Bird founder Travis VanderZanden sells Bel-Air estate at $11M loss 

Travis VanderZanden has driven his scooter into the gutter, having sold his hilltop Bel-Air estate at a $10.9 million loss.

The founder and former CEO of Bird, the Santa Monica-based scooter-sharing firm, sold the 10,000-square-foot mansion at 11507 Orum Road for $10.8 million, according to the Robb Report. The buyer was undisclosed.

In September 2020, the VanderZandens paid $21.7 million to comedian Trevor Noah for their Bel-Air home. “The Daily Show” host bought the spec home in 2018 from developer Jacob Cohan for $20.5 million.

The sale comes after VanderZanden and his wife, Samantha, sold their 13,800-square-foot mansion in Coral Gables, Florida, for $26 million — $13.9 million off its initial asking price.

After nearly six months of renovations, the Bird founder was ready to flip and fly — and listed the pad for $25 million.  A would-be buyer inked a deal for the six-bedroom, nine-bathroom house, then fell out of contract.

By early last year, the 1.3-acre property’s asking price had sunk to $18.9 million.  

A fire damaged the property after VanderZanden bought it, according to a source familiar with the matter, who added the entire interior needs to be remodeled. If the property was insured, it is likely the sellers got a payout claim.

The two-story contemporary home, clad in black and white, has floor-to-ceiling walls of glass overlooking Bel-Air Country Club. Highlights include a stone wet bar showcasing a 500-gallon saltwater aquarium, a cigar room, a den with a marble fireplace, a movie theater and quarters for a live-in housekeeper.

A gourmet kitchen has two marble islands, plus temperature controlled wine storage for 250 bottles. Upstairs, a 2,200-square-foot master bedroom has its own bar, sitting room, dual walk-in closets and an 800-square-foot balcony.

A family sports room has glass walls that disappear for easy access to the patio. A tree-lined backyard has a 63-foot infinity pool.

VanderZanden, a former Lyft COO and Uber vice president, in 2017 founded Bird, the nationwide electric scooter-rental service once valued at $2.5 billion. By 2020, Bird had been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, In December, the company declared bankruptcy.   

— Dana Bartholomew

This story has been updated to reflect that a fire broke out at the home, causing significant damage to the interior.

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Bird founder looks to flip mansion he bought from Trevor Noah

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