Margot Robbie, Rebel Wilson, Ruby Rose, Hugh Jackman: Property secrets of Australian stars revealed

Aussie celebs-turned-Hollywood greats have splashed millions of dollars on luxury mansions across the world.

But Daily Mail Australia has exclusively revealed that their high-end lifestyles aren’t all sunshine and rainbows, as we delve into the property secrets of Down Under’s A-list. 

From homes which have sat unfinished for years, to penthouses that just won’t sell – these movie stars proved more money really does mean more problems. 

First on the plate is Hollywood’s very own Barbie, Margot Robbie, who has made a financial blunder by dropping $5million outright on a property in May of 2019. 

Four years later, the Venice Beach home remains a shell of a home and an eye sore on the streets of Los Angeles. 

The Wolf of Wall Street star, 32, and her husband Tom Ackerley added a second lower-storey building to the back, which now looks to be the main residence. 

Meanwhile, the front of the building is a giant cube with barely any windows, painted beige with a two-car garage underneath.

Recent photos reveal the work is still ongoing with a portaloo clearly visible at the front of the estate behind the wall.

And the most up-to-date Google Earth photos reveal the swimming pool in the middle is yet to be completed, as are the front gardens.

Elsewhere in Hollywood, Rebel Wilson snapped up a five-bed, five-bath ‘traditional masterpiece’ in West Hollywood for $2.9million in May of 2016. 

Spanning 4,409 square feet with an outdoor pool and a climate-controlled glass wine closet, the Pitch Perfect star, 43, ‘only’ put down a $500,000 deposit.

However, in a bizarre move, she then borrowed the remaining $2.4million from the seller herself – Isabel De Mayo.  

Seller financing is not an unusual arrangement in the US, especially if the buyer may struggle to get a mortgage with a regular bank’s strict lending criteria.

The two parties will agree for the seller to finance the purchase and the buyer will make regular payments until the debt is repaid usually over a five-year period.

Luxury realtor Tony Mariotti, founder of Los Angeles’ RubyHomes, explained the possible motivations behind Rebel’s decision.

‘Lending criteria plays into this. At the time Rebel was buying, interest rates were three per cent, but she’d need to put down more than 20 per cent, have excellent credit and not own multiple homes,’ he said.

‘The down payment, credit score, and owning multiple investment properties would change the rate significantly. 

‘What’s more, Rebel may have been a foreign buyer, which is not a deal killer with a bank, but an additional factor.’

He went on to say the comedic movie star’s citizenship status at the time of the purchase could have affected a lender’s decision as well. 

Rebel isn’t the only Aussie celeb to be taking out a huge mortgage in Los Angeles, with Ruby Rose racking up a $1.9million loan in July of 2021.

The model, 37, splashed $2.6million on a gorgeous four-bed, four-bath, 3,138 square feet home in Valley Village. 

Like many celebs, she purchased it through a trust and took out a mortgage with City National Bank, nicknamed ‘Bank of the Stars’, as it’s renowned for offering bumper home loans to celebrities at discounted interest rates.

It means Ruby’s mortgage each month, at a typical three per cent rate, would be around $8,200 plus property taxes.

Elsewhere, Hugh Jackman is struggling to off-load his $40million Manhattan penthouse.

The Wolverine star, 54, had no problems putting down $21.1million outright – no mortgage – last July for the penthouse at 100 Eleventh Avenue.

However, he’s run into a road block attempting to sell the triplex apartment, which is situated on the top three floors of a building designed by internationally acclaimed architect Richard Meier.

The five-bed, six-bath, spanning 11,000 square feet, was put on the market for $38.9million in June last year, but with no takers, it dropped to $34.8million in April this year.

Then, earlier this month on June 19, Hugh took a further hit, reducing the asking price to $29.9million as the star looks to be in a hurry to sell.