The Brentwood home that The Golden Girls star Betty White “lovingly cared for” until she died was demolished after selling for more than $10.6 million.
White purchased the real estate with her husband and lived there for over 50 years until she died at age 99. But it sold as a “tear-down,” and the new owners demolished it just before the first anniversary of the beloved icon’s death.
Betty White’s Brentwood home sold for more than $10.6 million after her death
White and her husband, Allen Ludden, bought the Brentwood property in 1968 due to its proximity to their work at the nearby television studios. Long after Ludden died in 1981, she “lovingly cared for” the property until her death at 99 in 2021 (Realtor).
It was her primary residence for more than 53 years, and it went on the market for an asking price of just over $10.5 in the months after she died. However, it eventually sold for more than $10.6 million.
Notably, the house was sold as a “tear-down,” meaning “no interior photos were available, nor were buyers allowed inside the home” (Realtor). The listing read, “This is a unique opportunity to build your dream home on a flat lot in a serene country setting. The property is being sold for land value.”
New owners demolished Betty White’s beloved Brentwood home
White’s assistant Kiersten Mikelas, who still runs the late star’s social media accounts, announced the demolition on Instagram. There was little left of the star’s home by then.
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“I owe a post (or two) I know. This is such a busy time of year and coming up on the anniversary of Betty’s passing is hitting in ways I hadn’t anticipated,” Mikelas shared. “Her Brentwood home is no more (save the fireplaces which will be gone in short order).”
Mikelas also promised to share “a wonderful tribute to our most wonderful lady very soon!”
The announcement upset many fans who wondered who made the decision and why. “When I heard the news about her house, I was devastated …,” one wrote. “It felt like we lost her all over again.”
“Why not turn her ACTUAL house into a tribute museum,” another asked. “… It seems disrespectful to tear down her home.”
But some commenters pointed out that the demolition could have aligned with White’s final wishes. “Did anyone here think outside the box and wonder that this very well was what Betty wanted?” one person asked. “Perhaps it was even in her will. You don’t know the whole story …”
Many of Betty White’s belongings, including her yellow front door, sold at auction
After White’s death, Julien’s Auctions hosted an event featuring “property from the life and career of Betty White,” including the bright yellow front door from the Brentwood home, which sold for $10,000.
Some of the pieces of White’s memorabilia from The Golden Girls each raked in a small fortune. For instance, her original director’s chair sold for a winning bid of $76,800, and two signed copies of teleplays from the classic sitcom brought in more than $50,000 each.
