Diane Keaton spent decades renovating 'The House that Pinterest Built' — it just sold for $10 million under asking

Keaton bought the 1920s-era Sullivan Canyon property in 2011 for $4.7 million, then spent eight years rebuilding it into her dream home: a 9,200-square-foot rustic-chic farmhouse with five bedrooms and eight bathrooms. On the sprawling property, there’s a guest house, heated pool and spa.

The design was inspired by the photo-sharing app Pinterest, which Keaton documented in her 2017 book, The House that Pinterest Built.

“Defined by soaring ceilings, abundant natural light, reclaimed architectural elements, and a level of craftsmanship rarely seen today, every room has been thoughtfully curated to create an atmosphere that feels both grand and remarkably inviting,” according to the most recent listing.

So why would a home like this sell for $10 million under asking?

Why a luxury home might not sell

In March 2025, after 14 years of ownership, Keaton put her Sullivan Canyon property on the market for $28.9 million, lowering it to $27.5 million a few months later. She took it off the market altogether in September and, a few weeks later, the actress passed away from pneumonia at the age of 79.

The property was relisted in December 2025 for $26.9 million and, after sitting for months on the market, lowered to $22.9 million in June. The house did find a buyer in August — whose identity isn’t known at this time — and Realtor.com revealed that it changed hands for $18 million.

This transaction is in stark contrast to what’s going on in the U.S. luxury home market. The median sale price of a luxury home rose 4.7% year over year (during the three months ending May 31), according to a report from Redfin. That’s more than triple the median sale price on a regular home, which rose just 1.5%.

“Overall homebuying demand has been fairly slow because mortgage rates and home prices remain stubbornly high, pricing many regular house hunters out of the market,” according to the report. However, high-end homebuyers are less sensitive to affordability pressures, financial instability and economic uncertainty.

So why did The Home that Pinterest Built sit so long on the market and experience multiple price reductions? Some might say its initial valuation was overly ambitious (or aspirational) — which is sometimes the case with high-end celebrity homes.

Another reason could be related to its highly customized design. The rustic-industrial home was tailored to Keaton’s tastes, which might not appeal to all buyers — at least not at a $26.9 million price point.

For example, it included a circular room with the text of a poem, “Lucky Life” by Gerald Stern, written across the curving walls. And the kitchen’s industrial lighting was made from repurposed chicken feeders.

Some celebrity homes also have features such as bowling alleys and recording studios that could limit the pool of buyers.

However, selling a home after the owner passes away comes with other considerations. If the home was owned jointly, it typically passes to the surviving owner. But if the deceased was the sole owner, then the home becomes part of their estate and is distributed according to their will (if, of course, there is a will). If there isn’t a will, then it has to go through probate.

What to consider when inheriting a property

If you inherit a house, you may want to deal with it sooner rather than later to avoid ongoing holding costs and extra capital gains taxes.

If there isn’t a joint tenancy or the property isn’t held in a trust, then the property typically goes through probate, which means the court oversees distribution of the estate’s assets. If the property is held in a trust, then the trustee has authority to manage, transfer or sell the property in accordance with the terms of the trust.