Michael “Flea” Balzary chose to put his quirky architectural residence nestled in the La Crescenta foothills of Los Angeles up for sale for $9.8 million back in early 2022, having previously acquired a $14 million spread in the steep mountains above Beverly Hills and owning a small getaway in the prestigious Malibu Colony gated community. Less than two years later, the Red Hot Chili Pepper bassist’s prestigious property in the unincorporated area close to Glendale has resurfaced for sale, with a price tag of little less than $7 million, according to TMZ.
Even with the 875-square-foot extension that was built on the property in 2021 and the pool and cottage that were added in 2020, it’s still a lot more than the $4.3 million Balzary paid modern artists Lari Pittman and Roy Dowell for the property in 2018.
Situated approximately 20 miles north of Downtown Los Angeles, the hilltop compound is tucked away down a long driveway and sits amid a “curated succulent garden” that borders the Angeles National Forest. It has two main dwellings: a glassy main house designed in 2009 by Los Angeles-based architect Michael Maltzan, and a 1950s home built especially for his secretary Dorothy Serulnic and her husband George in the 1950s by renowned modernist architect Richard Neutra.
Also on the premises are a striking accessory cabin clad entirely in redwood, an outdoor movie pavilion, and sweeping mountain and city lights views from every vantage point. As for the main home, commissioned by Pittman and Dowell, it includes an impressive seven-sided structure wrapped around a central courtyard, along with the aforementioned recent Maltzan addition. Featured in Architectural Record, it’s garnered a trio of awards from the American Institute of Architects.
Known as the “Dorothy Serulnic Residence,” the original home is 1,350 square feet of refurbished living space with a stone fireplace, glass walls, and two bedrooms as well as a full bathroom. Neutra-designed built-ins are everywhere; imagine a sofa system with hidden speakers and a record player, in addition to multiple desks, shelving units, a dining room table, a sliding breakfast nook, and a vanity.
Along with Branden Williams of The Beverly Hills Estates, Rayni Williams of The Beverly Hills Estates, and Anthony Stellini and Sherri Rogers of Compass, the ad describes the property as “literally your own midcentury space station right here in Los Angeles.”