Flea’s Offbeat Compound North of L.A. Relists for $5.8 Million

Back in early 2022—already owning a petite hideaway in Malibu Colony and fresh off picking up a $14 million Beverly Hills spread—Michael “Flea” Balzary put his funky architectural digs in the La Crescenta foothills on the market for nearly $9.8 million. More than four and a half years and several price cuts later, he is giving it another go after briefly offering it as a rental.

The longtime Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist is now seeking $5.75 million for the 5.7-acre spread in the unincorporated community near Glendale—around $1.5 million more than the $4.25 million he paid contemporary artists Lari Pittman and Roy Dowell for the place in 2018. However, the price does account for an 875-square-foot subterranean addition installed in 2021, as well as a pool and cabin tacked onto the land in 2020. Jett Gelber of Crosby Doe Associates holds the listing.

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Resting about 20 miles north of Downtown L.A., amid a curated succulent garden bordering the Angeles National Forest, the hilltop compound is sequestered down a lengthy driveway. The 5,186-square-foot estate features two primary dwellings: a white stucco and glass main house designed by L.A.-based architect Michael Maltzan in 2009, plus a 1950s midcentury classic specially crafted by noted modernist architect Richard Neutra for his secretary, Dorothy Serulnic, and her husband George.

Also on the premises are a striking one-bedroom cabin clad entirely in redwood, an outdoor movie pavilion, and sweeping mountain and city lights views from every vantage point. As for the main home—commissioned by Pittman and Dowell—the impressive, seven-sided structure wraps around a central courtyard and seamlessly integrates Maltzan’s recent addition. Featured in Architectural Record, the masterwork has garnered a trio of awards from the American Institute of Architects.

Standing out inside is a primary bedroom sporting a striking curvilinear, penny-tiled bath. The geometric layout also holds a dedicated office, a den, and an abundance of clever built-in storage. Outdoors, the entertainment-focused grounds host a 50-foot Johnston Vidal lap pool and the previously mentioned movie pavilion, which is fully outfitted with a wind screen and a catering kitchen for large-scale events

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Known as the Dorothy Serulnic Residence, the original abode packs two bedrooms and a full bath into 1,350 square feet of restored living space boasting walls of glass and a stone fireplace. Neutra-designed built-ins can be found throughout—think a sofa system sporting a record player and concealed speakers, along with several desks, shelving systems, a dining room table, a sliding breakfast table, and a vanity.

Referred to by a previous listing agent as “literally your own midcentury space station right here in Los Angeles,” the compound is less of a standard home and more of a multisensory artistic retreat—a fitting canvas for a musician who has spent his career coloring outside the lines. Flea, who is currently working on a new album with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, also released his debut solo album, “Honora,” in March, showcasing his talent on the jazz trumpet.

Click here for more photos of the La Crescenta residence.