Promises, Promises: Former Celebrity Rehab Compound in Malibu Is Listed for Nearly $20M

A 3-acre property in Malibu, CA, is ready to rally.

Listed for $19.95 million, the property is the former Promises Malibu, a luxury rehab facility frequented by the stars for many decades.

A-list alumni include Britney Spears, Robert Downey Jr., Lindsay Lohan, Diana Ross, and Ben Affleck.

The founders of the detox clinic created the “Malibu Model,” a type of rehab that allowed people more liberties and freedoms during their treatment, along with luxuries such as gourmet cuisine, sports facilities, and ocean views.

The property is a quick drive from Santa Monica and has tennis courts, two pools, and three single-family homes.

“From a real estate standpoint, it’s three consecutive single-family homes, so it’s essentially a compound,” explains Sean Landon, co-listing agent with Jennifer Johnson, both of Douglas Elliman. “It’s not often that you’ll have multiple single-family homes with different parcels that are contiguous and also for sale.”

Another property with more than 6.5 acres is also available.

“It’s a really good location that’s kind of more central Malibu and still superprivate—kind of like you’re tucked away in the hills a little bit,” Landon says. “My favorite thing is the privacy, the amount of square footage and amenities. But also, there’s a ton of mature trees, and it feels just kind of like a serene, private park.”

The property’s three single-family homes range in size from about 2,000 square feet to roughly 4,500 square feet. The houses total 12 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, and 9,100 square feet.

“The biggest is the iconic Promises house, which is one of the main exterior visuals that is kind of reminiscent to the years Promises was here,” Landon explains.

While the high-profile facility has since shut down, the property currently houses another treatment facility. Landon says the buyer will have to honor the lease, which has “a little bit longer to go,” but then there are many possibilities for the property.

“It could be someone who wants to have a family compound, where they can have space to be near each other and also have extreme privacy at the same time,” he says. Each home is in good shape but could use some updating.

Landon says inquiries have come from developers, operators of other treatment centers, assisted-living facilities, and other potential buyers.

“The good news is the fact that it has been an inpatient treatment facility for so long, so we know it’s not going to be an issue in the neighborhood,” Landon says. “It’s an established usage of the property.”

The next owner does have a variety of options, though. They could use the property as it is, give it a cosmetic remodel, or snag a coastal development permit and change everything. But for anyone wanting to maximize their return on an investment of this size, Landon has some advice.

“You’re best off going through the permitting process,” he says.

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