The actress is adding the breezy locale to her real estate portfolio

The dead of winter makes for a somewhat unusual time to be buying a beach house, but Gal Gadot is clearly planning ahead. Records reveal the Wonder Woman superstar has added to her already healthy Los Angeles real estate portfolio with the US$5 million (S$6.5 million) purchase of a seaside condo looming directly over the sand, just a quick jog from Larry Ellison’s ever-trendy Nobu Malibu restaurant.

Gadot purchased the penthouse from Bui Simon, the Thai philanthropist who was crowned Miss Universe 1988 and is currently married to billionaire real estate developer Herbert Simon, owner of the Indiana Pacers NBA team. Bui bought the property way back in 1994, when she was just 25 and many years prior to her marriage, for only US$850,000 (S$1.1 million) — meaning she more than quintupled her money before any renovations and 26 years of carrying costs are factored into the equation.

Of course, US$5 million (S$6.5 million) is a big number to pay for a condo, even by 2020 standards, but this isn’t just another ordinary condo. The Gadot penthouse is part of a blocky gated complex located in what is arguably one of the best sections of Malibu, and the place transferred with two deeded off-street parking spots. There are three other similar units in the complex, none of which are currently owned by celebrities.

Inside, the nearly 185-square-metre is sensationally private, far above and out of sight from the beachgoer public. Neutral decor includes wheat-coloured hardwood floors and white walls, plus there’s a dramatic skylight that further warms the interiors with natural light. A step-down living room offers a large fireplace and a thrilling floor-to-ceiling wall of glass that folds away to a large, tiled balcony with unstoppable ocean views.

Other spaces include a formal dining area that adjoins the kitchen, which is petite but features quality stainless appliances, thick slabs of granite countertops, and custom cabinetry, and there’s also a family room with plush beige carpeting. The two bedrooms are both dated with wall-to-wall beige carpeting, but they offer roomy ensuite baths, and the master has two bathrooms of its own, one with a built-in soaking tub and a bidet.

For those amenities, and more, Gadot will shell out a steep US$1,240 (S$1,633) per month in HOA dues, though that balcony and its spectacular whitewater views, plus those famous Malibu sunsets, likely make it all worth it.

Gadot and her husband, Tel Aviv real estate developer Yaron Varsano, continue to maintain an Israel home and their US$5.6 million (S$7.3 million) residence in the Hollywood Hills. The couple purchased that contemporary mansion about four years ago; like their new Malibu vacation home, that place is blessed with long and wide views from its clifftop perch.

As for Simon, she still has a much larger home on Malibu’s exclusive Carbon Beach, plus a massive compound in Montecito. And back in 2018, she paid a record US$38 million (S$50 million) for an East Coast traditional-style estate on one of the best streets in Pacific Palisades.

This story first appeared on Robb Report US