00:00You have to see the basement of this $40 million home in Brentwood.
00:03Scoring a home in California is tough enough, but the ultra-rich are literally taking it to
00:08another level. They're digging deep and building quote-unquote iceberg homes, where the real
00:13luxury lies underground. To preserve Ellie's iconic views, millionaires are building down
00:18instead of up to create spacious escapes hidden underground. As writer Candace Jackson noted,
00:24the once lowly basement has become the hottest area in home design. These spaces feature
00:29everything from wine cellars and home theaters to gyms, spas, and secret emergency bunkers.
00:34Some homeowners even add natural light wells to bring in that famous California sunshine.
00:39The concept of iceberg homes started in London, where zoning laws forced the elite to build down
00:44instead of up. The trend caught on in places like Palo Alto, and now LA has put its own glamorous
00:48spin on it. But here, no one calls them basements. Instead, they're lower levels. And they're cooler
00:54and more glamorous than you'd ever imagine. Picture billiard rooms, movie theaters, bowling
00:59alleys, and even James Bond-style hideaways. In neighborhoods like Beverly Hills, Bel Air,
01:04and Malibu, these spaces are almost a second house. And luxury developers like the Arzeman
01:09Brothers say half of their homes have basements that are fully-fledged living spaces. Building
01:14one of these spaces doesn't come cheap. A 2,000 square foot lower level can easily cost over $1.5
01:19million. And with some homes, the cost climbs into the double-digit millions. But for the wealthy,
01:25it's worth every penny, adding major value and turning their homes into private compounds where
01:30they can live, work, and play without stepping outside. And it's not just the super rich. Even
01:35in more typical neighborhoods, homeowners are getting in on the action, adding cozy lower
01:39levels with extra bedrooms and entertainment spaces. So while most of us are dreaming of
01:44upgrading, the wealthy are digging deeper, creating entire worlds beneath their homes
01:48that redefine luxury living in L.A.
Comments