Diane Keaton, who was known for her iconic roles in films like Annie Hall, The Godfather films, and Father of the Bride, passed away on Saturday at the age of 79. While many remember the late actor for her memorable roles, few know that she left a lasting impact on the real estate market of Los Angeles by restoring and selling some of the city’s colonial mansions. This was a key factor behind her impressive net worth, estimated at around $100 million (Rs 835 crore) at the time of her death. Diane Keaton was born and raised in Los Angeles to a real estate agent father, which ignited her interest in architecture, design, and houses from an early age. She moved to New York in the 1960s to pursue acting and returned to LA in the 1980s. Her big break came in the late 1970s when she starred in Woody Allen’s iconic film Annie Hall. "I always had an interest in homes and the concept of home, but the problem is I never really land and stay. Something's wrong. But something's right, because I love it," Keaton said in an interview with Wine Spectator. While creating magic on screen, Keaton, for decades, kept transforming colonial mansions and other architectural landmarks in Los Angeles, routinely reselling them for millions in the most exclusive neighbourhoods of the city. Here is a list of some of the real estate properties that she flipped and resold: Sold mansion to Madonna for Rs 54.28 crore Diane Keaton bought a 1920s Spanish Colonial Revival home in Beverly Hills. The mansion was roughly 7,000 square feet and featured a red-tile roof, arched windows, and ornate ironwork but needed restoration. After Keaton restored it, she resold the house in 2000 to Madonna for $6.5 million (Rs 54.28 crore), according to Celebrity Net Worth. Sold historic mansions and earned double her investment In 2002, Diane Keaton bought a sprawling 1920s Spanish-style, 200-square-foot mansion in LA. She performed a top-to-bottom restoration of the historic property, keeping its authenticity intact. She later sold the mansion to a Microsoft executive for $16.5 million (Rs 137.78 crore). According to reports, she earned double her investment by selling the property. Like the mansion in LA, Keaton bought another oceanfront home in Laguna Beach for $7.5 million (Rs 62.63 crore) and sold it for a little less than double the price. She restored the property over two years and sold it for $12.75 million (Rs 106.46 crore). Diane Keaton put her dream home on sale months before death Diane Keaton bought the property in 2009 for $4.7 million (Rs 39.15 crore) and spent years transforming it into what she called "the house that Pinterest built." In March 2025, Keaton listed the five-bedroom, seven-bathroom estate for $29 million (Rs 242 crore), just months before her passing - a potential sixfold return on her original investment. She put it on the market due to her declining health, according to a report in People. These are just a few examples of Keaton's work and expertise in real estate. The actor restored, rescued, and then sold many other houses in Los Angeles, reportedly earning more from her real estate deals than from her acting gigs. Diane Keaton won an Oscar for her role in Woody Allen's Annie Hall and collaborated with Allen in eight films. She also ventured into direction, helming the 1991 TV movie Wildflower, the documentary Heaven, and the 2000 dramedy Hanging Up. She never married, despite rumours of her relationships with actors like Allen, Al Pacino, and Warren Beatty. She adopted two children and raised them - daughter Dexter Keaton and son Duke Keaton.
