On the market: Marilyn Monroe’s Private Abode in Hollywood

Marilyn Monroe: hard-working and down-to-earth

While many of today’s movie stars seem to require lavish homes on multiple continents, iconic blond bombshell Marilyn Monroe purchased only one house for herself during her 36-year lifetime. With her demanding career, three failed marriages and constant public scrutiny, she opted for a charming and very private hacienda-style home at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac in Hollywood’s Brentwood community.

Privacy is essential

In her last interview, Marilyn told Life Magazine that she didn’t want them to take pictures of the inside of her house because it was important to her to keep it private. She wanted to use the guest house for friends who may be down on their luck and who needed a peaceful place to recover. She purchased the house in the early 1960s (after her divorces from New York Yankees star Joe DiMaggio and Pulitzer Prize winning writer Arthur Miller) for $75,000 – partially furnished – and her mortgage payments were just $320 a month.

In 2010, the property sold for $3.85 million.

The property

Situated on a private, gated half-acre, the 2,624-square-foot house is flanked by lush, green lawn and surrounded by stately landscaping and a citrus orchard. Built in 1929, the building retains all the beautiful architectural details that drew Marilyn to it: four bedrooms, three baths, cathedral ceilings with wood beams, a fireplace in the living room with Mexican tile hearth, casement windows, arched doorways, Saltillo tile floors, and her famous kidney-shaped swimming pool.

Outside is a tree-shaded brick patio overlooking the pool and the original guest house. A poignant arrangement of tiles at the front door proclaims “Cursum Perficio.” Translated, it means “My Journey is Over.” Was it an omen of what was to come?

Marilyn Monroe’s beloved home, the only one she ever purchased alone, is now for sale, priced at $6.9 million. Lisa Optican of Mercer Vine holds the listing.

For More Information

 Source: fifthhelenadr.mercervine.com                                                                                                   Photo credit – Lisa Optican/Mercer Vine