Real Estate Industry News

Treasured homes along the California coast often come with a Hollywood connection.

In Montecito, El Fureidis, a grand mansion most notably featured as the home and symbol of extreme wealth for Al Pacino’s titular character in the 1983 film Scarface, is now on the market for $39,995,000.

Designed by celebrated architect Bertram Goodhue for real estate tycoon James Waldron Gillespie—who is said to have traveled to Montecito because of its likeness to the fair-weather climates of the Mediterranean—the 10-acre estate was completed in 1906.

Since then, the roughly 12,000-square-foot mansion has welcomed such remarkable guests Einstein, Churchill and John F. Kennedy. Renowned German author, Thomas Mann, is among former owners.

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Though the estate has undergone renovations and updates to include modern comforts, the original grandeur remains. Primarily of Mediterranean Revival designs, the five-bedroom, seven-bath home also features Neoclassical and Middle Eastern elements, such as tiled, interior fountains, domed ceilings and elaborate mosaics.

The air of old-world regality can also be found in the mansion’s massive dining room, whose barreled ceiling displays a scene in 24-karat gold leaf painting of Alexander the Great conquering Persepolis.

Other noteworthy areas of the home include a central atrium, rooftop lounge with 360-degree views and updated kitchen.

Outside, walking paths lined with a variety of trees, some over a hundred years old, wind throughout the estate. Also about the grounds are an array of curated spaces such as layered gardens, pools and terraces—outdoors spaces that served as the backdrop for Tony Montana’s wedding scene in Scarface.

Located less than two miles away from the ocean in the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains, El Fureidis features far-reaching views of the Pacific, including sights of the Channel Islands.

The listing is held by Riskin Partners Estates Group, the luxury division of Montecito-based Village Properties.


Village Properties is an exclusive member of Forbes Global Properties, a consumer marketplace and membership network of elite brokerages selling the world’s most luxurious homes.