Ellen DeGeneres Sold Cotswolds Estate, Bought Sleeker Home Nearby

DOWNLOAD IPFS

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi have placed their recently renovated Cotswolds estate on the market less than a year after purchasing it. The Hollywood pair is asking approximately $30 million for the historic countryside property, which they bought in early 2024 for around $20 million. Their reason for moving? They needed more suitable space for Portia’s horses.

The couple purchased Kitesbridge Farm, a picturesque estate tucked away in the rolling hills of southwest England, and swiftly embarked on a top-to-bottom renovation. While rich in history, the property was described as tired and in need of an update. Within five months, and with the help of 70 workers, Ellen and Portia turned it into a high-spec rural retreat blending period charm with sleek, contemporary design.

Renovation and Relocation

The estate stretches across 43 acres and includes a six-bedroom main residence dating back to the 1700s. A guest cottage with two bedrooms, a party barn with a pub, a gym, and a heated pool round out the extensive amenities. The couple retained traditional features like beamed ceilings and stone walls, while adding glass walkways to create a light-filled, gallery-style feel.

Listing agent Andrew Barnes of Sotheby’s International Realty told The Wall Street Journal that when the couple first toured the property, it had “a quite basic finish.” After its transformation, it is one of the highest-priced homes currently listed in the Cotswolds region.

Despite the effort and cost invested, DeGeneres and de Rossi moved out just weeks after completing the renovation. Their new home, located a short distance away, offers proper pasture and equestrian facilities. “When we decided to live here full time, we knew that Portia couldn’t live without her horses,” Ellen told The Wall Street Journal. “We needed a home that had a horse facility and pastures for them.”

The decision to relocate to England wasn’t purely about real estate. DeGeneres confirmed during a July 20 interview with English broadcaster Richard Bacon that political developments back home played a role. When asked if Donald Trump’s re-election influenced the move, she replied, “Yes,” as reported by the BBC. “We got here the day before the election. And woke up to lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis, and I was like, ‘He got in.’ And we’re like, we’re staying here.”

Since relocating, the couple has embraced their new lifestyle. DeGeneres expressed her appreciation for rural English living, saying, “It’s absolutely beautiful. The village and the town and the architecture, everything you see is charming, and it’s just a simpler way of life.”

Even the unfamiliar winter didn’t dampen their enthusiasm. “We moved here in November, which was not the ideal time, but I saw snow for the first time in my life,” she said. “We love it here. Portia flew her horses here, and I have chickens, and we had sheep for about two weeks.”

While it’s clear their initial Cotswolds purchase was never meant to be permanent, DeGeneres and de Rossi’s signature real estate strategy: buy, transform, and move on, remains unchanged.