Maria Sharapova has reportedly scored a major real estate deal in Montecito, California. The Russian-born star has purchased a lavish property for $11.5 million in cash, according to Robb Report. Sharapova has been living in the United States since she was five years old. She has amassed a fortune of nearly $220 million in prize money and endorsements from brands like Nike, Porsche, and Evian (h/t Forbes). She also owns a successful candy line called Sugarpova, which she launched in 2012. The 36-year-old has a penchant for luxury homes, having previously owned properties in Manhattan Beach and Summerland (both in California), and a beachfront home in Florida. Sharapova’s latest acquisition is a sprawling estate that spans 3.3 acres of hillside land. It is located in Montecito, a coastal enclave that is home to celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The property boasts panoramic views of the ocean and the mountains, as well as lush gardens and lawns. The property that Sharapova bought was previously owned by Ann Lurie, a Chicago-based philanthropist and widow of real estate mogul Robert H. Lurie. Robert bought the estate in 2008 for $8.3 million. Ann had listed the estate for $12.9 million in November 2023, but Sharapova managed to snag it for $11.5 million (h/t Robb Report). The main house, which was designed by renowned architect Lockwood de Forest Jr. in 1949, features five bedrooms and a rustic yet elegant style. The interiors are filled with natural light, thanks to the walls of glass that open to the outdoors. The living room has a massive brick fireplace, while the kitchen has a sleek island and commercial-grade appliances. The master suite has a fireplace, a stainless steel tub, and sliding doors that lead to a terrace with a pool. Maria Sharapova opens up about moving to the United States without her mother Maria Sharapova recently shared insights into her childhood experience of living separated from her mother in the United States. Originally from Russia, Sharapova relocated to Florida with her father Yuri at a young age, while her mother Yelena stayed back in Russia. During a recent episode of the Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard podcast, she disclosed that she did not reunite with Yelena for two years after the move. “My mom didn’t join me for the first two years. I didn’t see her for two years. It’s very interesting looking back at it because I’m now a mother of a 16-month-old and I cannot imagine that type of separation,” Maria Sharapova said. The five-time Grand Slam champion added that instead of dwelling on the separation, her mother took a positive perspective on the situation. “It was a world of unknown simply because visas were so difficult to get at that time as they are now by the way. But she just put so much emphasis on the fact that, ‘What an amazing gift that her husband and daughter had the chance to go pursue a sport in the United States.’ I think she looked at it from that perspective.”
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