Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck make surprising ‘business decision’…
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Jennifer Lopez & Ben Affleck Take $60M Mansion Off Market After 1 Year in ‘Decision They Made Together’: Source
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have taken their Beverly Hills mansion off the market after it has failed to find a buyer for a year. The former couple, who split in 2024 after two years of marriage, first tried to shop the estate off market, a common practice among A-listers, in June of that year. They publicly listed the home for sale in July with an asking price of $68 million. As of July 2, public real estate records show it has been removed from the market. The 12-bedroom, 24-bathroom, 38,000 sq. ft. California home was “recently renovated with the highest level of quality”
“While they’ve been hoping to sell the property, they’ve also been hesitant to take a big loss, “a source tells PEOPLE. “They lowered the price to get more interest and when this didn’t happen, they were advised to take it off the market. It was a business decision that they made together.”
According to a real estate source, “It’s a rough sellers market and especially for that price point. Taking it off the market until it’s more of a seller friendly climate, seems like the smartest decision.”
The former couple, who split in 2024 after two years of marriage, first tried to shop the estate off market, a common practice among A-listers wishing to maintain privacy, in June of that year. However, they publicly listed the home for sale in July with an asking price of $68 million, PEOPLE confirmed at the time.
After 10 months with no takers, they slashed the asking price significantly by $8.5 million to $59.5 million. As of July 2, public real estate records show it has been removed from the market.
Affleck and Lopez, who married in July 2022, purchased the 12-bedroom, 24-bathroom, 38,000 sq. ft. California home in May 2023 for $60,805,000.
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According to its listing, the home was “recently renovated with the highest level of quality” and includes amenities such as a bar, sports lounge, fully equipped gym, boxing ring and courts for basketball and pickleball.
Additional features include a 12-car garage, 5,000-square-foot guest penthouse, caretaker house and a two-bedroom guardhouse.
Lopez filed for divorce from Affleck on the second anniversary of their traditional wedding ceremony in Georgia, held on Aug. 20, 2022.
The actress and singer purchased a new home near Los Angeles for about $18 million in March 2025, property records show. The move came after she and Affleck finalized their divorce on January 6, 2025. She initially filed for divorce from the actor on Tuesday, Aug. 20, the second anniversary of their traditional wedding ceremony in Georgia.
Darren Gerrish/Getty; Gary Miller/WireImage
Affleck has also moved on to a new home. He purchased a home in Brentwood for $20 million last summer.
The actor closed escrow on the five-bedroom property on July 24, PEOPLE confirmed at the time, which was coincidentally Lopez’s 55th birthday.
“The environment is family-friendly, but it could easily be transformed into a bachelor pad,” a source told PEOPLE, adding that Affleck’s new neighborhood, which is home to numerous other entertainment industry A-listers, “boasts a sophisticated crowd—it’s not trendy. Real establishment.”
Did you buy a coveted Costco gold bar last year? Here’s how much it’s worth today amid soaring market prices
Gold traded around $3,390 per ounce as of Tuesday morning, about 45% higher than it was at this time last year. In June 2024, the listed purchase price for a one-ounce gold bar at Costco was $2,399.99. Since Costco began selling gold bars in 2023, they’ve been a draw for customers. Any profits made from selling gold can also be taxed at a higher rate than other investments since the Internal Revenue Service typically classifies physical gold as a collectible. It’s important to vet potential buyers on platforms such as Yelp, Google or the Better Business Bureau to help avoid lowball offers or scams, financial planner Jon Ulin said.
Costco customers who purchased a gold bar last year are now finding the item soaring in value thanks to increased demand.
Since the retail company began selling these bars in 2023, they’ve been a draw for customers, as investors historically tend to turn to gold during times of geopolitical instability, inflation and concerns over the US dollar.
According to CNBC, gold traded around $3,390 per ounce as of Tuesday morning, about 45% higher than it was at this time last year and near a recent record high.
In June 2024, the listed purchase price for a one-ounce gold bar at Costco was $2,399.99.
The spot price as of June 17, 2025, was $3,390, which is an unrealized gain of $990 and a 41.3% percentage increase.
3 In June 2024, the listed purchase price for a one-ounce gold bar at Costco was $2,399.99. Costco
If you bought the bar of gold last year, you might be considering selling it for a profit — but it’s not that simple.
The spot price is a benchmark for price negotiation, but sellers typically receive about 5-10% less than that, depending on where and how they sell their gold, Jon Ulin, a certified financial planner based in Boca Raton, Florida, told CNBC.
“I would avoid private buyers or marketplaces like eBay or Facebook Marketplace,” Ulin said. “You’re dealing with a high-value item and there’s a risk of encountering less-than-reputable individuals.”
Meanwhile, brick-and-mortar bullion dealers offer in-person evaluations and immediate payment — and may pay 1-5% below the spot price, which is often more than pawn shops offer, according to a 2024 Wall Street Journal report.
3 Since Costco began selling gold bars in 2023, they’ve been a draw for customers. IanDewarPhotography – stock.adobe.com
Regardless, it’s important to vet potential buyers on platforms such as Yelp, Google or the Better Business Bureau to help avoid lowball offers or scams.
Any profits made from selling gold can also be taxed at a higher rate than other investments since the Internal Revenue Service typically classifies physical gold as a collectible, according to CNBC.
A “collectible” classification means that federal long-term capital gains can be taxed at a rate up to 28%, and if it’s sold within one year, profit is taxed as ordinary income, which could lead to an even higher rate depending on the seller’s tax bracket.
3 The spot price of gold as of June 17, 2025, was $3,390. Costco
In May, Costco restricted purchases on the coveted gold bars, limiting customers to up to two bars with only one transaction per membership every 24 hours.
Around the same time, a finance influencer who purchased one of the retailer’s gold bars sold the nugget nearly a year later for a $600 in profit.
Humphrey Yang had reportedly purchased the one-ounce bar for $2,359 from Costco in April 2024 and sold it in March 2025 at the bullion dealer Witter Coin in San Francisco for $2,955.42.
Beware the ‘Gen Z gaze’: Young service workers’ refusal to greet customers is setting off older generations
The Gen Z gaze has been taking over X, with older generations complaining about how kids these days handle customer service jobs. Many service workers defended themselves and reminded the internet that their jobs suck. “The quality of service is so pathetically low now, it pisses me off so much,” a fellow service worker shared on X. ‘How am I supposed to know I’m talking to the right person, or that the person is ready for the interaction and not working on something else, if I’m greeted with a blank stare?’ one person asked.“Why do more and more workers just hit you with the fluoride stare like it’s unnatural that a customer would walk into a place of business?” another pointed out. � “I remember the first time a friend told me she didn’t think customers were ‘owed’ friendliness. Just a mind-boggling mindset,�” one person shared, “And it’s so insidious, I really don’t think people realize they’re infected with it.”
Talk about the Gen Z gaze has been taking over X, with older generations complaining about how kids these days handle customer service jobs.
In one post with over 1.7 million views, user @pbprot said that they are “so sick of the new style of customer service where people just stare at you when you walk up to the counter/service desk.”
3 Older generations are accusing young service workers of rude behavior: ‘Greeted with a blank stare.’ Javier DÃÂez/Stocksy – stock.adobe.com
“The car service guy saying ‘good morning, I’ll be with you in a minute’ immediately made me start thinking ‘wow, THIS is how you run a business,’” they shared.
The following day, @Nordman__ shared a similar sentiment, writing that “There is a new phenomenon that when you walk into a food place or coffee shop, etc, they just stare at you and don’t say anything first.”
In response, a user dubbed that stare “the Gen Z gaze.”
While it might not seem like a big deal to initiate conversation as a customer, many shared that being on the receiving end of the silence has caused confusion and isn’t what is expected from customer-facing roles.
The initial poster, @pbprot, noted in a follow-up post that they don’t expect any special treatment, but “how am I supposed to know I’m talking to the right person, or that the person is ready for the interaction and not working on something else, if I’m greeted with a blank stare?”
Another person shared a time they went to a restaurant and were met with “The Stare from a hostess (and what really even is their job other than to greet you?).” When they asked for a table for two, the hostess wordlessly led them into the dining room.
“Now — is she showing me to my table? Checking for availability? Quitting on the spot?” the person questioned.
“Why do more and more workers just hit you with the fluoride stare like it’s unnatural that a customer would walk into a place of business,” another pointed out.
“At doctors’ and dentists’, front desk people act like they have no idea why you’re there and give a dazed stare like they don’t know what a doctor or dentist is,” someone else shared.
“You walk up to a counter or desk and feel like you need to apologize,” one noted.
3 Older generations are complaining about how kids these days handle customer service jobs. Cavan Images – stock.adobe.com
Naturally, many service workers who are guilty of the Gen Z gaze defended themselves and reminded the internet that their jobs suck.
“No disrespect, but if you had to deal with the insane amount of absolutely f–king braindead people you’ve ever met in your life for 8 hours a day 5 days a week you would do this and people have been doing this since jobs as a concept were invented,” one person wrote on X.
However, many rejected the notion that just because the job isn’t great doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be greeting customers.
“I remember the first time a friend told me she didn’t think customers were ‘owed’ friendliness. Just a mind-boggling mindset,” one person shared, “And it’s so insidious, I really don’t think people realize they’re infected with it. Work is so much better for everyone if you’re making an effort!”
“It’s just mass entitlement. Everyone is suddenly entitled to everything and they’re mad that they have to work those jobs and can’t have everything handed to them,” another said.
“I had a lady ask to hug me because I was so nice, and she said it made her so relieved to not deal with negativity for once. I was just being normal!” a fellow customer service worker shared. “The quality of service is so pathetically low now. It pisses me off so much since I’ve done these jobs and know there’s no excuse.”
“They’re extremely coddled people who think they have nothing to lose because they don’t like their job,” the user who coined “Gen Z gaze” added.
3 Some blamed the “Gen Z gaze” on events such as COVID-19 and the increase in the use of modern technology. Drobot Dean – stock.adobe.com
This phenomenon could also be linked to the decline of social and verbal skills in Gen Z after the COVID-19 pandemic.
A 2024 survey from Preply, an online language learning platform, found that “reduced [in-person] interactions have particularly affected Gen Z, as many were in education during the pandemic.”
“As a consequence of the virtual world, they have missed out on crucial opportunities to both develop and practice their communication skills,” Preply said in a press release.
“This lack of exposure affects their ability to read social cues, engage in spontaneous conversations, and build interpersonal relationships,” Christine Byrne, a public relations executive at Looq AI, told Forbes at the time.
One X user added to this argument, also blaming the increase in use of modern technology.
“In general, Gen Z culture doesn’t have a norm for greeting/acknowledging people they don’t already know. Their custom is headphones/eyes down until engagement is required,” @lauren_wilford wrote.
“I think this comes from a combination of screen-habituation (chronically staring at something that never ‘looks back’ at you), social anxiety from lack of practice in the public square, and a new norm around not ‘bothering people’ (inserting yourself into anyone’s social space).”
Disney fans get nostalgic about long-lost ‘land’ amid new closure news
Mickey’s Toontown Fair officially closed on February 11, 2011, to make room for Fantasyland. The much-missed attraction originally opened on June 18, 1988, as Mickey’s Birthdayland. Many attractions were removed and demolished at the time, and some theme park junkies are still recovering from the shock. “I miss it so much,” one user wrote, referring to the repurposed remains of the long-gone area of the resort. ‘I have so many pictures of younger me in the houses or in front of them,’ another wrote on Reddit. � ‘Such great memories with my little one, I wish they still had it.’ “ ‘It just so that Pluto doesn’t get hair all over Minnie’S couch,’ one user remembered one of the rides at the park. � ‘I was worried until my mom was separate, and my mom said that ‘it’ll be fine,’” another said.
Disney World execs recently had fans fuming over the unwelcome news that the Magic Kingdom would be losing three iconic attractions — but some theme park junkies appear to be still getting over a closure that took place more than a decade ago.
Aficionados of America’s marquee amusement park have lately been indulging in a steamboat-sized helping of nostalgia on Reddit, remembering the long-gone Mickey’s Toontown — once a staple of the Orlando resort.
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6 Mickey’s Toontown Fair originally opened on June 18, 1988, as Mickey’s Birthdayland. YouTube/Magical Mom Laura
“Who else remembers Mickey’s house in Disney World?” the lively conversation kicked off.
Mickey’s Toontown Fair officially closed on February 11, 2011, to make room for the Magic Kingdom’s now-expanded Fantasyland.
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6 Mickey’s Toontown Fair officially closed on February 11, 2011. YouTube/Magical Mom Laura
Many attractions were removed and demolished at the time — and some parkgoers are still recovering from the shock.
“That’s where I met my wife. We were both Mouseketeers!” one person shared.
“The first time I went to Disney World was 1993 and I was only 5. Due to a non-traumatic brain injury at 14, I have very few memories of my life prior to that age, but this one has always remained. Absolutely blew my mind as a kid!” another wrote.
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6 The Toontown Fair was the home of Mickey’s Country House. YouTube/Magical Mom Laura
“I miss it so much. Toontown was so much better than Storybook Circus,” someone said, referring to the repurposed remains of the long-gone area.
One added, “I went there as a kid. I wish they had kept it.”
Toontown was the home of Mickey’s Country House and other attractions — and was treasured by many who grew up going to the parts in the 1990s and early 2000s.
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6 Minnie Mouse also had a country house at the Toontown Fair. YouTube/Magical Mom Laura
The much-missed attraction originally opened on June 18, 1988, as Mickey’s Birthdayland in commemoration of Mickey’s 60th birthday, according to Disney Wiki.
Mickey’s Country House was a colorful interactive home with a walk-through experience that brought guests into the life of the iconic mouse — and often finished with character meet-and-greets.
There were plenty of photo opportunities throughout, where visitors could touch and explore every corner of Mickey’s house, including his bedroom, living room, kitchen, backyard, garage and bathroom. In Mickey’s backyard was Pluto’s doghouse as well as the movie barn.
The walk-through ended at Toontown’s Judge’s Tent, where guests could meet Mickey Mouse, and sometimes Minnie Mouse and other characters as well.
“I have a pic of my dad and I standing on the porch. My dad is waving like he’s waving from his own porch to the neighbor’s. I was 17 and a year and one day later he died in an accident. It’s one of my favorite photos. Dad waving from a place he considered one of his homes,” one user shared.
6 In Mickey’s backyard was Pluto’s doghouse as well as the movie barn. YouTube/Magical Mom Laura
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6 Vsitors could explore every corner of Mickey’s house, including his bedroom, living room, kitchen, backyard, garage and bathroom. YouTube/Magical Mom Laura
“I remember being a kid and going to Toontown and I wondered why Mickey and Minnie were in separate houses, and was worried they got divorced until my mom said that ‘It was just so that Pluto doesn’t get dog hair all over Minnie’s couch,’” one Reddit user remembered.
The Barnstormer at Goofy’s Wiseacre Farm was another loved attraction in Toontown. The junior rollercoaster appeared to be an airplane school taught by Goofy, according to Disney Wiki.
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“I miss Toontown so much, I have so many pictures of younger me in the houses or in front of them,” someone wrote on Reddit.
“Such great memories with my then, Little one. I wish they still had it.. a great way for some Calm time during busy hectic Disney days,” another wrote.
“I miss it. I had the best memory during my first visit in Minnie’s house,” one shared.
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“I miss Toontown! I only have very vague memories of it since it changed when I was a kid, but man, I loved it,” a user commented.
“i have Minnie’s house saved in my Pinterest future house board. Had no idea it was a Disney attraction and not a real persons fantastic home until recently,” one person admitted.
Costco restricts purchases of hot-selling item after insane demand
Costco is restricting purchases of its iconic gold bars after savvy buyers clamored to cash in on the precious metal amid market turmoil. Customers will be limited to buying only just one of the store’s 1 ounce bars per transaction, compared to two before. Since the items’ launch in 2023, the chain has seen a veritable gold rush as Costco prospectors flocked from far and wide to gobble up their gilded treasure trove. The price of gold has skyrocketed to a staggering $3,300 per ounce with Goldman Sachs upping its year-end forecast for gold from £3,700 to £4,000 per ounce. In April 2024, Wells Fargo estimated that the commerce giant was earning $200 million per month in gold bar revenue.
Costco’s Gilded Age may be coming to an end. The Big Box retailer is restricting purchases of its iconic gold bars after savvy buyers clamored to cash in on the precious metal amid market turmoil.
Now, customers will be limited to buying only just one of the store’s 1 ounce bars — which are available in PAMP Suisse Lady Fortuna Veriscan and the Rand Refinery’s South African bullion — per transaction, compared to two before, Business Insider reported.
Gold hoarders could still earn a pretty penny even with a one-bar limit, however.
3 Costco is restricting purchases of its iconic gold bars. Mike Lang / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
3 Gold and silver bars on display at a Costco store in Bayonne, New Jersey. Bloomberg via Getty Images
The store’s 1 ounce Gold Bar PAMP Suisse Lady Fortuna Veriscan sells for an eye-popping $3,389.99 on the website including shipping and handling, meaning those who purchased the item last year would’ve raked in a healthy profit given its then price tag of $2,779.99, Quartz reported.
Since the items’ launch in 2023, the chain has seen a veritable gold rush as Costco prospectors flocked from far and wide to gobble up their gilded treasure trove.
According to a Bloomberg survey from October of last year, approximately 77% of Costco branches across 46 states had sold out of gold bars within a week, even after receiving fresh stock, the Daily Hodl reported.
3 The store’s 1 ounce Gold Bar PAMP Suisse Lady Fortuna Veriscan. Costco
In April 2024, Wells Fargo estimated that the commerce giant was earning $200 million per month in gold bar revenue, Quarts reported.
“Our work suggests there has been significant interest given COST’s aggressive pricing and high level of customer trust,” Wells Fargo equity analyst Edward Kelly said in a note to clients. “The accelerating frequency of Reddit posts, quick online sell-outs of product, and COST’s robust monthly eComm sales suggest a sharp uptick in momentum since the launch.”
The gold fever quickly spread via social media as well.
Finance influencer Humphrey Yang went viral earlier this month after purchasing the PAMP Suisse gold bar for $2,359 in April 2024, and then selling it to a gold dealer for just under $3,000, netting himself around $600 in profit.
Since Yang sold his bar, the price of gold has skyrocketed to a staggering $3,300 per ounce with Goldman Sachs upping its year-end forecast for gold from $3,300 to $3,700, Yahoo Finance reported.
The precious metal’s skyrocketing valuation comes as spooked investors stockpiled gold to safeguard themselves against economic uncertainty spurred by President Donald Trump’s tariff offensive.
In February, the president’s tariff plans even prompted some of the largest banks in the US and Great Britain to fly gold bars from London to New York City on commercial flights as a hedge against inflation.