Leonardo DiCaprio lists one of his Malibu properties for sale at $8,999,000

Leonardo DiCaprio, who in a sort of passing of the teen-idol baton sat courtside next to “High School Musical” star Zac Efron at a Lakers game last weekend, has listed one of his Malibu properties for sale at $8,999,000. What’s next? Will the mini-me Efron buy the house of the man whose career he says he wants to emulate? Unlikely, but heck, they were even photographed folding their hands the same way.

DiCaprio, who turned 34 this month, has listed a contemporary home that sits on the bluffs above the Pacific. A stairway leads to the beach cove below. The main house has two bedrooms and two bathrooms in 2,374 square feet. The master bathroom has marble fixtures and a steam shower. A separate guesthouse has two one-bedroom suites. There is a four-car garage and a large grassy area, and -- no surprise to DiCaprio followers -- the property is private.

DiCaprio, who captured the public’s attention playing Jack Dawson in “Titanic” (1997), also starred in “Romeo & Juliet” (1996), “Catch Me if You Can” (2002), “Gangs of New York” (2002) and “Blood Diamond” (2006). He stars in “Body of Lies” (2008) and the upcoming holiday release of “Revolutionary Road,” which again teams him with Kate Winslet, his “Titanic” costar. It is already being called an Oscar contender.

Leomania has propelled DiCaprio to the status of fifth-highest-paid actor in Hollywood this year, according to Forbes magazine, and Time magazine named him one of the “most influential” people in the world. But news accounts say DiCaprio is weary of the constant fan clamor and paparazzi and would welcome some peace.

Not so ‘N Sync with the market

Lance Bass, the ‘N Syncer who has stepped into the role of dance champ Lacey Schwimmer’s partner on “Dancing With the Stars,” has again put his Beverly Hills home up for sale.

The listing history here isn’t pretty, with Bass seemingly staying a half-beat behind the downward-spiraling market. But maybe the third time’s the charm. Priced now at $3,925,000, the house was listed in 2005 at $5.2 million and dropped to $4.9 million; it was then listed again in 2006 at $5.25 million. Bass purchased it in 2003 for $3.88 million, according to public records.

The 1942 Southern Colonial sits on about an acre and has three bedrooms and five bathrooms in 5,000 square feet. The two-story main house has an open floor plan, a chef’s kitchen, three fireplaces and a pool with a large deck. There is also a gym with a spa-like bathroom, and the property has panoramic views. A long, private driveway leads to a large motor court. The compound sits on a promontory.

Bass, 29, was the darling of the U.S. boy band ‘N Sync. His popularity as the group’s bass singer, and his good looks, led to a brief acting career, most notably a starring role in the 2001 film “On the Line,” which his company produced. At one point, Bass moved to Russia, hoping to join that country’s space program as a cosmonaut. In the summer of 2006, he revealed in a People magazine cover story that he is gay.

Dee Dee Howard of Prudential California Realty, Beverly Hills, has the listing.

Hoping it’s hasta la vista for ‘hacienda’

John Diaz is a guy who keeps things in perspective; brushes with death tend to do that for you.

Diaz, who has had a nearly 40-year career in music and video production, survived the crash of a major airliner in 2000 in which almost 100 people died. When he told his story on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” -- and how the experience changed him -- even the heard-it-all TV host was moved and later said she couldn’t stop thinking about it.

So don’t expect Diaz to be crying in his soup about the state of the real estate market. He has cast his lot with other sellers and listed his Mar Vista-area home at $3,995,000. It was custom-built in 2006 and has three bedrooms and 4 1/2 bathrooms in 4,800 square feet.

Described on the Multiple Listing Service as a “high-concept hacienda,” the compound includes a gourmet kitchen, two bonus rooms, an artist’s studio with 27-foot-high ceilings, a 35-foot-long saltwater pool and a courtyard. The compound was designed by the late architect J. Frank Fitzgibbons and was featured on the cover of Azure magazine in October 2007 and the Los Angeles Times Home section in November 2006.

The property is completely private, enclosed by an 8-foot-tall redwood fence. There is no front door; guests enter through a front gate that opens into the courtyard. The public rooms are all open and face the courtyard, visible through a 10-foot-high wall of glass with sliding doors.

Diaz, 58, who began his music career as an unpaid stage manager at Woodstock in 1969, went on to produce domestic and international TV shows for some of the largest music events in history, including specials with Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Sting and the Rolling Stones. He was a founder of MP3.com.

His wife and co-owner of the property is artist Nancy Jones.

Dimitri Velis of Hilton & Hyland, Beverly Hills, is the listing agent.

Off Sunset, hardly a model citizen

What can you say about someone who is perhaps best known for mouthing off to a reality TV talent show judge?

Impoliteness, if not controversy, is no stranger to British model Jasmine Lennard,23, who recently leased a sexy 1930s Hollywood traditional just above the Sunset Strip. The home had been offered at $20,000 a month; she will pay $16,000.

The property is gated and very private. There are three bedroom suites in the main house and a detached guesthouse. The home was recently renovated and has three fireplaces, a chef’s kitchen and gym.

Lennard shot to fame in 2005, when, as a finalist on the British reality show “Make Me a Supermodel,” she described judge Rachel Hunter as “spotty, finished and fat.” Since then, she’s had public rifts with other models and actresses -- generally managing to capture the public’s attention, but not its heart.

Zach Goldsmith and Rita Goldsmith, Hilton & Hyland, Beverly Hills, represented Leonard.

ann.brenoff@latimes.com