What is Elaine Culotti's net worth? Meet the self-made 'Undercover Billionaire' tycoon who owns a 40-acre ranch
Building a name for oneself from the bottom up is not easy and doing so in a heavily male-dominated field is even harder. But Elaine Culotti has never been known to take no for an answer. With no room for failure in her book, her tenacity and determination to get things done are admirable.
Season 2 of 'Undercover Billionaire' puts the real-estate titan to the test, as she lands up in California, with only $100, a phone and a car — she has 90 days to build a successful business from scratch. It may seem like a daunting task, but if anyone can do it, it's Culotti, and here's why.
Who is Elaine Culotti?
“Elaine Culotti grew up a military brat, traveling throughout Europe with her English-born mother and Irish-American father. She attributes her sense of style and drama to those younger years in German castles, English farmhouses and the wonderful towns of Renaissance Italy,” her official website reads.
It further says, “Elaine's experience in design has given her the ability to manage projects from start to finish for her clients. She's assembled a network of painters, plasterers carvers and other craftsmen along with architects, contractors and other professionals to get projects completed according to her exacting standards.”
Culotti built her own business from the ground up
An entrepreneur since the age of 14, Culotti first stepped into the business world through importing and retailing antiques and collectibles. She then launched her design firm, retail store and manufacturing facility. Her varied experience in this space allowed her to move from interior design to real estate development. Her design firm — Porta Bella or Elaine Culotti Designs has gone on to make some iconic homes that have made headlines, making her a real estate big-name.
Her claim to fame was Santa Monica's 'House of Rock'
Over the course of her career, Culotti has developed and built it all. From luxury homes to casinos and hospitals, you name it, and she's probably made it. She's also the visionary behind Santa Monica's 'House of Rock', a 1926 Tudor style mansion that she stunningly upgraded, which is often used for high-profile events.
What is her net worth?
Culotti worked alongside Esquire magazine for their annual showcase in 2010, where they created the 'Ultimate Bachelor Pad' — a house that is used to host charity events and was later listed for sale. The house is located in Hollywood Hills and listed for $18.9 million. It featured 11 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, an infinity pool, a two-story pool, hot tub and gym, a $500,000 music studio a $200,000 flight simulator.
The pad embodied Culotti's idea of a bachelor. “My bachelor is an American who has traveled through Europe — he's sophisticated... He's a throwback to the '70s — my bachelor likes exotic things,” she said in an interview to LA Times' blog. Although her exact net worth is not known, it is estimated to be close to $200 million.
She's no stranger to getting down and dirty
While Culotti does own a design firm, she also owns a 40-acre ranch in Fallbrook, California. Her involvement in organic farming might just come in handy on the show. Currently, she works alongside local farmers to ensure food is sold directly to consumers, promoting a farm to table ideology by cutting out the middle man. This has led to investments in the agricultural sector. She hopes to create sustainable and eco-friendly markets.
In an Instagram post, she introduced herself and wrote, “I am Elaine, the proprietor of Big Z Ranch/Farm. Big Z is home to many animals, plants, vegetables and fruits. We have Kale, Carrots, Beets, Radish, Leeks, Squash, Celery, Avocados, Figs, Lemons, Limes, Guava, Passion fruit, Star fruit, dragon fruit and so much more!”
Catch Season 2 of 'Undercover Billionaire' on Discovery, streamed on Discovery+.