Is Elizabeth Taylor's Family Selling Her Home Too Soon? (PHOTOS)

on May 26, 2011 at 3:20 PM

elizabeth taylor home Elizabeth Taylor's ranch-style Bel Air, California home is up for sale for $8.6 million. Any takers? The "fully gated and secured" property sits on a modest 1.27 acres, but is stocked to the nines with all sorts of great features, like a koi pond with a waterfall, a pool and spa, maid's quarters, and a "secret bamboo jungle." Not bad. And it wasn't just all aesthetics. Sounds like Elizabeth and her family filled the place with good memories.

Elizabeth's son, Christopher Wilding, said of the house:

This was where we all gathered, especially at Thanksgiving and Easter ... She never entertained the notion of moving.

Aw. It's kind of sad to hear that. Sounds like Elizabeth loved her house dearly. So, is it weird that it's up on the market so quickly?

It has to be one of the toughest decisions, what to do with a loved one's house -- especially a parent's -- once they pass away. I know I would have a really tough time selling the place where I spent countless summers barbecuing in the yard and dozens of holidays laughing in the family room. It would just be weird.

On the flip side of the coin, though, it might be a little weird not to sell it, right? One has to let go at some point. I mean, how long can you let a property -- especially a $9 million property -- sit there unused? Just as there's no proper way to grieve, there's clearly no "rule of thumb" when dealing with things like this.

Although it may seem strange to an outsider for Christopher to put his mother's house up for sale barely two months after her passing, who am I to say what's right? After all, my father, sister, and I left my mother's purse in tact for months after her passing. And her closet still sits as it was a year later. This is partly out of laziness, but mainly out of necessity.

It's nice to hear that Elizabeth and her family enjoyed so many nice times at her home. Hopefully Christopher and the rest of Elizabeth's children will do the same at theirs.

elizabeth taylor home
Elizabeth Taylor's patio

Do you think Elizabeth's house went up for sale too soon?

Images via Mossler Properties

About the author Nicole Fabian-Weber

has the world's most gorgeous dog. It's a fact.

Filed Under: celebrity homes

Comments (57)

Freela

on May 26, 2011 at 5:03 PM

I don't think it's weird that it's on the market so soon... what else is one to do with a house once the owner is deceased? I know when my grandparents passed away, putting the house on the market was one of the first things we did once the funeral ended. Yes, it's emotionally hard... but realistically, although financial considerations may not be an issue to Elizabeth Taylor's family, my family could not afford to carry and maintain another property in addition to the one where we lived, and a house left empty is more likely to be vandalized or broken into... clearing out the house and putting it on the market seemed like the most practical thing to do.

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GlowWorm889

on May 26, 2011 at 7:39 PM

They probably can't afford the upkeep of the house. The utilities alone on a 9 million dollar house must be outrageous. If there's a mortgage on it, it's probably more than some make in a year. I'm not surprised it's up for sale.

Wish2Be

on May 27, 2011 at 7:19 AM

I think its too soon , but honestly I can understand.

What if it hurts them emotionally to be in the house with all these great memories?....it would be an even more of a constant reminder that she inst there anymore.

I of course would want to stay in the house that my family had such great times....that might not be possible either.

Lots of different ways to look at it.

kisses5050

on May 30, 2011 at 10:43 AM

I am sure they had time to prepare for "what to do with the house" as she had been ill for quite sometime. It may have been part of her it wishes that it be sold and some of the money to go to charity. The sooner that happens the more quickly money can get to charity. THere is no reason to hold on to it. Unless someone in the family was planning to live in it.

elasmimi

on Jun 1, 2011 at 4:10 PM

I had to sell my other's house before she passed away to pay for nursing home care. She was lucky to have been able to live there til the end. It is very painful to sell the house you grew up in, but I'm sure none of her children need to live there, and it may have to be sold to settle the estate.