Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich has made one hell of a property deal, selling two adjoining mansions in San Franciscoโs prestigious Presidio Heights neighbourhood for a combined total of nearly $68 million.
Well, Lars has certainly found another way to make some serious noise.
Just not with a drum kit this time.
The Metallica drummer has reportedly sold two neighbouring luxury homes in San Francisco for a combined $67.8 million, making the transaction one of the biggest private residential property sales in the cityโs history.
And if that wasnโt enough, Ulrich has also recently sold a huge stretch of land in Marin County for another $16 million.
All told?
Thatโs roughly $84 million worth of Bay Area property sales.
Not a bad few weeks.
๐ก Two Mansions, One Very Expensive Compound
The two homes sit alongside one another in Presidio Heights, one of San Franciscoโs most exclusive neighbourhoods.
Together, they effectively formed one enormous private compound.
Ulrich originally bought the two properties separately from Salesforce co-founder Marc Benioff.
The larger property was purchased in 2017 for $30 million, while the neighbouring house followed in 2018 for $6 million.
Combined cost?
$36 million.
Combined selling price?
Almost $68 million.
Even after you factor in the joys of tax, upkeep, fees and the terrifying cost of maintaining houses that size, thatโs still one rather chunky increase.
๐ฅ Lars Has Apparently Been Playing The Long Game
Musicians are often warned not to blow all their money on ridiculous purchases.
Sports cars.
Private jets.
Guitars.
More guitars.
A guitar they definitely didnโt need but bought anyway because it was โvintageโ.
Ulrich apparently decided gigantic San Francisco real estate might be the better option.
And it appears to have worked out rather well.
The two properties were sold on the same day and, if treated as a single transaction, the deal ranks among the largest private home sales ever recorded in San Francisco.
Thatโs serious property territory.
Weโre talking less MTV Cribsโฆ
โฆand more you may need a golf buggy to get to the kitchen.
๐๏ธ The Main House Is Absolutely Massive
The larger of the two homes reportedly stretches across roughly 16,000 square feet.
Built in the early 20th century, the property was designed by noted architect Willis Polk and takes inspiration from an Italian palazzo.
Because apparently โreally big houseโ wasnโt dramatic enough.
The home has undergone extensive interior work over the years and reportedly includes an indoor swimming pool.
Naturally.
At this price point, weโd be disappointed if there wasnโt at least one secret tunnel and a room specifically designed for storing cymbals.
๐ A Second Property Completed The Setup
The neighbouring residence is considerably smaller.
And by โsmallerโ, we mean around 6,000 square feet.
So still absolutely enormous to anyone who doesnโt currently live inside a stately home.
With adjoining gardens, the two properties operated together as a substantial private estate.
That gave Ulrich somewhere around 22,000 square feet of combined living space.
Which raises an important question:
How long does it take to shout โDINNERโS READYโ across that?
Youโd need stadium monitors.
๐ฒ Lars Also Sold 161 Acres Of Land
The San Francisco mansions werenโt Ulrichโs only recent real estate move.
He also sold a massive 161-acre property in Marin County for $16 million.
The land sits around King Mountain, near Kentfield, and the buyer is a conservation organisation.
Rather wonderfully, the intention is reportedly to turn the area into public open space, potentially allowing people to enjoy the land for hiking and outdoor recreation.
So one of Larsโ former properties could eventually become somewhere the public can actually wander around.
Just resist the urge to blast Battery through a Bluetooth speaker while doing it.
Or donโt.
Weโre not your parents.
๐ค Metallica Money Is Different Money
Of course, none of this should come as too much of a surprise.
Metallica have spent decades operating at the very top of heavy music.
They donโt simply play arenas.
They play stadiums.
Lots of them.
Their catalogue includes some of the biggest records in metal history, including:
Master Of Puppets.
Ride The Lightning.
โฆAnd Justice For All.
Metallica.
And decades after their commercial explosion, the band remain one of the biggest touring acts on Earth.
So yes.
The drummer owning a couple of enormous San Francisco mansions probably tracks.
๐ธ Not Bad For A Kid Who Started A Metal Band
Thereโs something slightly surreal about comparing all this property business with the early Metallica story.
Ulrich famously placed an advert looking for musicians after arriving in California, eventually connecting with James Hetfield and helping form what would become one of the biggest bands in music history.
Back then?
Small clubs.
Cheap equipment.
Underground tape trading.
Four blokes trying to play faster than everybody else.
Fast-forward several decades and one of those blokes is involved in a real estate deal worth nearly $68 million.
Metal is weird.
๐ธ The Most Metal Property Flip Ever?
Thereโs always something entertaining about rock stars and property.
Some buy castles.
Some build studios underground.
Some fill their homes with priceless artwork.
Some apparently stitch two neighbouring mansions together into one enormous San Francisco compound and then sell the lot for almost twice what they paid.
Different strokes.
And considering Ulrichโs famously business-minded reputation?
This somehow feels entirely on brand.
๐ค THE RIFF REPORT VERDICT
Lars Ulrich has taken plenty of stick over the years.
His drumming.
Napster.
Snare sounds.
That bloody St. Anger debate that will apparently continue until the sun burns out.
But on this one?
Fair play.
Buying two neighbouring homes for a combined $36 million and later shifting them for almost $68 million is some serious financial heavy lifting.
Throw in another $16 million land sale and Lars has moved roughly $84 million worth of property in a matter of weeks.
Thatโs not a house move.
Thatโs a tour gross.
So while Metallica continue filling stadiums around the world, Lars has apparently been quietly moonlighting as the Master Of Property.
Sorry.
We couldnโt resist.
Sold, But True. ๐ฅ๐ฐ๐ค
