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New York or LA? Which One Do Celebrities Prefer?

Just as Baz Luhrmann’s song Everybody’s Free to Wear Sunscreen advises that “you should live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard, live in California once, but leave before it makes you soft,” when it comes to choosing between the iconic East and West coast cities of New York and L.A., celebrities have varying opinions on which is best. While New York has always been known to embody the ruff and gruff, prickly, yet down to earth mentality, California, and L.A., in particular, is best known for the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and sunny, palm tree-lined boulevards where the lines between film and reality are often blurred. The glitz and glamour came to New York back in June when Barneys launched an exclusive, star-studded fashion show.

So, with the varying social, financial and climatic aspects, where do most celebrities choose to call home? While many love their enormous mansions in Malibu, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and other rich communities and enjoy year-round sunshine and balmy weather, others prefer to own a home in the more subdued and more private life of what Yoreevo has dubbed as the most valuable real-estate market in the country. Taylor Swift recently dropped almost $40 million on two large units in New York’s exclusive Tribeca neighborhood where median home values are pegged at over $3 million. Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel, as well as Jay-Z and Beyoncé also call Tribeca their home, together with other celebrities. Many others, meanwhile, chose to shy away from the limelight for personal reasons.

This is especially true for celebrities with families, who chose New York as they feel it allows for a more “normal” life for their family. Matt Damon told ENews how his family is not even aware of the celebrity lifestyle as no one bothers them. Others like Mischa Barton like the fact that she doesn’t have to drive to get anywhere while Susan Sarandon remarks how you get more chances to meet people as most people tend to walk everywhere and the serendipity is so much thicker. Meanwhile, with endless sunshine, sandy beaches, and a beautiful landscape, it’s not a surprise many other celebrities love living in and around the City of Angels. It also helps that the real estate is not as exorbitant as in New York and the price of a high-end apartment in Tribeca can buy you a beach-front property in California that you can enjoy all year-round.

Beverly Hills is home to the most famous zip code in the country and home to some of the finest luxury properties in the world, with the likes of Christina Aguilera and Mark Wahlberg living the epitome of sumptuous living. Meanwhile, the scenic and exclusive Hollywood Hills neighborhood has long been a favorite of celebrities. Famous homeowners include Ben Stiller and John Legend. Nearby in Hidden Hills, TV producer and former mayor of the small L.A. suburb, David Stanley noted how idyllic and close knit their community is, with people gathering every year to celebrate the founding of the town. Hidden Hills is home to Jennifer Lopez, LeAnn Rimes and Melissa Etheridge. On the other hand, countless other stars like Christian Bale, Tom Cruise and Sandra Bullock, to name but a few, prefer the incredible views and sunsets of Santa Monica. While New York can have its own appeal through exclusivity and luxury, California offers that and so much more, with something for everyone.

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