Scarlett Johansson, who will star as the Black Widow in the “Iron Man 2″ sequel due out in May, has been tangled in her own web of real estate woes. She recently listed her walled and gated Spanish villa in the Hollywood Hills for $4.95 million - quite a reduction from the $7 million she paid in 2007 when, public records show, she purchased it from director-producer Harold Becker.

Perhaps she overpaid, given the 1931-built home only has 4 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms in about 4,300 square feet - on the smaller side for Hollywood.

And that doesn’t account for the money she and husband Ryan Reynolds spent restoring the house to its former glory. The couple also added eco-conscious upgrades including solar electricity and a glass-topped central atrium. The house has a period-style kitchen with original tile, a maid’s quarters that could be used for a media room or a gym, and a basement. housingwatch.com

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Despite reports to the contrary, Nicole Kidman is yet to selloff all of her Rosedale beachfront holdings.

That’s according to a source, who said the Kidman clan was yet to find a buyer for the vacant lot on Rosedale’s Knowlman Road, which they purchased in 2004.

According to Sydney media reports, the 1220 square metre property, with three rustic cabins, quietly sold under a confidential agreement for “well over” the listed buyer inquiries of $1.4 million.

However, reports that the sale completed Nicole Kidman’s real estate rationalisation, following the sale of her properties at Darling Point and Walsh Bay, were incorrect.

In 2004 the actress’s then brother-in-law, Angus Hawley, helicoptered in to bid $1.47 million for the beachfront cabins at Rosedale.

That was followed two months later by the purchase of the three-bedroom house next door and an adjoining vacant lot for $2.53 million.

The whole purchase was $4 million for more than 3000 square metres of prime beach frontage.

A local source confirmed the entire site was put up for sale in 2008, following Mr Hawley’s split from Nicole’s sister Antonia.

According to neighbours the property, though rarely used by Nicole, was a favourite of the actress’s sister and brother-in-law, together with their children and Nicole’s parents.

Her trip to Rosedale in 2007 made headlines when Nicole sent staff to Batemans Bay Police Station to request a police escort to help her reach her Rosedale holiday home.

According to reports, the star and her husband, country music singer Keith Urban, complained of harassment from a celebrity photographer.

At the time, Batemans Bay Police Inspector Gary Megay said the couple were offered protection.

“Those roads around Rosedale are very narrow and with paparazzi around, we were just making sure everyone was safe,” he said.

Mr Megay said regular patrols found “no issues” with regard to harassment allegations.

Despite this, the couple ended their holiday early, returning to Sydney the following day.

In January 2009, eight months after the land parcel was listed for sale, the house sold for $1.45 million.

The buyer is rumoured to have an option to purchase the adjoining land. batemansbaypost.com.au

While one could assume that the international recession would  limited investment opportunities the opposite has happened creating numerous potential property hotspots. 

UNITED STATES. There are countless distressed sale opportunities to be had across the country.  Florida was the epicentre of the global property boom and crash, and now presents us with some very attractive property deals.  More interestingly are the opportunities that exist in the major urban areas which have healthy population growth and flourishing economies.  Washington DC is thriving due to the multitude of government jobs that have not been cut in the recession and the high-tech and biotech industries that feed off the government programmes.  Other major gateway cities (with links to alternative global capitals) such as San Francisco, Boston and New York will also fair well.

UK: The market in UK will not bottom out until the end of the year.

Madeira. With its temperate climate, limited land and strict planning rules, Madeira offers an excellent opportunity to invest in top luxury property.  A popular holiday destination with the Portuguese, South African’s and Spanish amongst others the island bucked the trend by registering 91% occupancy for 5 star accommodation in 2008.

Brazil: With one of the world’s healthiest economic growths, Brazil’s population is becoming wealthier year on year.  Investing in both first home and holiday accommodation for the local market offers excellent growth potential.

France. Provincial French properties are often keenly priced and lifestyles are less expensive than Paris. The Southwestern Midi-Pyrenees region is a particularly good hunting ground for village homes for less than $100,000.

Australia. Australia’s economy has managed to weather the Global Financial Crisis better than any other Western country.

Germany. In Germany, everything works and works well. Its houses are built to last. It is possible to buy a 55-sqaure-meter apartment for $160,000 in Germany.

New Zealand. Here property prices are rebounding. Taken nationally, latest figures show the average home costs $274,881.

Canada. Canada has remained resilient through the global financial crises. Property markets are “on fire.”

Italy. On Sicily and in slow-paced regions like Puglia, Basilicata, and Campania, affordable homes abound. Even farmhouses with a couple of acres surface for $60,000.

Dominican Republic. Dominican Republic offers  an  incredible variety of villas, apartments and fincas that will meet all tastes and budgets.

Jackson’s Las Vegas home was sold to a doctor-lawyer couple with luxury property holdings in California and Asia who paid in cash. At 15,461 square feet, it is the largest house sold in Las Vegas in almost a year. The home became the focal point for Las Vegas fans who gathered at the mansions gated entrance to place flowers and memorabilia following Jackson’s untimely death.

Zanganeh leased the home to Jackson and his family for $1 Million for six months in late 2006 to 2007 after Jackson returned from a self-exile overseas. “It’s serendipity that we sold the home that we had also rented to Michael Jackson. The estate became famous and generated tremendous interest because of the MJ connection, in fact, the buyer is a big Michael Jackson fan,” said Zanganeh. His partner Lee Medick currently has Michael Jackson’s Las Vegas Wonderland Estate at 7000 Tomiyasu Lane listed for sale for $16.5 Million. “We are seeing significant residential real estate buyers starting to come back into Las Vegas,” said Lee Medick
Michael Jackson’s connection to both these properties brought worldwide media attention and put Las Vegas luxury property back on the radar. Medick continued, “Las Vegas residents enjoy significant tax advantages and people that buy luxury properties are savvy business people, they understand the value that being a resident of Nevada brings and the luxury lifestyle that Las Vegas provides. Plus homes such as this deliver Star-Power to the incredible architecture.” prnewswire.com

The 2-bedroom fixer-upper adds a sixth property to Pitt’s multi-parcel spread, which ought to give the pretty pair plenty of room to house their ever expanding United Nations style family.

Academy and Golden Globe nominated Pitt – always a brides maid and never a bride – snatched up the first and most significant portion of his compound way back in 1994 when he forked over $1.7 million for a 5,760 square foot Craftsman-style house with 5 bedrooms.

By mid-2008 the actor had hitched his wagon to Oscar winning earth mother Angelina Jolie and spent another $2.142 million on four adjacent properties. The most recent addition to the comely couple’s seemingly always under construction real estate puzzle brought Pitt’s total outlay to $4.993 million and gives the multi-cultural family almost two contiguous acres on which to roam.

The Material Girl paid the eight figure sum for Wild Ocean Farm in the Hamptons, buying the 30 acres of land from designer Calvin Klein’s wife Kelly.

There’s no house on the farm and planning laws prohibit the star from building on the land - forcing her to look elsewhere for somewhere to house her staff.

According to the New York Post, Madonna has set her sights on a four bedroom farmhouse close by, which is currently owned by Michael Minkoff, a friend of the singer’s pal Gwyneth Paltrow.

The 1930s building boasts four bedrooms, a pool, poolhouse and two barns - and comes with a $4.4 million pricetag.

It is believed that Cage bought the homes specifically due to their spooky past. Apparently he thought it was a good idea at the time or else he would not have done it.

Cage claims a poor financial advisor directed him to buy the property selections he did, but most people would not follow advice on buying a home that they would always feel uneasy setting foot in due to claims of haunting.

However, as now evidenced by the current market value, buying stigmatized properties is seldom a good idea is you ever plan to resell for profit.

According to a variety of celebrity news sources, Cage previously bought another New Orleans property in the Garden District from noted horror writer Anne Rice.

CNN also reports that Cage owes more than $6 million in back taxes. His properties in California and Las Vegas, although not reported to be haunted, “have also been foreclosed on and are designated for auction later this month.”

The estate sits where most people fantasize about retiring and living like kings: Englewood, New Jersey. It’s only ten minutes into New York City! Or you could just spend that money on a place IN the city or in one of the wealthier communities up the Hudson.

The 8 bedroom, 11 bath home boasts a screening room, bowling alley, racquetball court, and carriage house with a gym.