Matthew Perry's Last Real Estate Purchase Marked A New Life Chapter

Monica and Chandler's abode on "Friends" has become quite iconic, but in real life, Matthew Perry had much more than just a New York City apartment. A couple of years before he tragically died, Perry had made a big real estate purchase for a new style of living.

"Friends" changed Perry's life forever, and that included the types of homes in which he lived. After his success in the first season, the actor decided to purchase a home in the Hollywood Hills in 1995, which is known for its celebrity neighborhood, according to House Beautiful. Perry once joked it was a rite of passage for famous people to purchase a home in the Hollywood Hills. In 1995, he told The Toronto Star, "A Hollywood house in the Hills. It's the law when you have a successful sitcom: Between the first and second seasons, you buy a house." Perry had the Hollywood Hills home for nearly all of his run on "Friends." He sold the home in 2001 and went on to make several big real estate purchases throughout his life, per House Beautiful.

Unfortunately, Perry's life would be cut short after he reportedly drowned in his hot tub in October 2023, per TMZ. The home in which the "Friends" actor passed away had only recently been purchased by Perry and was set to mark a new chapter in his life.

Matthew Perry made the move from an L.A. penthouse to a cottage just years before he tragically died. In 2017, the "Friends" actor made his biggest real estate purchase when he bought a 9,000-square-foot condo for $20 million, per House Beautiful. Perry turned the entire 40th floor into an oasis, with four bedrooms, eight bathrooms, and a view of beautiful Los Angeles. However, in 2019, Perry decided to sell his condo and downsize to a cottage.

In 2020, three years before his death, Perry purchased a home in the Pacific Palisades in California, per House Beautiful. The "17 Again" actor purchased the home for $6 million, a big price cut from his previous L.A. penthouse purchase. The cottage-style home was equipped with four bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms. A more relaxed home, it seemed like it was going to help Perry usher in a new chapter in his life. Sadly, it would be in this home that Perry would die of an apparent drowning in the hot tub.

Although the Pacific Palisades cottage had enough space to host many people, the New York Post reports Perry was actually "lonely" leading up to his passing. A source told the outlet, "He had a heart of gold and was doing his best to help others, but there was a loneliness there. He spent most of his days in his home and was very lonely."

Matthew Perry wasn't shy about sharing his Pacific Palisades home. In the weeks before the "Friends" actor died, he shared several photos of the place that he called home on social media. On October 11, the actor gave fans a peek at his front yard, although he wasn't too happy about being woken up by the loud noises from the equipment the gardeners used. He shared, "Why can Elon Musk send a woman to the moon and not be able to invent a silent leaf blower?"

Just a couple of days later, Perry posted a photo of one of the rooms in his home. Decked out with three television screens all playing "Batman" and a bed smack dab in the middle, Perry had a cozy room to watch the film.

Perry's final Instagram post also showed the backyard of his home, but many felt the photo was a bit eerie considering how the "Friends" actor passed away. Just six days before his death, Perry posed for a photo in the hot tub where he reportedly drowned. The actor captioned the post, "Oh, so warm water swirling around makes you feel good? I'm Mattman." Sadly, the house has now become a hub to honor the late actor, as "Friends" fans have come in droves to pay their respects to Perry and the impact he had on their lives, per USA Today.

From the moment he made his first big real estate purchase, Matthew Perry's homes have always had a view. In 2005, the "Friends" actor purchased a Malibu home with a beachside view, per House Beautiful. And just a year later, he made another purchase on the sunset strip with a view of Los Angeles. From the beach to the city, he always wanted something to look out at and even had an incredible view from his last home. While it seems like a nice view would be a given for any celebrity, for Perry, it was a make-or-break factor when purchasing a home.

In 2022, the actor told People his last home in Pacific Palisades was "heaven" to him, sharing why a view was a must-have for any property. "When I was 5 years old, my parents put me on a plane alone from Montreal to Los Angeles. And I was terrified, my feet didn't even touch the floor," he said. "And then when I saw the lights of the city, I knew we were landing and my dad was going to be there and I'd be parented again. That's why views of the ocean or city lights have always given me a feeling of safety." For Perry, it was more than having something nice to look at; rather, it gave him a sense of comfort.