The Beverly Hills Home James Van Der Beek Left Behind Is Now Up for Rent and the Owner Will Surprise You
Most people assumed the Van Der Beeks owned that Spanish colonial home in Beverly Hills. The renovation, the Architectural Digest shoot, the way they talked about leaving it — it all looked like ownership. It wasn’t.
Property records show the family had only ever rented the property. The home is registered to a trust tied to Rochelle and Donald Sterling, billionaire real estate moguls and former Los Angeles Clippers owners.
Five months after James passed away on February 11, 2026, the Sterlings have listed that same home for $13,950 a month, up from $11,000 in 2021, according to Realtor.com.
The Home They Made Their Own But Never Owned
The four-bedroom, three-bathroom property spans just over 3,100 square feet. Hardwood vaulted ceilings, exposed beams, a wood-burning fireplace, a soaking tub, a poolhouse, and French doors that open directly to the backyard. This was a properly designed home.
Before leaving for Texas in 2020, James and Kimberly worked with designer Tammy Price on a full overhaul.
James described their home before the renovation as “a crazy jumble of pieces from different places we’d lived in before, all commingling, but not very happily. I called it the Island of Misfit Furniture.”
He even built a wooden daybed himself after their fifth child was born. “It was my own personal triumph over dyslexia,” he said.
Beverly Hills celebrity homes carry surprises like this more often than people realize. The buyer who walked away from J.Lo’s $50M mansion after putting down a huge deposit is another reminder that even the biggest deals here don’t always go as planned.
Why They Left and Where They Went
The renovation wrapped up just before COVID hit. The family quarantined in that home for weeks and somewhere in that stretch, the decision to leave California solidified.
In 2020, they moved to a 36-acre ranch in Spicewood, just outside Austin. Kimberly said it plainly: “I’ll tell you a secret. This cost less than it cost to live in Beverly Hills.”
They rented the ranch too, at first. Kimberly had said they wanted to test the area for a year before committing to buy. That’s exactly what they did.
Celebrity homes going back on the rental market after a family moves on isn’t unusual. Dolly Parton’s West Hollywood home is currently listed at $12,000 a month and anyone can apply.
His Last Real Estate Decision
One month before his death, James and Kimberly bought the Texas ranch. Records show they closed on January 9 for $4.76 million, an off-market deal purchased through an LLC managed by a California attorney.
His rep confirmed the down payment was secured with help from friends through a trust, so the family could shift from renting to owning.
Ranch purchases tied to personal turning points happen more than the headlines suggest. Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband bought a Montana ranch for $1.8M after their divorce, and it’s now listed for $2.9M.
James died on February 11. The 36-acre spread, the only property the family ever actually owned, is where Kimberly and their six children remain.
Why This Matters
Rent in Beverly Hills is currently 115% above the national median. The Sterling listing at $13,950, a 27% jump from 2021, is exactly where the market sits for a renovated four-bedroom in that zip code.
But the price isn’t the real story. Multiple outlets reported the Van Der Beeks owned this home. None of them checked the deed.
That gap between public perception and property records matters, especially when it shapes how people understand a family’s financial situation after a death.
Stories like this tend to surface first on WhatsApp channels covering celebrity real estate news, often hours before they hit major publications.
What You Should Take Away
The Van Der Beeks renovated a rented Beverly Hills home, made it their own, featured it in Architectural Digest, and left it styled better than they found it. The Sterlings now want $13,950 a month for it. The listing has already been marked “high demand.”
James spent his final weeks making sure his family owned something for the first time. That’s the part of this story that most articles buried.
Did you think the Van Der Beeks owned this Beverly Hills home? A lot of people did. Drop your take in the comments below.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only, based on publicly available property records and verified media reporting.
