“Black-ish” creator Kenya Barris is hoping to turn a modest profit on one of the most spectacular celebrity homes in Beverly Hills. Barris has listed his ultra-modern Benedict Canyon mansion for $20.8 million, a little more than three years after paying DJ and producer Zedd $18.4 million for the property.
If the house sells anywhere near asking, Barris would walk away with a roughly $2.4 million increase over his purchase price before accounting for commissions, taxes, carrying costs, and whatever money he has spent maintaining or improving the estate. And if this particular mansion looks familiar, that’s because we’ve been following it for years.
Zedd’s $16 Million Beverly Hills Mansion
Zedd purchased the home for $16 million in 2018, several years after his breakout success with songs like “Clarity” and “Stay.” The property sits behind gates at the end of a secluded cul-de-sac in Beverly Hills’ Benedict Canyon neighborhood, just below Mulholland Drive. Built in 2016, the residence spans roughly 11,000 square feet across two levels and sits on an enormous 3.2-acre hillside lot.
Zedd initially tried to cash out in 2021 when he listed the mansion for $26.5 million. That price turned out to be ambitious. After failing to find a buyer, Zedd relisted the property for $23 million in 2022.
Eventually, Kenya Barris came along and struck a deal for $18.4 million in early 2023. So while Zedd didn’t get anywhere close to his original $26.5 million asking price, he still sold for $2.4 million more than he had paid five years earlier.
Inside The Mansion
The five-bedroom, nine-bathroom home is the kind of place that feels designed specifically for a music producer or Hollywood power player. A long walkway crosses a reflecting pool before reaching a massive pivoting wooden front door. Inside, the entrance opens to an atrium built around a water feature and mature olive tree. From there, steps lead down into a huge open-concept great room surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass, with panoramic views stretching across the canyons and mountains toward the ocean.
The kitchen includes not one but two built-in Korean barbecue charcoal grills, while a separate prep kitchen connects to a formal dining room wrapped in brick and topped with a wood-paneled ceiling. There’s also a soundproof movie theater equipped with a 4K laser projector, a billiards room, a rooftop deck, and multiple indoor-outdoor entertaining areas.
The primary suite takes up an entire floor and includes a fireplace, private balcony, two walk-in closets, and a bathroom with a steam shower. Four additional bedrooms on the lower level open directly to the backyard, where you’ll find an infinity-edge swimming pool and spa, outdoor kitchen and dining area, fire pit, large lawn, and sweeping canyon views. A standalone one-bedroom guesthouse and four-car garage complete the compound.
Kenya Barris’s Real Estate Portfolio
Barris isn’t exactly scrambling for a place to live if the Beverly Hills home sells. He still owns at least two other major Los Angeles-area properties. In 2017, he paid approximately $2.9 million for a home in Encino, and in 2021, he paid $7.25 million for a large residence in Toluca Lake.
So even after putting the $20.8 million Benedict Canyon estate on the market, Barris still has roughly $10 million worth of Los Angeles real estate based simply on the original purchase prices of those two properties. For someone who created “Black-ish,” helped develop “America’s Next Top Model,” signed a production deal with Netflix that was once valued at more than $100 million, and has written or produced films including “Girls Trip,” “Coming 2 America,” “You People,” and “White Men Can’t Jump,” it’s a fairly fitting portfolio.
Meanwhile, Zedd Upgraded
Zedd didn’t exactly downsize after selling this place to Barris. In 2021, while he still owned the Beverly Hills mansion, he paid $15.2 million for Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner’s Encino estate. Then, in 2023, he spent another $18.4 million on a massive Nordic-inspired Encino compound nicknamed “Odin.” That house spans roughly 18,000 square feet and includes amenities such as a bowling alley, movie theater, wellness center, guesthouse, and Junior Olympic-sized swimming pool.
Zedd subsequently listed his previous Encino mansion for $19 million, eventually selling it to Meghan Trainor for $17.1 million.
So this Beverly Hills mansion has already served as one stop in an increasingly expensive game of celebrity real estate musical chairs. Zedd paid $16 million, Kenya Barris paid Zedd $18.4 million, and now Barris wants just under $21 million.
We’ll see who moves in next.
