{"id":193222,"date":"2023-09-04T18:23:49","date_gmt":"2023-09-04T18:23:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tokenstalk.info\/?p=193222"},"modified":"2023-09-04T18:23:49","modified_gmt":"2023-09-04T18:23:49","slug":"kevin-costners-wife-christine-baumgartner-moves-to-40000-rental","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tokenstalk.info\/world-news\/kevin-costners-wife-christine-baumgartner-moves-to-40000-rental\/","title":{"rendered":"Kevin Costner's wife Christine Baumgartner moves to $40,000 rental"},"content":{"rendered":"
It sits on a one-acre plot, boasts custom-designed interiors and a vast pool compete with a jacuzzi, and costs an eye-watering $40,000 a month to rent \u2013 but Kevin Costner’s estranged wife says it isn’t good enough for her family.<\/p>\n
Despite her objections,\u00a0Christine Baumgartner, 49, moved into the luxury four-bedroom property on Friday, exclusively revealed here by DailyMail.com \u2013 shortly after a judge in Santa Barbara, California, slashed her child support payments by over half to $63,000-a-month.<\/p>\n
Baumgartner had been enjoying a temporary allowance of $129,000 and wanted it bumped to $161,000 so she could rent a beachfront home ‘comparable’ to the one she lived in with Costner.<\/p>\n
During the two-day hearing, the mom-of-three said her new home doesn’t provide the same standard of living as her old one and complained her sons would have to share a bathroom while criticizing the guest accommodation.<\/p>\n
But exclusive DailyMail.com photos show the property is far from shabby \u2013 and comes decked out with luxury fittings, has a manicured garden and butts onto a wooded hiking trail.<\/p>\n
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DailyMail.com can reveal Christine Baumgartner, 49, moved into the luxury four-bedroom home on Friday \u2013 after a judge in Santa Barbara, California, slashed her child support payments by over half to $63,000-a-month\u00a0<\/p>\n
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During her own testimony, Baumgartner laid out in detail how Costner’s property is superior to hers, talking lawyers through a series of photos showing the chic interior. Our photos show the property is far from shabby \u2013 and comes decked out with luxury fittings, has a manicured garden and butts onto a wooded hiking trail<\/p>\n
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Baumgartner was seen driving into her new home following court decision on Friday evening.\u00a0But when he was asked in court if he would switch homes with Baumgartner, he burst out laughing and quipped: ‘This is tricky!’<\/p>\n
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The home does have a pool house which has guest accommodation inside but in court, Baumgartner complained that visitors ‘would have to come in [to the main house] to use the shower’<\/p>\n
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Kevin Costner, 68, took the stand Friday morning and was grilled by his estranged wife Christine Baumgartner’s legal team. Baumgartner says her new $40,000-per-week property isn’t good enough for her family<\/p>\n
Costner, 68, owns a five-lot property in Carpinteria that sits directly on the beach, it is comprised of a main house and two guest houses and is worth at least $75m according to his estranged wife.<\/p>\n
In testimony on Friday, the actor told the court that his biggest fear in the divorce was cash flow and said he was frightened that he might have to sell his California home of more than 20 years and his Aspen ranch to pay for an increased child support award.<\/p>\n
He said: ‘My biggest concern is that the court orders me to pay child support that is above the reasonable needs of the children, that it’s not what they need but what Christine needs.<\/p>\n
‘I could run out of cash very quickly and that could force me to take jobs I don’t want to do and work later than I want to work.’<\/p>\n
He added: ‘My homes in Aspen and here, I could lose them. I have spent my whole life building them as places for me and my family and friend. I didn’t get good grades but for sharing, the column has always said A.’<\/p>\n
But when he was asked in court if he would switch homes with Baumgartner, he burst out laughing and quipped: ‘This is tricky!’<\/p>\n
Costner went on: ‘No, I would not but not because I don’t think that home is comparable.<\/p>\n
‘I have raised three children in my home, their hands are in the stone. I think most people would understand that.’<\/p>\n
Smiling, he added: ‘There are some features [of Baumgartner’s new house] I’d like to have in mine.’<\/p>\n
Asked if the single property compared to his five-lot compound, the veteran actor said: ‘I only live in one of the properties so I believe they’re comparable. I don’t think they’re equal.’<\/p>\n
During her own testimony, Baumgartner laid out in detail how Costner’s property is superior to hers, talking lawyers through a series of photos showing the chic interior.<\/p>\n
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While it does have a pool, the outdoor dining space is considerably smaller than at Costner’s large plot and the deck, although elegant, does not possess the sea views that the former marital home does<\/p>\n
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She complained her sons would have to share a bathroom while criticizing the guest accommodation<\/p>\n
The main house has an infinity pool that overlooks the Pacific and d\u00e9cor that combines striped rugs with tan leather couches and cream walls for a look that emphasizes ‘California living’.<\/p>\n
On top of that, the 68-year-old’s home is decked out for watersports and surfing with the garage in one former neighbor’s home now a storeroom for surfboards, wetsuits and dive equipment.<\/p>\n
Eldest son Caden, 16, even has his own boat kept at the property which he uses for fishing trips to the Channel Islands and diving.<\/p>\n
By contrast, Baumgartner’s new rental has no views at all \u2013 with DailyMail.com photos showing the driveway opens into a road flanked by hedges on both sides.<\/p>\n
While it does have a pool, the outdoor dining space is considerably smaller than at Costner’s large plot and the deck, although elegant, does not possess the sea views that the former marital home does.<\/p>\n
The home does have a pool house which has guest accommodation inside but in court, Baumgartner complained that visitors ‘would have to come in [to the main house] to use the shower’.<\/p>\n
She also noted that Caden and her other son Hayes, 14, would need to share a bathroom while daughter Grace, 13, will share hers ‘with the house’.<\/p>\n
Baumgartner told the court she wanted a house like that to provide a comparable lifestyle for her children and said she had been to look at two properties, one on the same street as her old home.<\/p>\n
Speaking to DailyMail.com, New York based family law expert Brett Ward of the Matrimonial and Family Law Practice Group at Blank Rome said:<\/p>\n
‘Technically, ‘comparable lifestyle’ means what the judge in any case says it means. But the general concept was put in place to ensure that the children do not experience vastly different lifestyles when with each parent – the big home versus the one-bedroom apartment.’<\/p>\n
He added: ‘The concept was not created to ensure total parity between the living conditions. It is in place to limit the disparity between them.<\/p>\n
‘What Christine is saying is that the current order of $129,000 a month is insufficient for her to match Kevin’s lifestyle.<\/p>\n
‘She is doing a direct comparison of what he has versus what she can now afford, and of course is coming up short because he is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.<\/p>\n
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The mom-of-three said her new home doesn’t provide the same standard of living as the home she shared with Costner<\/p>\n
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Costner, 68, owns a five-lot property in Carpinteria that sits directly on the beach, it is comprised of a main house and two guest houses and is worth at least $75m according to his estranged wife\u00a0<\/p>\n
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The Oscar-winning actor has built an apparent recreational house on the property which is surrounded by outdoor furniture and umbrellas. During her own testimony, Baumgartner laid out in detail how Costner’s property is superior to hers, talking lawyers through a series of photos showing the chic interior<\/p>\n
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‘Whereas Kevin is basically saying ‘comparable’ does not mean equal, and $60,000 per month should allow her to provide the children with an extraordinary life.<\/p>\n
‘In the end, the final support number will come down to the judge’s determination of what sum of money each month will sufficiently prevent a significant disparity in the children’s lifestyles as they go from one home to the other.’<\/p>\n
Much of the final day of testimony hinged on Costner’s finances which are significantly larger than Baumgartner’s \u2013 her main source of income is an investment account containing $400,000 that pays $1,800-a-month.<\/p>\n
She also has a lump sum of $1.5m which was part of the terms of the couple’s prenuptial agreement and was paid to her on separation by Costner.<\/p>\n
Costner rakes in $1,468,953 per month and has monthly living expenses of $240,000, although forensic accountant Tracy Katz pointed out that figure is based on spending by the whole family, Baumgartner included \u2013 who accounted for much of the discretionary spending during 2022.<\/p>\n
According to Katz, who was hired by Costner, her monthly spending included $18,000 on medical bills, $18,855 on clothing and $3,377 on beauty treatments.<\/p>\n
On top of that, Baumgartner was responsible for the lion’s share of the $8,886 in cash taken out at ATM machines.<\/p>\n
Money for the family’s lavish lifestyle is provided by Costner, who was at pains to point out that he doesn’t live a Hollywood existence or spoil his children \u2013 with his attorney Laura Wasser noting his son Cayden drives a 16-year-old Range Rover, despite his father earning enough to purchase a new one.<\/p>\n
Costner also noted that he no longer has his own private plane and said he does stay at his ranch in Aspen, Colorado when homes on the land are rented out \u2013 telling court he went straight there after wrapping filming on his new movie Horizon in June, despite other people being there.<\/p>\n
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\u00a0Kevin Costner, 68, is seen heading in to breakfast with son Hayes, 14 Saturday in Santa Barbara.\u00a0Money for the family’s lavish lifestyle is provided by Costner, who was at pains to point out that he doesn’t live a Hollywood existence or spoil his children \u2013 with his attorney Laura Wasser noting his son Cayden drives a 16-year-old Range Rover, despite his father earning enough to purchase a new one<\/p>\n
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The two-day court hearing concerned the future of Costner and\u00a0Baumgartner’s three children: sons Cayden, 15, Hayes, 14, and daughter Grace, 13\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Costner was not only the primary breadwinner, but the only person making money recently, and Baumgartner said in a filing that she has no income\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Costner and Baumgartner pictured during their September 2004 wedding at his Aspen ranch<\/p>\n
The court heard much about Costner’s 160,000-acre ranch which has three homes on the property and which he rents out for $50,000-a-night.<\/p>\n
In addition to fully stocked fishing lakes, river frontage and spectacular hiking trails, the ranch has its own baseball court.<\/p>\n
It also has sledding trails that are lit up with baseball lights at night and have music piped through the trees.<\/p>\n
The mom-of-three also noted Costner owns a second plot of land in Santa Barbara where the family had planned to build ‘our dream home’.<\/p>\n
It is currently being used as a venue for soccer tournaments laid on by the Costners for the local community and as the location of their annual Christmas party which would see them ship in 40 tons of snow to create faux toboggan runs.<\/p>\n
In her testimony, Baumgartner said the parties would also feature a forest of rented pine trees and a variety of animals, including camels, for the children to ride.<\/p>\n