LL Cool J Sells Encino Estate in Royal Oaks Community

LL Cool J has found a buyer for his Encino contemporary home in the Los Angeles neighborhood’s tony Royal Oaks community, according to the MLS and the buyer’s agent.

A mystery buyer paid $4.9 million for the property at 15641 Meadowgate Road earlier this month. The purchase price was a discount on the five-bed, six-bath home that originally hit the market in May for just under $6 million. The property was last listed at $5.2 million.

eXp Realty of Greater Los Angeles’ Jahi Johnson represented the buyer. The listing agents were Douglas Elliman’s Josh Altman and Coldwell Banker Realty’s Deborah Bremner.

Johnson declined to provide details about the buyer.

“Encino’s been affected like the broader market,” Johnson said of dealmaking in the neighborhood this year. “There’s been less transactions because of interest rates and there have been a lot of people sitting on the sidelines.”

The two-level residence, built in 2017, has vaulted ceilings, two living rooms and a chef’s kitchen, according to the Zillow listing. Outdoors, there’s a pool house, a pool and spa, and a BBQ.

The property sits on nearly half an acre within the Royal Oaks gated community, where several other celebrities have bought or sold homes over the years. That high-profile roster includes former professional baseball player Jimmy Rollins, DJ Zedd, Michael B. Jordan, Kelly Clarkson and Joe Jonas.

The neighborhood, along with other parts of the San Fernando Valley, is popular among those looking to pay less for more space. The median price of an Encino home sold in November was $1.2 million, down from just under $2 million a year ago, according to Realtor.com data.

Property records show LL Cool J, whose real name is James Smith, and his wife Simone Smith paid $4.3 million for the home in 2018.

The sale price allows the couple to avoid the city of Los Angeles’ Measure ULA tiered tax. Oftentimes referred to as the mansion tax, ULA applies a 4 percent tax on commercial or residential properties starting at $5.15 million and 5.5 percent on those sold for $10.3 million or more.