Only ET can take you inside the ‘Real Housewives of Orange County’ personality’s Newport Beach home for one last visit before she moves out in a few weeks.
Kelly Dodd is saying goodbye to beachside living.
The Real Housewives of Orange County star recently sold her $6 million Corona del Mar, California, home and is preparing to move out in the coming weeks. The sale was in the works long before Kelly announced plans to divorce her husband of 11 years, Michael, late last month. The 42-year-old reality TV personality has been on the hunt for a more suburban house for her and her 10-year-old daughter, Jolie, for years.
“Jolie's really interested in having, like, a trampoline, a backyard, perhaps a pool,” she shares. “[Also, more] security. Being behind a guard gate is really my main concern.”
ET got an exclusive invite inside the Newport Beach estate for one final tour with Kelly and her realtor, star of Bravo’s new show, Real Estate Wars (premiering Thursday night at 10 p.m. ET on Bravo), Leo Goldschwartz.
The four-story mansion is just under 4,400 square feet, with five bedrooms and four and a half baths. It sits steps away from California Riviera and is custom designed in a style Leo dubs “coastal glam.” All the finishes give the home a resort feel.
Kelly renovated the home herself after purchasing it for around $4 million back in 2015. She and her soon-to-be ex-husband invested $1 million in the makeover -- and Leo says it was all worth it.
“The home was built in 1996 [and] was a complete disaster,” he says. “No one who came in here to see it when it was on the market had the vision for it. Kelly came in and just turned this place around. And what an amazing property.”
Starting on the top floor, you’ll find an expansive, open living space perfect for entertaining. A massive living room leads out to a large deck overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and pocket doors slide in and out to create a seamless indoor-outdoor space. The family room flows into a chef’s kitchen, lined with custom cabinetry.
Just around the corner, you’ll find the home’s elevator -- which Housewives fans will remember from the season 11 episode where Vicki Gunvalson got stuck inside. Leo says the elevator brings four times the return on initial investment.
On the third level is the master suite, complete with a spa-style bathroom that features a steam shower and oversized tub, which looks out onto the ocean. A converted bedroom serves as Kelly’s closet -- and it’s only accessible via a coded entry on the door handle.
Once inside, you’ll feel like you’re stepping into a boutique. A long hallway is lined with custom built-ins on one side, displaying sunglasses, purses, shoes and other accessories. Around the corner, more accessories surround an in-closet washer-dryer unit, making it super easy to do a load of dirty clothes.The hallway opens up to the full walk-in, which includes its own mini terrace and a bar. In fact, there’s a bar on every floor of the home, so you’re never too far away from a cocktail.
The second level features two bedrooms. The first is a second master suite with its own spa bathroom (and bar!); the second is currently serving as Jolie’s bedroom and it’s fit for a princess. The bathroom features a child-height vanity and a pink, bedazzled sink, while the room’s ceiling is decorated with imported Christian LaCroix wallpaper. This floor also looks down into the two-story foyer, which features a custom steel-and-glass staircase, a wooden accent wall and trio of sparkly chandeliers.
Once you hit ground level, you’ll find the perfect beach escape in the home’s indoor “cabana.” Kelly decorated the space with oversized leather couches, so family and friends could easily crash and relax after spending time in the sun. A pair of french doors lead straight in and out from the beach, and the space even has its own ensuite bathroom, making it easy to shower off that salt water.
It’s homes like Kelly’s that Leo says make his new show, Real Estate Wars, stand out from other similar series on TV right now.
“We have such a beautiful place,” Leo shares. “This is kind of like a hidden gem, Orange Country. It's always been kind of a secret, and we have some of the most beautiful coastline, I think, on the West Coast.”
“In L.A., it's, like, OK, another house in the hill with another view of downtown L.A. and the ocean 10,000 miles away,” he continues. “New York's another building, another loft. Here we've got a huge variety of beautiful homes. I mean, you've got some amazing oceanfront properties, like this one. Beautiful, countryside properties that are just spectacular. I think people are going to be very impressed.”
But don’t worry -- Leo promises the show, which pits rival real estate teams with a history of bad blood against each other, will also bring the drama we’ve grown accustomed to on Bravo.
“It's gonna be a lot of cutthroat,” he spills. It's gonna be fun.”
As for Kelly, she’s on the hunt for her next piece of property (she wants to do another full-home renovation!) and excited to start a new chapter. For more on that, check out the video below and tune into Real Housewives of Orange County every Monday at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.