Elon Musk is initiating steps to foreclose a house once owned by actor Gene Wilder. Musk first bought the house in 2013 for $6.75 million.
In 2020, Musk decided to sell the home to Wilder’s nephew Jordan-Walker Pearlman and his wife, Elizabeth Hunter. He wanted to make sure the house wasn’t knocked down and he agreed to sell it to Walker-Pearlman for $7 million, and loaned Pearlman $6.7 million in order to make the purchase affordable for him.
However, Walker-Pearlman and Hunter have not been able to keep up with the loan repayment and so Musk has filed a notice of default.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the notice is the first step in foreclosure proceedings and gives the Tesla billionaire a chance to force a sale of the property after 90 days.
At the same time, the couple have also listed the property on Realtor.com for $12,950,000.
The listing describes the property as a piece of Hollywood history and reads as follows:
”Nestled in the exclusive Bel Air neighbourhood, this timeless property, designed by celebrated architect Robert Byrd, offers unparalleled views of the Bel Air Country Club and exudes a distinct character that merges classic design with modern potential.”
Gene Wilder lived in the home with his third wife, “Saturday Night Live” star Gilda Radner, until her demise in 1989.
Musk’s decision to sell the house in 2020 came at a time when he was bent on getting rid of all his “physical possessions”. At the time, he had posted on X (then Twitter) that he planned to “own no house”.
He did, however, have a stipulation when he sold the house that it could not be torn down or “lose any of its soul”.
In 2022, Walker-Pearlman had nothing but praise for Musk as he was grateful for the billionaire lending him the money. He was fond of the house because he had spent a lot of time at his uncle’s home as a child.
He had told the Wall Street Journal, “He could have sold it for so much more. His sensitivity to me can’t be overstated.”
He, however, does not hold any grudge against Musk for now, and he is taking legal action.
”There’s no tragedy here,” said Walker Pearlman.
Pearlman said that his finances had taken a big hit during the 2023 Hollywood strikes and he was unable to keep up with the repayments of the loan.
One-of-a-kind property
The home features 2,756 square feet of living area and is on a 0.78 acre lot.
It has four bedrooms, a living space with a media room, dining room, library, breakfast nook and sauna.
It also features a unique garden with a vintage kidney bean-shaped pool.