Rob Lowe made a huge profit on this sprawling mansion in the exclusive Californian suburb of Montecito, which he sold for $44.5 million (£33.9m) to healthcare executive Jack McGinley in 2020, according to TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.

The star of classics such as The West Wing and St. Elmo's Fire paid just $8.5 million (£6.5m) when he bought the original plot in 2009 – equivalent to $12.9 million (£9.8m) in today's money – and began building the ultimate celebrity hideaway.

Despite the time and effort Lowe poured into the project, the Colonial-style estate changed hands in 2022 when it was purchased by Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine and his wife, model Behati Prinsloo, for $52 million (£39.6m).

The most expensive celebrity homes ever