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Top Sales: Spec homes and celebrities fuel a red-hot November market

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After a quiet October that saw no deals north of $20 million, Southern California’s luxury real estate market came roaring back in November, with three homes trading hands for more than $30 million — including two on the same street.

Here’s a closer look at the priciest deals that went down in Southern California last month.

$47 million — Beverly Hills

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November’s biggest deal was in the 90210, where Nile Niami’s extravagant spec mansion, dubbed Opus, sold to San Marino real estate developer Bin Fen Cheng for $47 million.

It’s a massive sale but far shy of the original $100-million price tag when it first listed in 2017 (alongside a racy marketing campaign that involved a house tour filled with luxury cars and scantily clad women).

At a colossal 20,000 square feet, the Paul McLean-designed mega-mansion fits in seven bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, two pools, a car museum, billiards room, indoor spa and movie theater. It claims a promontory lot on Billionaires’ Row overlooking the city below.

Branden and Rayni Williams of the Beverly Hills Estates handled both ends of the deal.

$33.75 million — Beverly Hills

The second-priciest home sale took place just down the street, where an empty acre on Billionaires’ Row traded hands for $33.75 million — a huge haul for a prized patch of dirt.

The owner was none other than media mogul David Geffen, who made a decent profit after paying $30 million for the land last year. The buyer is investor Randall Van Wolfswinkel, The Times confirmed.

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Although it sits empty, the plot comes with plans for a 24,500-square-foot showplace that calls for seven bedrooms, 14 bathrooms, a bowling alley, nightclub, salon, gym and 140-foot swimming pool. Views stretch from downtown Los Angeles to the ocean.

Kurt Rappaport of Westside Estate Agency held the listing. Barbara Duskin of Hilton & Hyland represented the buyer.

$33.3 million — Montecito

November’s bronze medal goes to Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, the house-flipping power couple who sold their Bali-inspired estate in Montecito for $33.3 million.

The pair quickly found a buyer after they brought it to market for $39.9 million in October.

Decked-out during their stay, the 9-acre spread combines three parcels with a stylish main house full of wood, marble, tile and glass, as well as a guesthouse, security office, pickleball court, cabana, gym, pond and pool. Mountains line the horizon behind the property, with the ocean below.

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Riskin Partners Group, a division of Village Properties, handled both ends of the deal.

$24.86 million — Malibu

Investor Mitch Lasky made quite an investment in Malibu, where he shelled out $24.86 million for an oceanfront Midcentury in the exclusive enclave of Broad Beach. He wasn’t finished there, though; records show he also spent about $15 million on the house next door.

The Midcentury is the larger of the two, combining three lots for a total of 1.3 acres overlooking the ocean. Wood and glass enhance the interiors, and a second-story deck hangs above the backyard with 126 feet of beach frontage. There’s also a guesthouse, gym and volleyball court set among gardens and sand dunes.

Elisabeth Halsted of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties held the listing. Ellen Francisco of Coldwell Banker represented the buyer.

$21 million — Santa Ynez

In Beverly Hills, $33.75 million bought an empty acre. In Santa Ynez, $21 million bought 4,700 acres.

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The seller, former Goldman Sachs partner Fred Steck, wanted $45 million for the massive retreat in 2016, records show.

Tucked among the rolling hills of Santa Ynez Valley, the horse ranch known as Rancho Latigo includes a 14,000-square-foot mansion, three-bedroom guesthouse, 10,000-square-foot barn, 11-stall stable and a series of pastures and riding arenas. For those looking to skip the drive, there’s also a helipad.

Aaron Kirman and Neyshia Go of Compass held the listing.

$18.5 million — Bel-Air

Oscar-nominated actress JoBeth Williams and her husband, “The Santa Clause” director John Pasquin, parted with their Mediterranean villa along the links of Bel-Air Country Club for $18.5 million.

The couple, who were originally asking $30 million for the estate, picked up a place in Pacific Palisades for $9.8 million earlier this year.

The property spans 2.5 acres, making it the second-largest of the 48 homes that line the Bel-Air Country Club golf course. At the center sits a vibrant stucco home designed by Gerard Colcord, an architect whose plethora of Southern California homes have been lived in by celebrities such as Bob Newhart, Dean Martin and Nicolas Cage.

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Kurt Rappaport of Westside Estate Agency held the listing. Jade Mills of Coldwell Banker Realty represented the buyer.

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