Tech billionaire Peter Thiel bought Bel Air mansion Casa Encantada in Los Angeles for $130 million

Peter Thiel, the tech investor and co-founder of PayPal and Palantir, has purchased Casa Encantada, a Bel-Air mansion in Los Angeles, for $130 million. The house, which sold at a foreclosure auction in July 2026, had its new owner identified months after the sale was completed. According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, a limited liability company associated with Thiel submitted the winning bid at the auction.

The 40,000 sq ft mansion includes seven bedrooms, 20 bathrooms. It also has a tennis court, swimming pool and landscaped grounds. Thiel has revealed that he intends to renovate the property and retain it as an investment. Peter Thiel has emerged as the purchaser of the $130 million Bel-Air mansion Casa Encantada, which sold at an open-air foreclosure auction in Pomona Civic Center Plaza, Pomona, California, in July 2026.

The name of the new owner was not given when the property was sold. According to The Wall Street Journal, a limited liability company associated with Thiel submitted the winning bid at the auction. The report named the tech investor as the owner of the company.


The purchase of the mansion figures amongst the largest real estate deals in Los Angeles in 2026. The residence comprises 40,000 sq ft of floor space and occupies a 8.4-8.5 acre site. It enjoys views over the Bel-Air Country Club and has changed hands several times since its construction in 1938. According to the report, Thiel had been considering the property for several months before bidding at the auction. Instead he intends to renovate the mansion, and hold it as an investment.

Inside Casa Encantada

Casa Encantada was constructed in 1938 by architect James Dolena. It incorporates elements of both residential and Hollywood architecture, together with features associated with the Art Deco style. The mansion includes a number of features, which distinguish it as a luxury property. Its size and facilities are amongst the factors, which have contributed to its value.

The property details are:

• Total floor area: 40,000 sq ft
• Site area: 8.4-8.5 acres
• Bedrooms: 7
• Bathrooms: 20
• Swimming pool: 60 ft tiled pool
• Library: Library with walnut paneling
• Sports facilities: Tennis court with viewing pavilion
• Grounds: Terraced gardens
• Lounges: Multiple lounges
• Accommodation: Two-storey guesthouse
• Primary suite: 3,500 sq ft

The mansion enjoys views over the Bel-Air Country Club, and is located within a residential area of Los Angeles. The overall layout of the property, which includes the main house, guesthouse, sports facilities and land, contributes to the value of the residence. Thiel's reported intentions to renovate parts of the mansion will add to its value, but the extent of such renovation has not been given.

How Casa Encantada became a record-breaking mansion in Bel-Air?

Casa Encantada has exchanged hands on a number of occasions since its construction. The mansion has been purchased by a series of high-profile individuals, including hotel mogul Conrad Hilton, billionaire businessman David Murdock, and the late telecom executive Gary Winnick. Hilton bought the property in 1950, while Murdock acquired the estate for $12.4mm in 1980, a record price for a US home at the time. The mansion set a new record when it was purchased by Winnick for $94mm in 2000.

The asking price for the mansion increased steadily:

• 2019: Winnick sought $225mm for the mansion
• 2023: The asking price was $250mm
• July 2026: The mansion was sold for $130mm at a foreclosure auction

The final sale price is less than $95 million below the $225mm asking price in 2019 and $120 million below the $250mm price sought in 2023. Winnick died in 2023 with substantial debts.

Why Peter Thiel is buying the mansion as an investment?

According to The Wall Street Journal, Thiel's interest in Casa Encantada is not as his primary residence, but rather as an investment. He had considered the property for several months prior to the auction, and intends to renovate the residence.

Peter Thiel's global property portfolio

The purchase of Casa Encantada adds to Peter Thiel's portfolio of residences across the globe. His reported property holdings include a variety of houses and compounds in the United States and other countries. These include:

• Bel-Air: Casa Encantada ($130mm), purchased by a firm associated with Thiel in July 2026
• Buenos Aires, Argentina: Historic mansion, bought for $12mm in April 2026 on Dardo Rocha Street, Barrio Parque, Palermo Chico
• Miami, Florida: $18mm mansion, bought around 2020; Thiel Capital and Founders Fund also have a presence
• Washington, DC: Residential property
• Hawaii: Private compound
• New Zealand: Residential holdings; Thiel is also a citizen of New Zealand

Thiel has moved his primary residence from California to South Florida in 2025, in the midst of a dispute over a proposed wealth tax in California. The purchase of the mansion in Bel-Air therefore represents the latest addition to a portfolio which includes properties in North America, South America and the Pacific region.