Bing Crosby's California Estate Just Sold for an Incredible Sum
Someone just spent an exorbitant amount of money on a home that once belonged to Bing Crosby, where he hosted parties that often included stars like Marilyn Monroe and former president John F. Kennedy. Thanks to the sale, we can now peek inside the home and take a virtual tour.
Crosby's former home sold for just over $4 million last month, according to a report by TMZ. It is located in Rancho Mirage, California — a wealthy town in the southern part of the state not far from Los Angeles. Celebrities have been known to set up there, particularly during Crosby's time, when his neighbors included Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Lucille Ball, Bob Hope, Billie Dove and Gerald and Betty Ford. Crosby's old house has the best Rancho Mirage has to offer, including expansive views of the surrounding desert and mountains as well as extravagant amenities within.
Crosby hosted some of the biggest A-list events of the 20th century at this house, and his friendship with Kennedy is particularly notable in that context. The former president reportedly ate there so often that there was an entire guest house on the property nicknamed the "JFK Wing." There's no word yet on whether that name will stick with the new owners.
The house has a total of 6,700 square feet of living space, including five bedrooms. The buyer was not named publicly in the sale but they were represented by real estate agent Fred Dapp of The Agency. The sellers were represented by David Emerson and Alexandra Trejo of Compass.
It's worth noting that even a property like this is not immune to the current volatile real estate market. The house has been for sale since December of 2021, and it reportedly started with a $4.5 million asking price. The fact that it sold for nearly half a million dollars less is likely due to the ongoing economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Crosby was one of the biggest stars of his generation as both a singer and an actor. He was a pioneer in the world of celebrity as we know it today, rising to prominence alongside the growth in the technologies that connected him with the world. During his career, he recorded over 1,600 songs and over 70 feature films.
Crosby was married twice and had seven children – four in his first marriage and three in his second. It's not clear when he owned the Rancho Mirage home or whether or not it was the primary residence for either of his families, though either way it is clearly a place with a lot of history.