Inside Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s US$88 million Bel Air mansion (2024)

Jay-Z and Beyoncé are world-renowned musical legends with talent and fortune in equal measures. The couple enjoys a combined net worth of US$1.9 billion, per Cosmopolitan, and lives the dream life. From holidaying in superyachts and performing in packed arenas to dishing out chartbuster after chartbuster, they do it all with élan.

Among their many accomplishments (Jay-Z became the first hip-hop billionaire, and Beyoncé is worth US$500 million, per Celebrity Net Worth), their dream home is one worth mentioning.

It’s a testimony to what billionaires dream about and a befitting abode for music royalty.

Let’s take a closer look …

Jay-Z and Beyoncé took three years to find their home

Call them perfectionists or difficult to impress, but the 53-year-old record executive and his 41-year-old American singer wife spent no less than three years looking for their dream home. They lived in a string of ultra-expensive rentals till they found and zeroed in on their US$88 million newly-built Bel Air estate, per CNBC.

The wealthy couple once lived in a 13,000 sq ft home in New Orleans, which was once a Presbyterian church, with towering 10-metre (26-foot) ceilings and vast windows, according to Love Property.

This was followed by a breathtaking coastal villa rented on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. The couple welcomed their twins, Rumi and Sir, at this incredible estate flaunting 15 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, and spent nearly US$400,000 a month for the privilege, reports the same source.

The last rental home was located at the posh Holmby Hills estate spanning 16,000 sq ft with seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms for US$150,000 a month, states Love Property. Interestingly, the LA rental sold in 2015, leaving the couple only 60 days to find somewhere else to live. They finally settled on the US$88 million (asking price was US$120 million) modern Bel Air mansion in 2017, the crowning jewel of their dynamic real estate journey, according to Architectural Digest.

World-class facilities

Beyoncé, Jay-Z and their three children now live in the US$88 million mansion boasting six separate structures and spanning 30,000 sq ft. The avant-garde estate includes eight bedrooms and 11 bathrooms and was developed by Dean McKillen, according to the Los Angeles Times. More than the sprawling space and constructions, the house is defined by an array of exceptional amenities.

There’s a 15-car garage, a spa and a home cinema. The cinema or media room is a luxurious space with a large screen, fancy furnishings, mood lighting and even a door rumoured to be covered in lizard skin, per a YouTube video. The stylish home flaunts not one but four pools, a basketball court and separate staff quarters, ensuring round-the-clock services.

The couple bought the US$88 million mansion on a US$52 million mortgage

The power couple bought the 0.8-hectare (two-acre) hillside estate in Bel-Air for US$88 million, but not without some help. Given that they have a net worth of US$1.9 billion, it might surprise some to hear that the billionaire entertainers took out an eye-popping US$52.8 million mortgage from Goldman Sachs, per the Los Angeles Times. The move left the wealthy moguls with a monthly payment of US$149,600, according to the loan document, which is a public record. The highest-paid celebrities paid 40 per cent of the purchase price of US$35.2 million in cash.

The mansion is protected by bulletproof windows

In addition to world-class amenities, there are elements in the home that make the design stand out. Everything is spectacular, from sculptural limestone stairs lined with leather to its 10,000 sq ft of outdoor space. But the cherry on top? The glass windows are all bulletproof and guarantee protection without interrupting the panoramic views of Los Angeles.

More highlights of the Bey-hive

Earlier this year, British Vogue’s editor-in-chief Edward Enninful joined Beyoncé for dinner at her Bel Air home, saying he was surprised at how relaxed it felt and that it felt impressively minimalist with beautiful art.

Speaking of art, the house comes packed with praiseworthy pieces. Beyoncé enjoys the work of Ethiopian-American contemporary artist Awol Erizku (who also shot Beyoncé’s pregnancy announcement photos), Kerry James Marshall and Kara Walker, according to Artspace.

The “Break My Soul” hitmaker and Jay-Z are known to own works by David Hammons, Richard Prince and Laurie Simmons, among others. The queen of music is also a force of fashion and has shared glimpses of her walk-in wardrobe when glamming up for red carpet events.

An US$800,000 renovation

Rather than simply settling in, the two Grammy winners renovated their expensive home with renovations north of US$800,000, stated British media. The changes made to the Bel Air home included installing a US$30,000 backup generator and a living area under their four pools, which came up to US$750,000 in renovations. The roof boasts one pool, while the other three are found on several levels in the backyard, per Cambridge Pavers.