Exclusive Details: La Toya Jackson's Las Vegas Condo Headed for Foreclosure

TMZ reported today that Michael Jackson's sister, La Toya Jackson, may lose her Las Vegas condo if she doesn't come up with the cash to pay her mortgage by the end of the month. According to TMZ, La Toya owes nearly $750,000 on her condo, located in the swank Regency Towers (below) in Las Vegas. TMZ also includes a statement reportedly issued by her representative:

"La Toya has an extensive real estate portfolio and her advisors directed her to the business decision to let this particular property [] go to short sale . . . The property was also something she got during her divorce from Jack Gordon and she has no attachment to it."

We believe her! For the most part, that is.

We located the property records ourselves and found that it was recently placed up for sale at a list price of $205,000, but it is now temporarily off the market.

If she owes almost $500,000 more than the condo is even worth, perhaps it is a smart financial decision to just let it go.

The thing is, technically a short sale happens when the bank allows you to sell your home for less than what you owe. In this instance, TMZ reports that La Toya's condo is slated for auction on September 30.

That would be a FORECLOSURE, NOT A SHORT SALE!!!

Anyway, La Toya is scheduled to appear on ABC's 20/20 tonight in an interview with Barbara Walters. We'll see if she discusses any of this.

In Remembrance: September 11th Attacks

On September 11, 2001, in a series of coordinated suicide attacks using four hijacked commercial airplanes, members of Al Queda killed nearly 3,000 people along with themselves on U.S. soil.

The hijackers crashed two airplanes into the twin World Trade Center buildings in New York, collapsing both. They crashed another one into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, just outside Washington, DC. They crashed the final one into a field in rural Pennsylvania after a struggle ensued with the passengers and crew.

All onboard the four airplanes died in the attacks, along with those who were trapped in the buildings. Hundreds of rescue workers (firefighters, emergency workers, police officers, and paramedics) also died during rescue and recovery efforts. It remains unclear how many others died of illness resulting from exposure to dust from the WTC collapse.

Since then, several memorials have been erected in various parts of the country to honor the victims.

Construction of a national memorial is currently underway in the spot where the WTC buildings stood. An artist's rendering is depicted above.

Now, in addition to having a home in our hearts and minds, they will have a symbolic home that reflects their absence.

Grammer Rules! Contractor Loses Lawsuit Over Kitchen Work

TMZ is reporting that Kelsey Grammer (television star of shows like Frasier, Back to You, and the upcoming Hank) and his wife Camille won a lawsuit brought by The Last Detail, a company that claimed the Grammers owed them $150,000 in construction costs. The court even threw in the kitchen sink, ordering the company to pay damages to the Grammers.

According to TMZ, Kelsey says he fired the company for "'non-performance' after they tried to overcharge him for the work" on kitchen of their home in Malibu.

Yada, yada, yada. You just wanna see the house, and especially the kitchen, right? Well, we've got it!

We dug up this video from NBC's Today Show, where Kelsey and Camille are interviewed inside their Malibu home:



Enjoy!

Alec Baldwin's NYC Coop Up For Sale

Alec Baldwin -- star of NBC's 30 Rock and dozens of feature films -- has placed his coop in the El Dorado building on Central Park West up for sale. He's asking $7.5 million for this 3BR/4.5BA gem, which boasts an eat-in kitchen and maid's quarters.

Notably, his home doesn't appear to be "staged" with generic furniture. Instead, it looks like his furniture pieces were acquired over time and reflect his own sensibilities of comfort and style.

Inside Madoff's Homes & Boats in NYC & Florida

CNN Money tours Bernie Madoff's Manhattan penthouse, Palm Beach property, and boats. All go on the market this week. Both residences are expected to fetch $7M.

Here are a few shots of the Manhattan penthouse.

As with the Montauk property we featured previously, this living room supplies more proof that he has boring taste in home furnishings:

The Palm Beach home (below) is likewise prety unremarkable in terms of decor, though we do like the vaulted ceilings and the simple main entry (bottom photo).

Go here for the article and plenty of photos.

A Peek Inside the Obamas' Vacation House

Architectural Digest has an exclusive look at the vacation house used by President Obama and his family this summer. We always wondered whether it was one of those giant structures with huge impersonal rooms. And we were relieved to find out that it is NOT!
As you can see, it is tastefully simple. The dining room above is obviously "nothing fancy." Likewise, for the bedroom below:

We think this porch speaks volumes about what this home really offers: a quite place to connect with your family. Sigh! We wish we could see more celebrity homes that looked like this, instead of the vulgar mansions of today. But then we'd have nothing to dish about!

All photos by Richard Keith Langham.

Photographer Annie Liebovitz to Lose Her Homes?

Famed photographer Annie Liebovitz could lose the rights to her photography works as well as her homes if she doesn't cough up $24 million+ TODAY!

Leibovitz (shown above with her iconic photograph of Demi Moore) borrowed that amount last year from Art Capital Group using her homes and her rights to her photographic works as collateral.

She owns three townhouses in New York's West Village (including the one shown above) and a 228-acre country estate in Rhinebeck, NY. She has reportedly been in dire financial straits for quite a while and recently dealt with the deaths of her parents as well as her lover, Susan Santog.

Let's hope she comes up with the money fast!

UPDATE: We've heard that a hearing has been set for October 2nd, though technically that doesn't alter the payment due date. We've also heard that her properties are worth $40+ million and her works are worth $50+ million. We're guessing she'll let the houses go if things get really nasty.

UPDATE (9/11/09): We've heard that Art Capital Group has dropped the lawsuit and agreed to restructure the loan. So dear Annie is safe for now!

WTF? Squatting Real Housewife Now a Thief?

Or at least that's what TMZ says about Real Housewives of Orange County's Lynne Curtin. We previously reported that the homeowner had to call the sheriff to evict this alleged squatter after she failed to pay $12,000 in back rent. Now it looks like she made off with $5,000 in furniture, including a bookcase, credenza, and armoire. Seems the only things she left behind were holes in the walls, trashed carpet, and damage to the travertine bathtub. Real class!

We're still waiting to hear her side of the story, though. Lynne, we're ready to talk anytime you are!

For more on this story go here: Evicted 'Housewife' Accused of Looting