This SoCal Estate Was Once Home to Bing Crosby. Now It Can Be Yours for $13.5 Million.
Though Bing Crosby passed away in October 1977 at age 73, the legendary star’s legacy lives on at the Palm Desert estate he once called home, not to mention the 300 million-plus records he sold and over 50 films he starred in throughout his lengthy career. Since revamped by its current owners, the Coachella Valley oasis is now on the market in the exclusive Ironwood Country Club community about 15 miles from Palm Springs for $13.5 million.
One of several California desert properties Crosby laid claim to through the years, this particular residence was built in the mid-1950s and has been touted as the site of an alleged tryst between President John F. Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe in the ’60s. Last purchased in 2012 for around $3 million by retired healthcare executive Randall Burt and his attorney wife Julia, the place has since been fully renovated in keeping with its legacy and heritage per the listing, which is held by Susan Canavan and Deirdre Coit of Canavan Coit & Associates at Compass.
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Resting amid a two-and-a-half-acre gated parcel with views of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto mountains, the Spanish-style dwelling features a main house and a trio of guest casitas—for a total of five bedrooms and seven baths in 6,100 square feet. Highlights include a living room sporting a fireplace, plus floor-to-ceiling glass doors spilling out to a fireside terrace ideal for alfresco entertaining. An adjacent dining area connects to a kitchen outfitted with quartz countertops and dual eat-in islands, while a lounge area has a seated bar and a glass-enclosed wine display.
Sequestered off by themselves are two bedrooms, which include a primary suite that comes with a walk-in closet and a spa-inspired bath flaunting a soaking tub and two-person shower. Like most spaces in the attractive abode, the bedrooms are accessible to the palm tree-laced grounds, which are showcased by a mosaic-tiled pool and spa surrounded by a grassy lawn and sundecks, as well as tennis and bocce courts. There’s also a spacious motor court flanked by an attached three-car garage.
As first reported by The Wall Street Journal, the Burts are selling because they are getting older and want to downsize. If the place goes for anywhere near the asking price it would be one of the priciest sales in the vicinity, topping a Richard Neutra-designed spread in Palm Springs that traded hands in spring 2022 for just over $13 million.
Often revered for his crooning voice and relaxed humor, Crosby gained fame in the 1930s when he garnered a CBS radio show in New York City. He went on to appear in numerous movies, such as the box-office hit Holiday Inn, in which he sang White Christmas. The Washington-born actor is still regarded as “one of the best-loved and most highly respected figures in theatrical history,” with his accolades including a best actor Oscar for his role as a priest in Going My Way. In the San Diego area, he’s also known for creating the first celebrity pro-am golf tournament and helping build the Del Mar Racetrack.
Click here for more photos of Bing Crosby’s former Palm Desert home.
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