Nicolas Cage may be one of Hollywood’s biggest stars (and maybe also one of the most quirky), but it doesn’t mean he can’t fall into foreclosure like many other Americans who have been affected by the market’s downturn. Cage’s Bel Air estate went into foreclosure and he was forced to relocate.
The house was listed at $10.4 million at the foreclosure auction late last year. That’s down from $35 million! For anyone moving to Bel Air, that is quite a steal. However, Cage may have been his own worst enemy when he had the house listed. Wondering why? We’re about to fill you in.
First of all, if you want to move your house off the market, you have got to stage it just so. Cage has very eccentric taste and it was evident once anyone walked through the front door. New Age color schemes, Orientalist artifacts, hash-pipe furniture, and Mickey Mouse statues adorn the home. See what we’re saying?
When Mr. Cage bought the house back in 1998 from musical legend Tom Jones, we are betting that the décor wasn’t quite as…weird. Jones moved out and Cage moved in with his taste for the ornate – bright colors, large furniture, and anything else off-the-wall. If the house’s interior was de-cluttered, neutralized, and set to appeal to the mass market, he may have sold the house a lot quicker.
It is interesting to note that when the house hit the auction market in 2010, there wasn’t a single bid. And do you blame anyone? Could you walk through a Disney to “Dynasty” to Orient Express decorated house and picture yourself moving in? We didn’t think so.
Katie Steil
