Margot Robbie’s Hollywood Heights bungalow proves that a small home can still be a smart investment. The Australian actor bought the 945-square-foot, two-bedroom property from ‘Milk’ screenwriter Dustin Lance Black for $950,000 in February 2018, renovated it and offered it for rent before selling it for about $1.2 million in 2021. The story of the compact hillside home has been detailed by Architectural Digest and Country & Town House. Read more details about it here:
A modest but stylish bungalow
The Hollywood Heights bungalow was built in 1951 and sat on a tiered terrace, with views across the canyon from its highest level. Although it measured only 945 square feet, it had a distinctive mid-century character and a layout that made the most of its compact footprint. The home had two bedrooms and one bathroom. Its most appealing feature was the primary bedroom, which opened through French doors onto a small courtyard and tiered garden, giving the house an outdoor extension that made it feel larger than its size suggested, reported Architectural Digest.Robbie bought the property from Dustin Lance Black, the Oscar-winning writer of ‘Milk’ and husband of Olympic diver Tom Daley. At the time, she was already an established Hollywood star following the success of ‘I, Tonya and Mary Queen of Scots’.
Robbie’s renovation choices
Rather than treating the bungalow as a temporary purchase, Robbie renovated it soon after buying it. She refinished the hardwood floors, updated the kitchen and repainted the entire home, giving the property a cohesive and refreshed look. The renovation leaned into colour and character. The exterior featured cobalt blue shutters and trim, a palette that continued inside the home, while the kitchen became a white-tiled galley kitchen. The result was a compact but polished home with a relaxed, personal feel.The hillside setting also added to its appeal. The tiered garden and courtyard created private outdoor space, while the elevated position offered views over the canyon, features that helped distinguish the bungalow from many similarly sized Los Angeles homes.
From renovation to rental
After completing the work, Robbie placed the bungalow on the rental market. It was initially listed at $5,000 a month, before the asking rent was reduced to $4,200 a month, reported NY Post. The rental strategy made sense for a property of this size. Rather than occupying the small home herself, Robbie used it as an investment while continuing to build her own property portfolio in Los Angeles and Australia.She held the bungalow for almost three years before selling it in 2021 for $1.2 million, , as per the reports. That represented a gain of roughly $250,000 over her original purchase price, before renovation costs and selling expenses are considered.
A small piece of a larger portfolio
The Hollywood bungalow was not Robbie’s first Los Angeles home. In 2017, shortly after marrying Tom Ackerley, she and Ackerley bought a $2.73 million mansion in Hancock Park, which they later sold for $3.45 million in 2021.Robbie also bought two side-by-side homes on Australia’s Gold Coast in 2018 for a reported $2.5 million, purchasing them for her mother and sister. That same year, she acquired a property in Byron Bay, adding to her growing portfolio of homes in Australia.In 2019, she reportedly bought a Venice Beach compound for $5 million in an off-market deal. The property included a cottage-like residence, a live-work loft and a bungalow, along with a lawn and lap pool, and is believed to remain her main Los Angeles residence.
Why the bungalow still stands out
Among Robbie’s properties, the Hollywood Heights bungalow is notable because it was small, personal and clearly improved through thoughtful renovation. It was not a sprawling celebrity mansion, but a 945-square-foot home that combined practical investment with distinctive design.Its story also reflects the appeal of smaller homes in desirable Los Angeles neighbourhoods. A well-located bungalow with outdoor space, period character and updated interiors can attract renters and buyers even when it lacks the square footage of a larger property.Robbie sold the bungalow in 2021, but the home remains a memorable part of her real estate history. It shows that even a modest two-bedroom house can become a valuable asset when location, design and renovation come together.
