Alison Sweeney spent nearly two decades turning a Hollywood Hills property into one of Los Angeles’ most talked-about celebrity homes. From a modest Mediterranean-style purchase in 2006 to a fully renovated luxury estate listed at $30,000 a month, her house tells the story of a career-driven actress who put real thought into where — and how — she lived. More recently, Sweeney and her family made a clean break from California and settled in Scottsdale, Arizona, beginning a new chapter that she describes as better than anything she could have imagined.
This article covers everything worth knowing about Alison Sweeney’s house: the original purchase, the major renovation, every standout feature of the Hollywood Hills property, the rental listing, and the Arizona home she now calls her own.
Who Is Alison Sweeney?
Alison Sweeney is an American actress, director, producer, and author best known for playing Samantha “Sami” Brady on the NBC daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives, a role she held from 1993 to 2014 before returning permanently in 2021. Her performance earned a Daytime Emmy Award nomination and four Soap Opera Digest Awards. She also hosted the reality weight-loss competition show The Biggest Loser from the fourth season in 2007 through 2015, and has starred in the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries series, including Murder, She Baked and the Hannah Swensen Mysteries franchise — projects she has written, executive-produced, and starred in.
In 2000, Sweeney married David Sanov, a California Highway Patrol officer she first met when he appeared as a guest on Days of Our Lives. The couple raised two children, Ben and Meghan, in Los Angeles before eventually relocating to Arizona after Sanov retired from the CHP following 27 years of service.
The Hollywood Hills Home: Purchase and Original Property
Sweeney and her husband purchased their Hollywood Hills West property in early 2006 — a 2,933-square-foot, three-bedroom, three-bathroom Mediterranean-style home built in 1974, acquired for $1,795,000 according to public records.
The property sits on a quiet cul-de-sac in the Outpost Estates area of Hollywood Hills West — a section of Los Angeles known for its hillside privacy, sweeping views, and long history as a celebrity enclave. From the moment they moved in, the location gave them proximity to Runyon Canyon, one of the most popular hiking spots in the city, accessible directly from the property.
The 2009 Renovation: From Starter Home to Luxury Estate
Three years after purchasing the property, Sweeney undertook a significant remodel that fundamentally changed both the size and character of the home. The 2009 renovation added two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a theatre room, a new swimming pool, a spa, a firepit, and an outdoor bar and BBQ with outdoor television and sound system, bringing the total square footage up to approximately 4,125.
The result was a property that bore little resemblance to its original footprint. What had been a compact three-bedroom Mediterranean became a full-scale luxury residence with entertainer-grade amenities and a clearly defined design identity.
Inside the Hollywood Hills Home: Room by Room
The Entry and Living Areas
The front door opens to a grand foyer with high ceilings and chandeliers. The tone throughout is traditional rather than minimalist — high ceilings, lots of natural light, dark walnut floors, and handcrafted details in every room.
The living room functions as more than a standard sitting space. It doubles as a professional-grade home theater, complete with a projector screen and built-in bookshelves. Sweeney discussed this feature in a 2017 Los Angeles Times feature, describing how the room was designed from the start to serve both purposes without feeling like either was compromised.
The Kitchen and Dining Space
The gourmet kitchen features custom cabinetry, a massive island, a wet bar, a coffee bar, an oversized pantry, and a social breakfast room with its own fireplace. The layout reflects Sweeney’s well-documented love of hosting — a kitchen designed for a household that entertains regularly, with enough counter space and prep zones to manage a serious dinner party.
The Wine Cellar and Entertaining Areas
One of the most-noted features of the home is its 2,000-bottle humidity and temperature-controlled wine cellar. Combined with the home bar, built-in BBQ station, and fire pit, the property functions as a self-contained entertaining venue. In interviews, Sweeney has described her approach to hosting as creating an atmosphere — low lighting, curated playlists, flexible hospitality — rather than following a rigid set of house rules. The infrastructure of the home supports exactly that philosophy.
The Primary Suite
The primary bedroom suite includes a spa-inspired bathroom and a private deck with panoramic views. An adjoining office features custom built-ins, a fireplace, and panoramic vistas of the city and canyon. The sitting area, generous closet space, and private outdoor access make the suite feel more like a self-contained apartment within the larger home.
Personal Touches
Sweeney added personal touches throughout the home, including a vintage-inspired theater popcorn machine — a gift from her husband — equestrian-inspired decor, including a framed portrait of her childhood horse, family photos displayed on built-in bookshelves, and a collection of Soap Opera Digest awards from her years on Days of Our Lives.
Her stated design preference leans toward Colonial style. In a Better Homes & Gardens interview, she described her approach directly: warm rather than cold, patterned fabrics over bare surfaces, drapes and rugs to add texture, and color as a deliberate presence throughout every room. Her aunt, who worked as an interior designer, was a formative influence on this aesthetic.
Outdoor Features and Sustainability
The quarter-acre lot delivers a range of outdoor amenities that match the interior in quality. The property includes an infinity pool, spa, terraced gardens, and private access to Runyon Canyon. The backyard also includes manicured lawns, mature fruit trees, a fire pit, and a full outdoor bar and BBQ station with a dedicated television and sound system.
The home also incorporates meaningful eco-conscious design. Solar panels power both the home and the pool, and a whole-home water filtration system serves the interior. For a property of this size and amenity level, these additions reflect a considered approach to long-term operating costs and environmental responsibility.
The $30,000-a-Month Rental Listing
In May 2024, Sweeney listed her Hollywood Hills home for rent at $30,000 per month through Coldwell Banker Realty. The listing described the property accurately: four bedrooms, nearly 4,000 square feet, panoramic city and canyon views, and the full complement of luxury features accumulated through the 2009 renovation. The rental terms required a 12-month contract and a $60,000 security deposit.
The decision to rent rather than immediately sell was consistent with the family’s situation at the time. Sweeney and her husband had already made the move to Arizona, but the Hollywood Hills property represented significant value — both financially and personally. Renting it out allowed them to hold the asset while fully committing to their new life in Scottsdale.
The home was purchased in 2006 for $1.795 million and is currently estimated to be worth between $3 million and $4 million — a substantial increase that reflects both the value added by the renovation and the broader appreciation of Los Angeles hillside real estate over the same period.
The Arizona Move: Scottsdale and a New Chapter
Sweeney told Scottsdale City Lifestyle in 2023 that her family moved to Arizona after her husband retired from the California Highway Patrol. In October 2022, she shared on Instagram that he had served as an officer for 27 years.
The decision was a significant one for a family that had been rooted in Los Angeles for decades. But Sweeney has been candid about how well the transition has gone.
Their Scottsdale home came with an unexpected bonus: a thriving rose garden planted by the previous owners. Sweeney fell in love with the garden unexpectedly, telling Better Homes & Gardens, “I have this rose garden, and it’s my favorite thing about the whole house. I pour a cup of coffee in the morning and walk around the garden, trim the roses, and take a few to put in a vase inside the house.”
She described gardening as something she never expected to enjoy — and found deeply rewarding precisely because it was new. The Arizona home, by her own account, offered a pace and quality of daily life that the Hollywood Hills property, for all its luxury, could not replicate.
Alison Sweeney’s Approach to Home and Hospitality
Across interviews over the years, Sweeney has been consistent about what a home should feel like. The only real house rule she enforces is removing shoes at the door — practical given that she and her daughter spend regular time at the stables. Beyond that, her priority is making guests feel genuinely comfortable rather than performing hospitality.
She describes the ideal guest experience as one that gives people full access: knowing how to use the coffee machine, finding the right breakfast items regardless of dietary needs, and moving through the space freely. The music, the lighting, the food — these are all orchestrated with guests in mind, but always in service of ease rather than impression.
This philosophy connects directly to how she designed and used the Hollywood Hills home. The kitchen was built for real cooking. The wine cellar was stocked for sharing. The living room theater was designed for evenings with family and friends. Every major design decision in the home pointed toward a single purpose: making the space genuinely livable.
FAQs
Where is Alison Sweeney’s house?
Her former primary residence is located in the Hollywood Hills West neighborhood of Los Angeles, in the Outpost Estates area, on a private cul-de-sac with panoramic city and canyon views. She now lives in Scottsdale, Arizona.
How much did Alison Sweeney pay for her Hollywood Hills home?
She purchased the property in January 2006 for $1,795,000.
How big is Alison Sweeney’s house?
After a major 2009 renovation, the home measures approximately 4,000 to 4,125 square feet, with four to five bedrooms and 3.5 to 4.5 bathrooms.
Is Alison Sweeney’s house for sale?
The most recent public listings, the Hollywood Hills home was listed for rent at $30,000 per month in May 2024, not for outright sale.
Why did Alison Sweeney move to Arizona?
Sweeney and her husband, David Sanov, relocated to Scottsdale, Arizona, following his retirement from the California Highway Patrol after 27 years of service.
Conclusion
Alison Sweeney’s Hollywood Hills house is one of the more fully realized celebrity home stories available — not just because of its luxury specifications, but because of the clear intention behind every stage of it. The original purchase was strategic and well-located. The renovation was thoughtful and extensive. The interior design reflected a genuine personal aesthetic rather than a generic upscale template. And the eventual move to Arizona, far from being a retreat, came across as a deliberate step forward into a life the family had actively chosen.
For anyone interested in celebrity real estate, the Sweeney property in Hollywood Hills represents the combination of location, quality renovation, and personal investment that distinguishes a home from a real estate asset. For anyone interested in Alison Sweeney specifically, it offers a concrete window into the values and preferences of someone who has built a career on authenticity — and lived accordingly.