American musician
Moby bought a castle-like property in the Hollywood Hills for $3.925 million in 2010 and sold it four years later for $12.4 million.
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Moby → buy → million
The property, known as Wolf’s Lair, was built in 1927 and stands on 3.3 acres of land above Lake Hollywood in Los Angeles.
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property → know → Angeles
Its unusual architecture, location and views of some of the city's best-known landmarks made it a distinctive property.
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it → know → landmarks
According to Los Angeles Times, he purchased the estate from Jay Faires of Lionsgate Entertainment and Debbie Matenopoulos, a former co-host of the television programme The View.
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he → accord → programme
The purchase gave him ownership of a property that had been part of the Hollywood Hills for more than eight decades.
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that → give → decades
During his ownership, Moby restored the estate while retaining its original architectural character and period details.
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Moby → restore → character
The property was already known for its castle-like appearance, with its walls and gates separating it from the surrounding area.
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walls → know → area
Its position above Lake Hollywood also offered views of the Hollywood sign, downtown Los Angeles and the ocean.
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position → offer → sign
In November 2014, the Los Angeles Times reported that Moby had sold Wolf’s Lair for $12.4 million.
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Moby → report → million
Wolf’s Lair was built in 1927 by L. Milton Wolf, a developer associated with Hollywoodland.
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Lair → build → Hollywoodland
The estate takes its name from Wolf and is located in the Hollywood Hills, overlooking Lake Hollywood.
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estate → take → Hollywood
Unlike a conventional residential property, Wolf’s Lair was designed with a castle-like appearance.
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Lair → design → appearance
Its enclosed grounds, walls and gates gave it a distinct identity, while its elevated location provided wide views across Los Angeles.
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location → enclose → Angeles
The estate occupies approximately 3.3 acres, making the surrounding land an important part of the property.
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land → occupy → property
From its position, residents could see the Hollywood sign, the city's downtown area and the ocean.
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residents → see → sign
By the time Moby purchased the estate in 2010, the house was already more than 80 years old.
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house → purchase → 2010
Its history and architecture were among the features that distinguished it from other homes in the area.
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that → distinguish → area
The property had previously belonged to Jay Faires and Debbie Matenopoulos.
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property → belong → Faires
The estate nearing completion in 1928 (Picture available in public domain)
Moby’s restoration of Wolf’s Lair
After buying Wolf’s Lair, Moby undertook restoration work on the property.
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Moby → near → property
Rather than changing its established appearance completely, the work was intended to retain the period details that formed part of the estate's identity.
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that → change → identity
Preserving those features was significant because the house dated back to 1927.
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house → preserve → 1927
Its architectural style and castle-like appearance were closely connected to its history, and these remained part of the property following the restoration.
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these → connect → restoration
Moby owned Wolf’s Lair for approximately four years.
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Moby → own → years
During that period, the historic property remained a private residential estate, surrounded by its gated grounds in the Hollywood Hills.
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property → remain → Hills
The $12.4 million sale
Moby later explained that he decided to sell Wolf’s Lair because he wanted a simpler home.
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he → explain → home
In a
post published on his official website on December 6, 2014, the musician wrote, "so why did i sell?
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i → publish → December
Although he loved the property, he felt that the large estate was more elaborate than he needed.
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he → love → property
He added, "basically i wanted something simpler than a mountaintop castle."
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i → add → castle
The estate included a main house, a guesthouse designed by architect John Lautner and a pool house apartment.
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estate → include → Lautner
Together, the buildings had eight bedrooms, five-and-a-half bathrooms and approximately 6,500 square feet of living space.
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buildings → have → space
The grounds also featured a swimming pool and a terrace with a pergola-covered seating area.
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grounds → feature → area
The property retained several original architectural features, including coffered ceilings, carved and stencilled beams, turrets and gable windows.
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property → retain → ceilings
The Aporia
