In Malibu, an actor's one-bedroom home aims for $18.45 million - Los Angeles Times
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In Malibu, an actor’s one-bedroom home aims for $18.45 million

The one-acre estate above Point Dume includes a 1,700-square-foot home, multiple lawns and a flagstone patio
The one-acre estate above Point Dume owned by the late actor James Olson includes a 1,700-square-foot home, multiple lawns and a flagstone patio overlooking the ocean.
(Mike Helfrich)
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Malibu is a market without precedent. The coastal community boasts some of the most sought-after real estate in the country, and as a result, it regularly sees record-setting deals and astronomical price tags.

The latest listing to shoot for the stars is in Malibu’s Point Dume, where a house with only one bedroom and one bathroom is asking $18.45 million.

That’s the priciest tag for a one-bedroom home in all of Southern California — by a mile. To find the second-priciest, you’ll have to head to Newport Beach, where a 1,200-square-foot house in a guard-gated community is up for grabs at $5 million.

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However, the Point Dume property offers a lot more than just a bedroom. For one, it was owned for half a century by James Olson, the actor who starred in the films “Commando” and “The Andromeda Strain” and appeared in dozens of TV series. He died earlier this year at 91.

Olson got into the market at the right time; records show he paid $47,500 for the property in 1971.

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The beach house also has plenty of space, spanning nearly an acre. While surrounding properties cram as much square footage onto their lots as possible, Olson’s home covers just 1,701 square feet and saves room for grassy gardens in both the front and back, as well as a flagstone patio on the side and steps that descend to the beach below.

Comprised of clean lines and covered in ivy, the home features bright, sunny living spaces marked by walls of windows and rich hardwood floors. Butcher-block counters and Saltillo tile cover the kitchen. The living room adds a fireplace and floor-to-ceiling bookcase.

Chris Cortazzo of Compass holds the listing.

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