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Ruth Ryon, Senior Real Estate Columnist

She has appeared on TV with Oprah Winfrey, Joan Rivers and Leeza Gibbons, and she was on a “CBS, This Morning” aerial tour of celebrity homes with Harry Smith and on a Channel 7 “Eyewitness News” helicopter report with Ann Martin, talking about mansion-mania” in L.A.’s Westside.

Her L.A. Times column has been quoted in the New Yorker, the Hollywood Reporter and the New Republic.

“Hot Property” has frequently been on the hot seat for radio shows as diverse as Harry Shearer’s NPR hit “Le Show” and Howard Stern’s nationally syndicated morning talk show. She was a regular on KNX Radio with Linda Nunez on Sundays for more than five years.

But whether she’s been humorously characterized in the New Republic, glowingly mentioned in a New Yorker “Lettter From Los Angeles” by Joan Didion, or hailed as the nation’s foremost authority on celebrity real estate by CNBC in New York and Florida, former L.A. Times columnist Ruth Ryon is all business, her stories developed through research, investigative reporting and tips from a wide net of sources.

Ruth’s experience and background have meshed to make her uniquely qualified as the expert on celebrity real estate. Her solid journalist background, crowned by 30 years at the L.A.. Times and a masters in journalism from the University of Califoirnia, Berkeley, are indicative of the quality this award-winning journalist brought to her beat until April, when she took a buyout to write a book, now in the hands of a publisher.

One of the most popular columns in the paper since Ruth created it in 1984, “Hot Property” regularly broke stories about celebrities buying, selling, building,, remodeling and re-designing their homes, “Hot Property was distributed by the L.A. Times/Washington Post News Service to more than 1,000 newspapers across the U.S. and nearly the same number worldwide.

Since the first “Hot Property,” which led with Johnny Carson’s purchase of a nearly $9-million home in Malibu, it’s been “a scoop a week,” says Ruth, whose column has featured hundreds of TV, movie, rock and sports stars as well as royalty and other notables.

Record mogul/producer David Geffen’s $47.5-million purchase of the Jack Warner estate and the Sultan of Brunei’s purchase of the Beverly Hills Hotel and several residences are just a few of the stories that broke in the column.

Ruth comes by her interest in real estate and celebrities naturally. While she spent most of her childhood in Oregon, her mother lived in Hollywood during World War II, and Ruth grew up hearing stories about Hollywood during those Golden Years and the work of her great aunt, a film editor at Paramount.

After moving to Hollywood for her senior year and graduating from Hollywood High School, Ruth studied Theatre Arts at UCLA alongside director Rob Reiner, actress Karen Black and writer/actor Larry Bishop, son of comedian Joey Bisho. While going to UCLA, Ruth worked as a movie/play reviewer for the Citizen-News in Hollywood.

After U.C. Berkeley, she had a job editing a weekly in Folsom, in Northern California, then a job as general assignment reporter for Copley, covering race riots in Monrovia, Calif., and a mid-air plane collision over Duarte, a small town nearby.

Ruth was also editor of a TV tabloid for the three small dailies published in Monrovia by Copley, including the Alhambra Post-Advocate, and she covered first-nighters at the Music Center, pre-release screenings and the Academy Awards.

Along the way, Ruth also won an investigative reporting award from the National Assn. of Real Estate Executives for a four-part series she wrote on the pitfalls of resort time sharing.

Eric Clapton to Lease His 45 Acre Antigua Island Estate

Posted by Ruth Ryon 10/23/09 8:30 AM

Rock 'n' Roller Eric Clapton, who is in his 60's, is offering his 45-acre estate on Antigua at $50,000 a week, a New York real estate source said.The home, known as "Standfast Point," was built in 2,000 at a... Read More
Richard Gere and Carey Lowell Sell Hamptons Home

Posted by Ruth Ryon 10/16/09 8:15 AM

Actor Richard Gere and his wife, actress Carey Lowell, have had several homes in the Hamptons and elsewhere for years now, but they have just sold one of their Hampton homes for $5.9 million.The traditional house of 5,500 square... Read More
Shaquille O'Neal Sells His Miami Beach Mansion for $16 Million

Posted by Ruth Ryon 07/03/09 8:00 AM

After four years and a number of price cuts, former L.A. Lakers star Shaquille O'Neal has finally sold his Miami Beach mansion for $16 million.The NBA star, traded this week to Cleveland, paid $18.8 million for the house, first... Read More
Red Hot Chili Peppers Bass Guitarist Lists Malibu Home for $13.6 Million

Posted by Ruth Ryon 06/26/09 8:00 AM

Flea, the bass guitarist with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, has listed his home on a Malibu bluff at slightly more than $13.6 million.Flea at Lakers-Rockets game The rocker, also known as Michael Balzary, plans to move to a... Read More
Britney Spears --- Again???

Posted by Ruth Ryon 06/19/09 8:00 AM

Britney Spears That's correct--the pop star has put her Beverly Hills -area home back on the market, this time at $6,499,000. The last time she listed it, she was asking $7.9 million for it, but that was way back in... Read More
Prince William and Heiress Kate Middleton Look at Houses on the Market in Malibu

Posted by Ruth Ryon 06/12/09 8:00 AM

Prince William and his girlfriend, heiress Kate Middleton, recently left the rest of the Royal Rat Pack for a weekend so the United Kingdom's hottest couple could look at houses on the market in Malibu.Prince William & Kate Middleton What?... Read More
Sandy Gallin Lists His Bel-Air Home for $32 Million

Posted by Ruth Ryon 06/05/09 8:00 AM

Sandy Gallin has simultaneously enjoyed two Hollywood careers for years--one as a talent manager for such stars as Dolly Parton, Barbra Streisand and Michael Jackson, the other as a creator of restored and expanded housing for such notables as saxophonist... Read More
Tom Lennon Purchases Hancock Park Home for $2,175,000

Posted by Ruth Ryon 05/29/09 8:00 AM

Tom Lennon in 20th Century Fox's Reno 911 Tom Lennon, also known as Lt. Jim Dangle on Comedy Central's "Reno 911!" (2003-09), and his wife, actress Jenny Robertson, have purchased a home in the Hancock Park area for $2,175,000, and... Read More
Kelsey Grammer Sells His Bel-Air Home For $3.3 million

Posted by Ruth Ryon 05/22/09 8:00 AM

Kelsey & Camille Grammer Kelsey Grammer, star of the sitcom "Frasier," and his wife, Camille, have sold a 7,600-square-foot house in the Bel-Air area of Los Angeles for $3.3 million, slightly less than the actor paid for it in... Read More
Comedian Byron Allen Sells Hollywood Hills Home for $6.25M

Posted by Ruth Ryon 05/15/09 8:00 AM

Byron Allen, the comedian and talk-show host, bought a home in the Hollywood Hills for his mom, but she had other ideas: She wanted to live in a gated community, where she perceived she would have more security.So Allen listed... Read More
Suzanne Somers Hot For Malibu

Posted by Ruth Ryon 05/08/09 8:00 AM

Suzanne SomersActress Suzanne Somers and her husband, former game-show host Alan Hamel, have leased a home on the beachfront in Malibu for close to $30,000 a month, according to the Multiple Listing Service. The couple leased the 3,600-square-foot house, because... Read More
Mariah Carey considers buying one of the most expensive estates in the world

Posted by Ruth Ryon 05/01/09 8:00 AM

It looked like a cold news day when singer Mariah Carey and her husband, actor-rapper Nick Cannon, started talking about buying "the most expensive estate in the world." Mariah Carey They decided it was a home listed at $125 million.... Read More
Actor Val Kilmer no longer looking to sell parts of 6,000-acre New Mexico ranch

Posted by Ruth Ryon 04/24/09 8:00 AM

Actor Val Kilmer says he is no longer looking to sell parts of his 6,000-acre ranch in New Mexico. Now the star of "Batman Forever,""The Saint," "Tombstone" and other films is seeking a buyer for the whole enchilada, and its... Read More
Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner Purchase Westside Home for $20M

Posted by Ruth Ryon 04/17/09 8:00 AM

After many months of shopping for a home on the Westside, the multi-talented, Oscar-winning Ben Affleck and his wife, actress Jennifer Garner, have purchased one for about $20 million.Brian Grazer It was the home of Oscar-winning producer Brian Grazer and... Read More
Diane Keaton puts Spanish Colonial Revival on the Market for $12M

Posted by Ruth Ryon 04/10/09 8:00 AM

Every once in awhile, Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton puts on one of her other favorite hats by finishing a major house restoration.Diane Keaton This time it's not only one of her favorite things to do, it's also one of her... Read More
Don Imus Puts Connecticut Waterfront Compound on the Market at $30 million

Posted by Ruth Ryon 04/03/09 8:00 AM

Don Imus, host of the ABC Networks radio show "Imus in the Morning", has put his Connecticut waterfront compound on the market at $30 million. The compound has a white clapboard, Georgian Revival-style main house with 16 rooms in... Read More
Dr. McDreamy Puts Bel-Air Home On The Market

Posted by Ruth Ryon 03/28/09 8:05 AM

Dr. McDreamy puts his Bel-Air home on the market Actor Patrick Dempsey, known to his fans as the handsome Dr. McDreamy on "Grey's Anatomy," has put his New England traditional in Bel-Air on the market at just under $3.6 million.... Read More
Candy Spelling Lists Holmby Hills Home for $150M; Highest Asking Price in United States

Posted by Ruth Ryon 03/28/09 5:00 AM

(LOS ANGELES, CA) -- Candy Spelling, widow of prolific TV producer Aaron Spelling, has put her Holmby Hills home, known as "The Manor," on the market at $150 million. It is believed to be the highest asking price for a single-family home in the United States. Read More
Hefners List House Where Sons Were Raised

Posted by Ruth Ryon 03/20/09 7:55 AM

Hugh Hefner and his wife, Kimberley, bought a home about a dozen years ago that they have just put on the market for close to $28 million. The couple purchased the home, next to the party-friendly Playboy mansion in Holmby... Read More
A-Rod Makes Deal Near Sheik's Unit

Posted by Ruth Ryon 03/13/09 8:00 AM

Yankee star Alex Rodriguez has gone to contract on selling his Trump Park Avenue apartment, listed most recently at $10 million. At the same time, A-Rod's neighbor, Sheik Abdul Aziz al-Thani of Qatar, cut the asking price on his... Read More
H-e-ere's to a great 86th today, Ed!

Posted by Ruth Ryon 03/06/09 9:00 AM

Ed McMahon, Johnny Carson's longtime sidekick on "The Tonight Show" is "hanging in there," according to Howard Bragman, McMahon's publicist, "and we're optimistic, because he is a fighter."Ed McMahon Bragman is just one of many fans who have been rooting... Read More
Courtney Love Rents Hollywood Hills Mediterranean Estate

Posted by Ruth Ryon 02/26/09 3:40 PM

Just before the Academy Awards ceremony this year, "The Wrestler" star Mickey Rourke text-messaged rocker Courtney Love for a date, and the rest, as they say, is history. Mickey Rourke, by Granitz First, they both won awards from Elle in... Read More
Randolph Duke Puts Award-Winning Hollywood Hills Home On The Market

Posted by Ruth Ryon 02/20/09 10:04 AM

Just in time for this year's Academy Awards, Randolph Duke, who has designed dresses for several stars who went on to win Oscars, has put his award-winning Hollywood Hills home on the market at close to $7.9 million. The home,... Read More
Tony Parker & Eva Longoria Place San Antonio Home on Market

Posted by Ruth Ryon 02/12/09 2:25 PM

Basketball star Tony Parker, of the San Antonio Spurs, and his wife, actress Eva Longoria Parker, of the ABC series "Desperate Housewives," have put their home in San Antonio, Texas, on the market for about $900,000. The couple, married in... Read More
Miguel Ferrer Puts Hidden Hills Home On The Market

Posted by Ruth Ryon 02/06/09 8:28 AM

Actor Miguel Ferrer, son of actress-singer Rosemary Clooney and Oscar-winning actor Jose Ferrer, has put his Hidden Hills home on the market at just under $5 million. Miguel Ferrer, courtesy of Carol Segal & NBC Entertainment executive Lori Weintraub, Miguel... Read More
David Hasselhoff Withdraws Encino Home

Posted by Ruth Ryon 01/30/09 7:56 AM

David Hasselhoff, who starred in the TV series "Baywatch," listed his Encino home at $5.95 million in early January, and then the actor withdrew it about a week later. David Hasselhoff Did he change his mind and decide to keep... Read More
Beck Sells Malibu Home

Posted by Ruth Ryon 01/27/09 11:37 PM

Beck is on the go again, this time on a world tour to promote "Modern Guilt," his latest album. At the same time, the musician, who goes by his first name only, hopes to sell his Malibu home. Beck Along... Read More
Olivia Newton John Sells Malibu Home

Posted by Ruth Ryon 01/23/09 4:58 AM

Olivia Newton John has done her share of moving around Malibu, CA and now that the singer-actress from Down Under has sold the home she had listed most recently at $11,495,000, she's on the move again, according to local real... Read More
Fight Promoter Lists Florida Estate

Posted by Ruth Ryon 01/15/09 10:28 PM

(PALM BEACH, FL) -- Don King, world renowned promoter of boxing stars including Muhammad Ali, Smokin' Joe Frazier, 'Big' George Foreman, 'Iron' Mike Tyson, Evander 'The Real Deal' Holyfield and Sugar Ray Leonard, pulls no punches when it comes to... Read More
King of Pop Rents in Bel Air

Posted by Ruth Ryon 01/13/09 9:00 AM

Michael Jackson, "The King of Pop," has rented a gated Bel-Air home for a regal $100,000 a month. Jackson, 50, left the state after he was acquitted of the charges in 2005. Now he wants to be closer to the city for his three children. This is the second time in several years that Jackson has rented on the Westside. Read More
Jakob Dylan of Wallflowers to pull up Roots

Posted by Ruth Ryon 01/06/09 10:06 AM

Jakob Dylan, singer-songwriter son of the famous Bob Dylan, has put his Brentwood estate on the market at $11 million.Dylan, 39, is the youngest of the great one's four children and is best known as the lead singer and songwriter... Read More
Kardashians List House, Filmed in E! Reality Show

Posted by Ruth Ryon 12/29/08 9:00 AM

Kris Kardashian and her spouse, former Olympic decathlon champion Bruce Jenner, have listed their Hidden Hills home at just under $4 million.The one-story estate, on an acre of lush grounds, is where the E! network reality TV show "Keeping Up... Read More
When the Star is a Building, Not the Owner...

Posted by Ruth Ryon 12/15/08 11:30 AM

(SOUTHWEST FLORIDA) -- There is a house here that is a star named "Buena Vista" for its beautiful views. But Buena Vista is far more than a pretty face.(Photos by Gregory Zasinets)The home was built in 1992 to create a... Read More
Celebrity Buyers and Sellers Stimulate High-End Market

Posted by Ruth Ryon 12/12/08 9:57 AM

(LOS ANGELES, CA) -- There is something in the air, and it isn't only Christmas. It's more like spring; or late summer, before the start of school. A few people are out looking to buy homes again, if celebrity shoppers... Read More
First Couple Buys Home in a Dallas Cul-de-Sac and Prepares to Sell Ranch

Posted by Ruth Ryon 12/10/08 10:14 PM

(DALLAS, TX) -- Now that his 8-year lease is almost up at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., President George W. Bush and his First Lady, Laura Bush, have purchased a Dallas home where they plan to live and carry out their new... Read More
DiCaprio Scores in Many Ways

Posted by Ruth Ryon 12/07/08 1:15 PM

(LOS ANGELES, CA) - Leonardo DiCaprio is a winner on many fronts, and the awards season hasn't even begun yet.DiCaprio co-stars with Kate Winslet, his "Titanic" co-star, in the upcoming movie "Revolutionary Road," which is already being described as an... Read More
Michael Jackson Leaves Neverland

Posted by Ruth Ryon 12/01/08 11:28 AM

(LOS ANGELES, CA) - Pop star Michael Jackson has signed over his Neverland Ranch, in the hills of Santa Barbara County's wine country, to several entities including the company that sold the property to him 20 years ago.Neverland Ranch Sycamore... Read More
Tony Gonzales of Kansas City Chiefs Lists Manhattan Beach Home

Posted by Ruth Ryon 11/25/08 10:19 AM

(LOS ANGELES, CA) - Tony Gonzales, tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, has listed his Manhattan Beach home at $3.9 million with Gibson International, a new realty firm based in Brentwood. A new realty firm in this economy? It doesn't... Read More
Snowbirds Flocking to Palm Springs

Posted by Ruth Ryon 11/13/08 9:44 PM

(LOS ANGELES, CA ) -- Snowbirds - people who come to California to get out of the winter snow where they live - are starting to flock to Palm Springs, and that means home sales in the desert may be... Read More
Westside Home Sale Highest Year to Date at Close to $40 Million

Posted by Ruth Ryon 11/07/08 12:02 PM

(LOS ANGELES, CA) - The sale of a Beverly Hills-area home for $36.7 million indicates that life is marching on despite the housing meltdown."It is the highest (price paid) year to date on the Westside," said real estate broker Cecelia... Read More
Diva's Hollywood Hills Home Still on Market

Posted by Ruth Ryon 10/29/08 2:19 PM

(LOS ANGELES, CA) - Priced at $7,995,000, singer Christina Aguilera's Hollywood Hills home can't be purchased for a song, but it is still on the market, and that's more than can be said of some other houses listed six months... Read More
Holyfield Estate May Be Auctioned

Posted by Ruth Ryon 10/14/08 5:48 AM

(ATLANTA, GA) - The estate worth $20M has a 54,000-square-foot home with 109 rooms, including 17 bathrooms, three kitchens and a two-lane bowling alley. Read More
Cher's $45 Million Malibu Home For Sale

Posted by Ruth Ryon 10/11/08 2:52 AM

(LOS ANGELES, CA) - The 14,000-square-foot villa was built to resemble an Italian Renaissance mansion. Read More
Nic Cage's Haunted House?

Posted by Ruth Ryon 10/06/08 11:24 PM

(LOS ANGELES, CA) - An aficionado of fine houses, Cage owns many. Read More
Who Can Fix The Housing Crisis?

Posted by Ruth Ryon 10/06/08 10:47 AM

Should the banks be helped because they made bad deals? Read More
Businessman Builds $1B Skyscraper As Home In India

Posted by Ruth Ryon 10/05/08 11:10 AM

(MUMBAI, India) - The next wave of skyscraper proposals will come in India. Read More
Spa Trend Still Hot In The Desert

Posted by Ruth Ryon 10/04/08 11:40 PM

(DESERT HOT SPRINGS, CA) - We're talking destination spas--the kind to enjoy for more than a day. Read More
The Russians Were Coming!

Posted by Ruth Ryon 09/20/08 9:19 AM

(LA LEOPOLDA, France) - Wealthy Russians are licking their wounds, trying to figure out what to do next. Read More