, with the interiors done up in a very neutral color scheme. We hope Mr. Snead and Ms. Henderson have some colorful art — or a good decorator — to inject some fun into this place.
Wide-plank hardwood floors flow throughout the single-story casa. To the left of the foyer is a wing containing three bedrooms — including the master suite — to the right is the fourth bedroom. Straight ahead is the living room with its double-sided fireplace and vaulted ceiling.
Just off the living room is the formal dining space (which sports a mildly charming window seat) and an all-white kitchen with marble countertops and high-grade stainless appliances. Sliding glass doors lead to the to a rear porch.
The master suite includes a walk-in closet plus a bathroom with dual vanities and built-in soaking tub. Two smaller bedrooms just outside the suite share a hallway bathroom. Mr. Snead might consider knockin’ down a few walls to expand the master and convert the place into a 3-bed/3-bath situation. Just a thought.
The listing touts the “enormous” .42-acre lot with its “600 square foot blue stone patio and fire table/pit.” Towering sycamore trees shade the backyard’s lush grasses, and privacy hedges keep out prying neighborly eyes. Just off the pool is an outdoor shower for the exhibitionist in Mr. Snead.
Best of all, the property is a five-minute skip to the beach and a two-minute jaunt to Malibu’s rustic-chic Trancas Country Market (owned by Walmart heiress Paige Laurie, but we digress).
Yes, it should be noted that this place lacks many of the luxury features seen in other homes Yolanda regularly profiles. There’s no media room, no lounge, no wet bar, no library or office. And don’t even bother looking for a family room — you won’t find one here. But who needs all that in a wee beach house?
And the price for all this? Just $2,450,000. As Malibu homes for under $2.5 million go — especially ones that are walking distance to the sand — this is about as good as it gets.
Listing agent: Robert Mahterian, HomeSmart Evergreen Realty
Les Snead’s agent: Chris Cortazzo, Coldwell Banker