Michael Kives Buys $12.7 Million Coldwater Canyon Estate

It is not only the stars of the screen that become rich and famous through the entertainment industry. There are also people behind the scenes who make big bucks from the industry. One such person is Michael Kives who has earned himself the status of one of Hollywood’s super-networkers. He now works in the consultancy and advisory field for media and financial services, and this has made him a major player in A-list circles. It has also given him the financial success needed to buy a luxurious mansion in a prestigious area of Beverly Hills, for which he has reportedly paid $12.7 million. Here is an overview of how he has achieved success and a look at his new home.

Michael Kives’ Career

Michael Kives did not begin his career in the entertainment industry. He began his career working for Bill and Hilary Clinton. At first, he was a spokesperson for Bill Clinton, and then he became a staffer for Hilary Clinton, working as an assistant to Chief of Staff Huma Abedin. Kives then switched career paths when he became a CAA agent. During his time in this role, he was a representative for many famous people, including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Warren Buffett, and he began to make a name for himself in entertainment circles. He then took a leap of faith establishing his own company, K5 Global. It is a venture company that specializes in financial and media services, and they offer advisory and consultancy services. His status in the entertainment industry is clear from the guest list of his 2018 wedding to non-profit attorney Lydia Gray Kives. Just some of the rich and famous who attended the Kives’ wedding included Princess Beatrice of Jordan, Bill and Hilary Clinton, Reese Witherspoon, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Elon Musk, Kate Hudson, Sia, Katy Perry, Jessica Alba, and Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg.

An Overview of His New Beverly Hills Mansion

Kives’ business success means that he can now afford to live in a stunning Beverly Hills home. They have bought the property from billionaire tech tycoon, Ted Waitt. The businessman had paid $10.3 million for the property in 2015, then lived there with his second wife, former model Michelle Merkin. Waitt and his wife only ever intended to live in the property temporarily, as they were having a bigger and even more impressive home built to their specifications in the Birds Street neighborhood. They were using the Beverly Hills mansion as a crash pad during the construction period. The Waitt’s also had other options while waiting to have their new home completed. Not only do they own a property in Santa Barbara, but they also bought a Malibu home for $34.2 million in 2020.

Kives is now the owner of the 90210 house after paying $12.7 million. The property was designed by architect Gerard Colcord in 1951, although it has since undergone significant renovations. It sits on a lot of 0.76-acres on a private cul-de-sac on a hidden ridgeline in Beverly Hills’ Coldwater Canyon area. The property is mostly single-story and has a traditional appearance to its exterior with white clapboard siding. Inside, the style is more contemporary, and the property is spacious, measuring 6,700-square-feet. According to Dirt.com, the property boasts five bedrooms and seven bathrooms.

Inside the Coldwater Canyon Property

While the Coldwater Canyon property has a traditional exterior, the interior is contemporary. The walls are predominantly white, dark hardwood flooring runs throughout the house, and there are designer touches in every room. A corridor connects the main living spaces in the house, including a formal living room with a curved bar and a fireplace, a spacious dining room, and a family room. From each of these rooms, there are French doors leading out to the gardens. One of the most surprising rooms in the house is the kitchen, which is an unexpectedly expansive room. The room looks even bigger as it has a vaulted ceiling, and it is flooded with light from the skylights, windows, and doors. There are top-of-the-range appliances, white walls and cabinetry, and large pendant lights hanging in a central line. The kitchen has two enormous kitchen islands, so there is plenty of storage and counter space. Another room in the house is an office, which also has the potential for use as a library or a den. The room is painted in a trendy shade of gray. It is the ideal space for Kives to work from home if he chooses. As there are five bedrooms in the house, there is plenty of room for Kives to have his friends and family over to stay. However, the highlight of the house is the impressive master retreat. It has a bedroom and separate sitting area that are bisected by a dual-sided fireplace. The master suite also has a glamorous ensuite bathroom that has access to both an outdoor patio and a sauna. There are also two showroom-style closets.

The Exterior of the Property

To the front of the house, there are grassy lawns and mature trees. Although the property is close to the road, it is a quiet cul-de-sac that has no-through traffic. A hedge-lined pathway leads to the front doors. At the rear of the house, the lawned garden is surrounded by mature trees, such as pines, sycamores, and palm trees. Although most of the garden is covered with grassy lawn, there is a plunge pool where Kives and his wife can cool off from the sunshine. There are also several patio areas, a covered loggia, and a full outdoor kitchen and bar. Therefore, the grounds of the property offer plenty of potential for entertaining guests in the outdoors. Although the garden is surrounded by trees, there is a small sitting area on the edge of the hill, just a short walk away from the estate, that offers some views of the L.A. basin and the surrounding area.