Paris Hilton House

Socialite Paris Hilton was born on February 17, 1981 in New York City into the Hilton family and, along with her three younger siblings, is heir-apparent to the vast Hilton hotel and real estate dynasty.

Her childhood was spent in palatial dwellings in the priciest neighborhoods on both coasts and featured a brief flirtation with the educational system, including high schooling at the ultra-exclusive Dwight School, from which she dropped out and ultimately earned her high school GED.

Living the glitzy socialite life from a relatively early age, attending exclusive parties and being covered by the gossip press, Hilton apparently became hooked on obtaining celebrity status, which was perhaps furthered by the example of her mother, Kathy Hilton, who had a brief acting career herself, mostly on TV. 

Hilton began a remarkable and well-financed campaign to put herself in the public eye, on screen, on television and in music. This effort has included a substantial amount of physical alteration. A naturally pleasant-looking girl, Hilton underwent extensive plastic surgery, hair coloring and tinted contact lenses in her attempt to reinvent herself as "hot". Sadly, money could not buy alteration of the physical attribute she most dislikes about herself: her exceptionally-large feet.

Her house in Beverly Hills, built in 1991, is said to offer more privacy, as well as five bedrooms, 5½ bathrooms and a fitness room that Hilton intends to convert into a shoe closet, her uncle and real-estate agent, Mauricio Umansky of Hilton & Hyland (which is affiliated with Christie's Great Estates), tells the paper.

The Mediterranean-style house on more than three-quarters of an acre was also a bit of a bargain for Hilton: $5.9 million, which was below the original $6.25 million asking price. 

Inside, a magnificient mahogany staircase winds up to an upper landing, while the lower floor comprises a series of large, airy rooms linked by oversize, Spanish-style arches. Currently the decor is classic and rather dated - presumably representing something of a challenge for the 30-year-old, who famously renovated her former Twenties

Her uncle also says that Hilton looked at more than a dozen properties before settling upon this one, which also offers shared tennis courts.

Her former residence, which went on the market in July for $4.25 million, has been sold to an unidentified buyer who has signed a purchase contract for $4.2 million, says the Journal.