Inside ‘Bling Empire’ star Anna Shay’s $16 million haunted LA house

Reality TV

“Bling Empire” star Anna Shay, 60, says her $16 million Beverly Hills mansion isn’t haunted — it just has spirits. 

But as the site of multiple pet deaths, the old house built in 1926 raised eyebrows in the Netflix original, which premiered January 15.

“I think there are spirits” in the house, Shay said in Season One episode three, explaining why her pet pocket monkey and pet fish died.

But haunted or not, Shay’s Spanish mediterranean-style estate on Sunset Boulevard is listed for an eye-popping $16 million, and it is filled with 1920s-style mosaics, terra cotta tiles and greenery.

“It definitely reads beautifully of another era. There’s a level of craftsmanship and detail that’s really nice to see. The feel of the house has a lot of character,” listing agent Steven Sigoloff of Compass told The Post. 

Shay’s Spanish mediterranean-style estate on Sunset Boulevard is listed for an eye-popping $16 million, and it is filled with 1920’s-style mosaics, terracotta tiles and greenery.
Shay’s Spanish mediterranean-style estate on Sunset Boulevard is listed for an eye-popping $16 million, and it is filled with 1920’s-style mosaics, terracotta tiles and greenery.

The five-bedroom, five-and-a-half bathroom mansion spans nearly 8,700 square feet. The home’s aesthetic is all white, relieved by ornate brown wood trimmings, exposed wooden beams and plenty of greenery.

“This place is amazing. I thought my parents had a beautiful home [in Malibu, but] woman you live in a jungle!” said co-star Kim Lee, who brought a Bible to the property to ward off evil spirits in the show.

The front door is a heavy, wooden slab, carved  with 13 octagons and 20 small flowers.
The front door is a heavy, wooden slab, carved with 13 octagons and 20 small flowers.

The detailed trimmings of the house are impossible to miss, including its ornate iron light fixtures, a tiled mosaic fountain in the entryway and a wrought iron handrail lining the foyer’s winding staircase. There are no squared-off lines in this house: Everything is arched, from windows to doors to depressions in the wall for bookshelves, according to Realtor.com.  

“There is a lot of original material in the house — some of the tile floors, ironwork bannisters — and in the game room upstairs, there is a hand-painted ceiling that’s just magnificent,” said Sigoloff. “It’s got a beautiful, amazing detail and forms that just don’t find very often these days.”

“It definitely reads beautifully of another era. There’s a level of craftsmanship and detail that’s really nice to see. The feel of the house has a lot of character,” listing agent Steven Sigoloff of Compass told the New York Post.
“It definitely reads beautifully of another era. There’s a level of craftsmanship and detail that’s really nice to see. The feel of the house has a lot of character,” listing agent Steven Sigoloff of Compass told the New York Post.

In the show, Shay hosts small parties in the expansive yard filled with palm trees. From the yard, guests can see terracotta roof tiles, two fountains, a tiled mural and multiple balconies and porches. 

Shay listed the home for sale at the beginning of December for undisclosed reasons, although she could be trying to get away from ghosts, if the show is to be believed. Shay bought the property in 2011 for $9.35 million, but she also owns a second Beverly Hills home nearby, according to a report by lifestyle magazine Dirt.

Built by architect Welby H. Hudson in 1926, the Sunset Boulevard house has had some infrastructure work over the decades, but it is still in need of renovation, said Sigoloff.

“It’s really an opportunity for the house to be brought back to life, in a way… a careful renovation and restoration would bring it back to its former glory,” he said.

"It’s just one of those houses that has a presence on the knoll. I’ve driven by it for years, and I’ve always admired it," said Sigoloff.
“It’s just one of those houses that has a presence on the knoll. I’ve driven by it for years, and I’ve always admired it,” said Sigoloff.

Shay’s net worth is reported to be around $600 million — Daughter to Japanese pearl exporter Ai-San Say and Russian defense company founder Edward Shay, she inherited an enormous fortune when she and her brother, Allen, sold her father’s company Pacific Architects and Engineers for $1.2 billion in 2006, according to Newsweek.

For a reality star, Shay’s personal life is extremely private, and the names of her four ex-husbands have not been disclosed. Her son’s name is Kenny Kemp, a 27-year-old self-described “passionate stoner.”

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