Hot Property: The cozy oceanfront “cabin” where Petty wrote “Something Good Coming.”
As an American cultural icon and classic rock legend, Tom Petty could pump out music that appealed to a wide swath of genres and tastes. He pushed boundaries for decades with his world-famous Heartbreakers and later with the Traveling Wilburys.
Wrote Los Angeles Times pop music critic Mikael Wood in October 2017 at the time of Petty’s death: “Today, it’s almost impossible to imagine modern country music without Petty, who finished the work the Eagles began when they blended rootsy acoustic instruments with tougher rock rhythms.”
The musical catalog that Petty left is prodigious. Some of those songs trace back to a beachside bungalow where, starting in 2010, Petty entertained friends, hung out, and drew inspiration for his music.
That oceanfront compound in Malibu, California, is now up for sale, for $9.85 million. The listing is with Compass agent Chris Cortazzo, who sold the property to Petty as a vacation home 13 years ago for a reported $6.8 million, property records show.
“When Tom first walked into the home, he just loved the essence and the spirit,” Cortazzo told People Magazine.
“He loved its originality — it was unpretentious, which was very much his spirit. What a luxury for a massive celebrity to walk on the beach and not be bothered.”
And what a luxury for the next owner, too.
Besides the Pacific surf and Petty vibes, the property features a 2,200-square-foot main house that has retained its midcentury cozy-cabin style, with lots of wood paneling, high ceilings, and exposed rafter beams. A separate guesthouse was equipped as — what else? — a recording studio.
The main house’s central living area has an open-plan kitchen and living room divided by a large fireplace and floor-to-ceiling brick chimneypiece. There’s a step-down to a wood-paneled dining room with library shelving and a striking antler chandelier. A staircase from the living room leads to a family/media room below.
“Tommy loved that the beach house was pretty much all original, built in 1950, with a cabin feel,” said Petty’s wife, Dana.
Outside, there’s a large, private brick patio with a rose garden. The walled and gated property sits on an 0.383-acre lot, with steps leading from an ocean-view deck down to 66 feet of Escondido Beach frontage.
Dana pointed out that several songs had their beginnings at the Malibu bungalow — the couple’s secondary residence — notably “Something Good Coming” off Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ 12th studio album, Mojo, and some tunes from the re-creation of his original band out of Gainesville, Florida, Mudcrutch.
Tom Petty’s Refuge On Escondido Beach
Malibu, Calif.
2,200-square-feet main house (plus guesthouse on 16,691-square-foot property)
$9.85 million
Listed by Chris Cortazzo of Compass
