As a child model, Brooke Shields began her career at a preteen age, and then transitioned to acting, where her success escalated. With a worth of approximately $24 million, Brooke can definitely afford a mansion. Yet, she bought this picturesque historical cottage in the Hampton’s.

Appreciating this sweet, cozy cottage, Brooke has completely redesigned the interior to suit her tastes in 2017. She now spends most of her time in her NYC townhouse, but she also owns a Pacific Palisades cabin with plenty of old trees that she rents for $25,000 a month! Who can afford that? Well… the rich and famous, obviously.

From the time he was with the Beatles, Paul McCartney’s fame was worldwide. His popularity has continued through several generations of devotedly weak-kneed, drooling fans. Though he has a net worth of over one billion dollars, including many homes, all of his properties are not mansions. Case in point, the talented singer owns this quietly understated triplex, which he calls home when in London.

Paul prefers to live his life normally – well, as normal as a rock star can – and spend time on his daily routine without too much attention.

Even Buffy the Vampire Slayer needs a place to rest, and this tasteful home with five bedrooms was home for Sarah Michelle Geller, her husband – Freddie Prinze Jr., and two children for a few years. Its traditional style just seemed to say “welcome home” with love. However, in 2019, Sarah and her family needed a change, so they bought a 7100 square foot Los Angeles home in the Mandeville Canyon area for $6.1 million. With six bedrooms and five baths, their new home was apparently a better fit for a family of four.

Known for his role in Mad Men, Vincent Paul Kartheiser acting talent earned him two Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance in a Drama Series. His hard work and gifted abilities has provided plenty of money to the tune of approximately $9 million.

Even with his wealth, you can see that Vincent appreciated the simple life in his bachelor pad, which he purchased for $547,000 in 2004 – a property he called his “micro-bungalow”. Right in the heart of Hollywood, this space had a whopping 603 square feet! No kidding! Part of his remarkable renovation included an ingenious way the bed comes down from the ceiling. Can you image pushing a button to “make the bed” each morning?

Eventually, Vincent decided to get married, and he put the two bedroom condo on the market for $808,000. Evidently, the space was not quite big enough for two.

Gaining popularity in the 1990’s with her role in Beverly Hills, 90210, Tori Spelling had the benefit of being the daughter of the show’s famous Hollywood producer – Aaron Spelling. Even so, she earned success by her own efforts, as an actress and author.

Owning many homes through the years, this one was more understated, but perfectly tasteful for her children, husband, and many animals, including a pet chicken named Coco Chanel. However, as her family grew, so did the required square footage, and Tori eventually sold it and moved on.

Known as one of the world’s wealthiest men, Warren Buffett is a business tycoon, investor, and philanthropist. His net worth is approximately 88.9 billion (with a “B”) dollars, which makes him the fourth-wealthiest person in the world! This man can literally live anywhere, and as the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, he owns an amazing number of properties.

Even so, Mr. Buffett doesn’t act like a typical billionaire, which means he is very careful with his expenditures. As an example, he bought this home in Omaha, Nebraska for his family in 1958 for $31,500, and still owns it. Today, it is not only paid off, but it is worth multiple times the original purchase price. Though he prefers living here after all these years, he also owns a $4 million house in Laguna Beach, California – not only a modest price for the location, but a humble investment based on his vast wealth.

As an heiress to the Hilton fortune, and wife of a Rothschild family member (James Rothschild), Nicky does have expensive taste. Yet, her Los Angeles home in this picture was quite understated. She eventually moved to New York when she married James in 2015, and they agreed to live in a downtown penthouse – a far cry from the lush greenery that surrounded her California home. With the purchase of her penthouse and located in a luxurious high rise, Nicky proved that even the Hiltons and Rothschilds have opportunities to move “up” in the world.

Known for his parts in Lord of the Rings film trilogy and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Elijah Wood may be more humble than most stars when considering his charity work and property choices. Far from Hollywood, Elijah decided Austin, Texas was the place to be. Get a good look at this renovated Victorian cottage that he calls home.

Though, Elijah has had million-dollar mansions before, this change of scenery cost him only $698,750. Quite a savings! Check out the perfect trim and white fence, with the Christmas tree showing through the window. Don’t you feel like you could go knocking on his door with a plate of cookies? I bet he prefers chocolate chip!

With a long list of movie roles to her credit, Zooey Deschanel made her leading role film debut in 2003. As her career advanced with more opportunities, Zooey was able to obtain a 2.2 million dollar home in Hollywood Hills. This traditional Cape Cod style, provided a very warm and welcoming ambience. One of the smallest houses in the area with only three bedrooms, it was not at all pretentious. Zooey later ended up with a 6-bedroom, Manhattan Beach retreat for her family of four, which she sold in 2019 for $4.7 million.

Ellen Page made quite a name for herself with her role in Juno. Earning the big bucks meant she could buy a fancy mansion, but starting out that was not Ellen’s plan. Ellen’s preference was to go the “budget” route and spend only $1 million on this comfortable two-bedroom home in Hollywood Hills. Having a flare for real estate, she chose well because she later sold the property for much more.

Tom Shadyac has the unusual honor of being the youngest joke-writer ever for Bob Hope (classic comedian of yesteryear). He’s written and directed comedy films, such as The Nutty Professor and Liar Liar, and has been enormously successful.

After a serious bike accident in 2007, Tom took quite awhile to recover. Once he had, he left Hollywood to find a simpler life and work on his documentary Life’s Operating Manual while living in this mobile home. Later, Tom returned to buying property, such as a $245,000 house purchased in 2015 in Memphis, and a $800,000 home on the riverfront in 2017. He spends his time now teaching Film at the University of Memphis.

Reality TV star and “Honey BooBoo” fame, June Shannon (aka “Mama June”), still believes in being frugal, as she coupon-clips her way to the grocery store.

A mother of four, she feels it’s important to teach her family fiscal responsibility. However, her Hampton, Georgia, home was not such a wise investment. June paid $156,000 for 3200 square feet in 2014 – a great bargain with its five bedrooms and three baths. Unfortunately, when she was ready to sell, the house was so rundown that June had to sell it for only $100,000 to investors who hoped to double their money with a serious fixup. Hopefully, June will do better with her next real estate purchase.

This beautiful lady earned plenty of cash during her twenty seasons on Law & Order. No doubt, when Mariska Hargitay and her husband bought this contemporary six-bedroom townhome in 2012, they could easily afford the $10.7 million. Located in the Upper West side of New York City, Mariska focused on “location, location, location” – and not size. With its light, white, and bright design theme, the simple lines and plenty of window space offered the precise feel that they wanted for their living space.

As a culinary TV star and award winning chef extraordinaire, Michael Symon has worked hard for his share of wealth. He could easily buy an extravagant mansion in Beverly Hills. However, Michael preferred this picturesque setting for a home, built in 1928. Michael enjoyed living in this five bedroom, four bath, Tudor style property in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. He later sold this lovely space in 2017 for approximately $550,000. The structure had only 2825 square feet, but the beauty of the grounds, alone, would be worth the price.

Stunningly beautiful, the actress Lena Headey from Game of Thrones could live anywhere considering her level of success. One of her first homes in San Fernando Valley was not extravagant, however. Carefully managing her money, this petite bungalow was a reasonable $790,000. The angular lines gave a contemporary look, which allows the space to appear larger than it is.

Named by Time magazine in 2018 as one of a hundred most influential people in the world, John Krasinski, star from The Office, is an award winning actor and filmmaker. Even when single, John could have lived in a very spacious home. Instead, he chose a tiny two-bedroom L.A. bachelor pad near Sunset Boulevard. Though space was limited in the $1 million cozy habitat, it had plenty of foliage to give it an inviting look. Bachelor days have been gone since 2008, when he married Emily Blunt. They now live with their two daughters in a much larger home in Brooklyn, New York.

Bill and Giuliana Rancic of the American reality television series, Giuliana and Bill, have been happily married since 2007. Giuliana is also known as the host for the Fashion Police and E! News, while Bill is as an American entrepreneur who won the first season of The Apprentice. They are the parents of a son born in 2012. In 2013, they purchased a home for $2.15 million in Bellevue Place. They initiated an extensive redo, which took over two years to finish, but it is now perfect for their taste.

Most recognized as a former cast member of Real Housewives of Atlanta, Phaedra Parks is also highly regarded as an entertainment attorney, an entrepreneur, author, activist, and get this… a funeral director. (Has to be a story there!)

Phaedra enjoys investing in real estate and has owned several homes. She appreciates southern architecture, and in 2013 bought this elegant mini-mansion of 4500 square feet. This home may be “modest” to people like Phaedra, but for the rest of us it emulates a perfect southern mansion with French provincial design.

This pretty lady has strong investment skills, too. She managed to buy this home for $845,000 and sold it at approximately $1.2 million. Nice profit!

Pete Wentz has a long list of talents – musician, singer, songwriter, and record executive – though he is best known as the bass guitarist in the Fall Out Boy rock band. Pete’s adventures have also included several entrepreneurial projects, all of which helped him build wealth.

So, what type of digs does Pete Wentz enjoy? Apparently, he appreciates understated entries in at least one of his homes. With the purchase price of only $1.5 million for this four-bedroom, Pete’s pad was a welcoming and comfortable place to reside. Eventually, Pete sold the property and moved on to bigger, but it would be hard to replace the zen environment of this home.

Landing the main role for Twilight in 2008, Robert Pattinson became an overnight success. His long list of accomplishments have no end in sight, and his net worth is approximately $25 million. With that level of success, Robert could easily choose where he wanted to live, such as this secluded retreat in Hollywood Hills.

Soon after his breakup with Kristen Stewart, Robert acquired this 1940 square foot (2 bedrooms/2 baths) Hollywood Hills Spanish style hideaway for only $2.18 million. Built in 1958, the home has been tastefully updated, resulting in an eclectic blending of hacienda and contemporary ambiance. Big enough for one – or two if needed – the privacy trees surrounding this 10,440 square feet property presents a serene environment.

Obviously, great things can come in small packages. Totally charming!

Stunning Hilary Swank goes beyond being an actress, as she also produces films. She is remarkably talented, with numerous awards – such as, two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe, one Screen Actors Guild and two Critics’ Choice awards. Not bad, at all!

So what does Hilary do with all her success funds? She uses her talent and brains to make wise investments in property. For example, consider this classic brownstone located in the West Village that she purchased in 2002 for $3.9 million. Years later, in 2006, she sold it for $8.25 million when she and her then-husband Chad Lowe parted ways. She had refurbished the structure to give it a more contemporary look while maintaining some of the original wood, and the update brought her a healthy profit.

Best known for being the lead singer and guitarist for The White Stripes, Jack White has also found success as a solo artist. He has earned multiple Grammy Awards. Married a couple of times, he has a son and daughter with model/singer Karen Elson, whom he divorced in 2013.

Jack prefers spending his finances by supporting various charities in his hometown – Detroit, Michigan. In 2017, he found this $510,000 home in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Jack’s minimalist style and propensity to avoid the limelight helped him appreciate this secluded hideaway where he could find peace and solitude.

Who hasn’t heard of Shaquille O’Neal? A giant of a man, he is arguably one of the most famous basketball players of all time. With his vast wealth, he has enjoyed investing in property. Not all are gigantic homes, however. This tasteful five-bedroom abode in Bell Canyon, California, is one of his more subdued properties, and he is currently selling it for $2.5 million. Get this… he is promoting the property through Instagram! Pure genius!

Currently, Shaquille’s primary residence is an elaborate 12-bedroom, 35,000 square-foot home on three acres, close to Orlando Florida. Remember that Shaquille is no shrinking violet, and with his size he needs a home as enormous as he is, which would explain why he’s selling the Bell Canyon home.

Winner of the fourth season of American Idol in 2005, Carrie Underwood began her career as an amazing vocal talent, and then she branched out as songwriter, record producer, fashion designer, and actress. By 2018, Carrie became the only woman to be at the top of Billboard 200 with four country albums, along with being the best-selling solo female album of the year.

After meeting her husband, Mike Fisher, they decided to build this 6,000 square foot, five bedroom, five bath home on eleven acres in Carp, Ontario, Canada. Unfortunately, work demands kept them from their modest home, so they put it on the market for a mere $1.95 million. Carrie hopes to enjoy permanent roots at their new “forever” home in Nashville, Tennessee. Built on more than 300 acres, there should be plenty of room for her growing family.

Did you know Ellen Pompeo is one of the highest paid actors since 2017, and the third highest paid female in 2018 with earnings of more than $23.6 million? Wow! Ellen gained worldwide recognition in her role as Dr. Meredith Grey in Grey’s Anatomy, and has earned the Screen Actors Guild Award. All of her experience and talent has paid off royally, which she has invested in property.

Though, Ellen has her Sag Harbor home for sale for $3.5 million, it is truly a modest home. Purchased in 2011 for $925,000 by Ellen and her husband, Chris Ivery, this home is surrounded by eight acres of serene greenery. Perfect for the couple and three young children, 2400 square feet was converted into a super-chic, contemporary farmhouse. The right buyer will get a great place to live, and Ellen and her family will find something more spacious.

Accomplished fashion designer, Charlotte Ronson, lives in New York with her Charlotte Ronson brand and store located on Mulberry Street. She doesn’t have to go far to her living quarters, since she and her husband, Nate Ruess, chose a small Manhattan duplex in the “NoHo” district (north of Houston Street and wedged between Greenwich Village and the East Village). Very expensive territory!

Considering the challenge of transforming this space from its previously outdated form, Charlotte was able to turn it around with help from a designer friend. The two collaborated and created a light, bright, airy space… contemporary yet calming. Perfect for her family.

Hollywood actor of Spider Man fame, Tobey Maguire, chose to live in a 1920’s style Santa Monica home with his wife (at the time), Jennifer Meyer, and two children. With 3600 square feet, three bedrooms, and a separate work-loft, the home was conservative, yet comfortable. They appreciated the bungalow for its homey feel and spent quite a bit of money fixing up the interior.

Once Tobey and his wife divorced in 2017, the home was put on the market for $3 million, a nice appreciation over the $2.7 million that they had paid a year earlier.

As a professional football player, Adrian Peterson has achieved many “firsts”. For example, during his first professional season Adrian set an NFL record when he achieved 296 rushing yards in a single game. This earned him the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. This type of success means the man can live wherever he wants.

Adrian didn’t let it go to his head, however, because his first family-style home was a modest purchase for $665,000. He later sold it for a true celebrity mansion ($4.7 million and 10,582 sq.ft.) with fancy gates and 9-acre palatial grounds. A humble home to start is always appreciated, but evidently there comes a point where a celebrity needs to move on to something more deserving.

Of country music fame, who doesn’t know Dolly Parton? She is an accomplished singer, songwriter, actress, actor, and businesswoman. With her heart as genuine as her smile, much of her time is spent supporting her favorite charities. Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, among countless other awards, it’s obvious that Dolly is a capable business woman with a net worth of $500 million!

Dolly’s primary residence home is stunningly beautiful, yet it has only 3324 square feet. Dolly and her husband, Carl Dean, made a very wise investment when they acquired this estate in 1999 for a mere $400,000. It can’t get much better than that.

Known as the CEO of Apple, Tim Cook has money that most people can’t even dream about. Worth about $625 million, it may seem obvious that Tim would in some way be motivated by money. Not so, as Tim prefers to give his money away through charitable contributions. His simple four-bedroom condo reflects his preference for modest space and contemporary design. Though his home has enough square footage for his lifestyle, the surprising part is the one car garage.

More than a pretty face, January Jones has old-fashioned smarts. As she made money in her acting roles, January invested wisely in properties. One of her first was this three-bedroom Los Angeles home that she bought for under $1 million. A few years later, January was able to sell it for $1.5 million! That definitely was a decent rate of return on her money.

English actress Keira Knightley has gained success in independent films and dramas. She is accomplished enough to have been received three Golden Globe Awards, two Academy Awards, and two British Academy Film Awards. Beyond being beautiful, she is also wise in her property purchases. With a net worth of $60 million, Keira is able to buy numerous homes if she chooses.

This Manhattan apartment was home to Keira in 2015. A 3-bedroom, 2-1/2 bath residence with 3820 square feet, her relatively small but efficient space was sold in 2017 for $6 million. Before it sold, when Keira was not living there, she rented the space to others for an unbelievable $45,000 a month. She now lives in London with her husband and daughter.

A successful actor, comedian, and even musician, Simon Helberg is known for his role in The Big Bang Theory. As one of the highest paid TV actors, and making about $1 million an episode, Simons’s career provided funds to easily buy this humble habitat in 2008 for just under $1 million. A traditional Craftsman home, and built in 1910, this homey cottage contains only 2569 square feet of space. The interior woodwork accentuates the architectural lines, while the green plants, front porch, and gingerbread house trim spice up the exterior look.. Surprisingly, it doesn’t appear to have a garage.

In the beginning, Lea Michele started her Broadway career as a child actress in Les Miserables. Her most popular role came when she starred in Glee. She continued to develop as a successful actress and author, which gave her the means to buy one of her first homes. In 2015, Lea found this quaint 2 bedroom abode and purchased it for about $1.8 million. Though Lea has moved on to much more glamorous structures, she has very pleasant memories of this cozy cutie.

More than just talent from starring in the hit, The Hills, Lauren Conrad also has good business sense. Understanding the importance of saving money, Lauren was able to begin her business in the fashion world, as she turned away from her acting career. As success grew, Lauren began buying properties. One of her first homes was this understated Brentwood retreat. She appreciated the traditional look and its many windows that allow the sunlight to stream indoors and fill the home with warmth.

As the highest-paid actress in the world in 2015 and 2016, Jennifer Lawrence has plenty of pennies for property. Yet, in the beginning of her fame, she was very careful of how much she spent. Her first townhome carried a price tag of $879,000. Though it was not at all an opulent showplace, it served as a practical space for her privacy. Back then, this pad worked well for Jennifer’s sensible tastes, but in 2014 she moved on to something more luxurious – such as her five-bedroom home for $8 million.

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are known as one of Hollywood’s most beautiful married couples. With both having successful acting careers, their incomes combined are ridiculously high at an approximate $91 million. Though, price is no object when considering a home for their family, the humble home they purchased in 2012 is homey, yet sprawling and spacious.

Located on 1.7 acres of a farm-like estate in Bedford, New York, this picturesque setting is covered with blossoming trees and gardens. The property was a good buy at approximately $2 million, with its 8000 square feet and seven bedrooms. It even includes a barn for animals or unruly children. Blake and Ryan truly found a perfect sanctuary for their family.

You probably recognize Chris Daughtry when he joined American Idol in its fifth season. With his fame and fortune, he could have purchased a humongous home. Instead, he used good common sense and purchased this traditional style house, which was perfect for his needs at the time. The best part was that it only cost $699,000 – a remarkable bargain by any standard.

Daryl Hannah became most famous as an actress during her role in 1984 as a mermaid in the movie Splash. Her career blossomed, and her wealth continued to grow. Yet, her true love is being an environmental activist. You can see by this home that she means business when encouraging people to be respectful of the environment and simplify their lifestyles.

Daryl bought this 17.6 acre property for $1.32 million in 2001, and sold it in 2016 for $3.6 million. Though the home dates back to 1920, the interior has been updated to include floor heating. This looks like a Hansel and Gretel cottage in the woods. Adorable!

When it comes to roughin’ it, an Airstream trailer is usually quite high-end for the pseudo-rugged outdoor lifestyle. Though fancy, trailer living may get a bit cramped. However, it does the trick for Matthew McConaughey, who wants the occasional getaway. Matthew has made millions from his movies, but he likes the way the minimalist life alleviates stress.

Permanently parked in Malibu, you can imagine how the location provides for peace-filled days. Don’t be fooled, however. This is not Matthew’s main home. He owns something far more elaborate for a family man with wife and three children in Austin, Texas. It’s nice to see that he occasionally returns to a more down-to-earth approach to life.