Hot Home News: Bob Hope's $50 Million Volcano Home & The Godfather/JFK Honeymoon Home

Online, March 7, 2013 (Newswire.com) - This week's Top 10 homes spotlight at TopTenRealEstateDeals.com includes a look at the Beverly Hills mega-mansion that actress Marion Davies bought for her longtime partner, William Randolph Hearst in 1946. This is the home where John and Jacqueline Kennedy stayed for part of their honeymoon, and was the backdrop for scenes in "The Godfather," "The Bodyguard," "Topaz," "Into The Night" and "Fletch." It includes 29 bedrooms and 40 bathrooms located only three blocks from Sunset Boulevard. It is for sale at $115 million or lease for $600,000 per month.

It might not be the type of home you would associate with Bob Hope, but the Palm Springs home that John Lautner designed for Bob and Dolores Hope in 1973 looks a bit like a volcano, or might be mistaken for a UFO. At 23,000 square feet under a dramatic undulating roof, it has openings which allow daylight - or stars to shine through, casting shapely shadows into the interior. The curved openings provide stunning views across the desert landscape and mountains. The house also has a spa with greenhouse wall, 6 bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, indoor and outdoor pools, a pond, putting greens, a tennis court, and a giant boulder in the living room. It just went on the market at $50 million.

In other home news:

Anyone who isn't familiar with the name T. Boone Pickens would have to live off grid on a desert island and under a rock. At age 84, this oil, hedge fund and takeover expert is still quite forward thinking and passionate over ways to deal with the future of energy production. He is also selling his 8215-square foot Dallas home. The French-styled house in the Preston Hollow neighborhood has 3 bedrooms, 7 baths, an elegant old world library, pool with 500 square-foot cabana and exquisite gardens. T. Boone wants $7 million.

And, in Lake of the Ozarks, an amphitheater where numerous musical stars such as Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw, The Beach Boys and REO Speedwagon have performed is going to absolute auction on March 28th. The entire auction includes the amphitheater with huge stage, seating for 10,000 people, dressing rooms, concessions, audio and lighting equipment, and an electrified "Vegas style" sign with excellent visibility from nearby Highway 5.

Real estate is never boring at TopTenRealEstateDeals. Check out today's most entertaining and unusual real estate news stories of the week. News such as weird celebrity homes, haunted homes you can actually buy, and dirty real estate tricks.

TopTenRealEstateDeals.com also features Top 10 Condo Developer Deals, Top 10 upcoming home and condo auctions, and regional real estate agents' choices for the best deals in their areas.

Top 10 lists are available to media outlets for publication.