Magers trades up

For some reason, the name Paul Magers - the new anchor on the Channel 2 news - is one of the most common search terms that brings new visitors to L.A. Observed. This is for them. Magers was the lead item in yesterday's Hot Properties column by Ruth Ryon in the L.A. Times real estate section:

Paul Magers, the new KCBS-TV anchor, and his wife, Kathy, have settled into the Beverly Hills home they purchased for about $6.5 million.

The native Californian, a TV anchor for almost 20 years in Minnesota, and his wife bought a Mediterranean-style villa with seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms in about 6,700 square feet. The home, built in 1927, was completely renovated by John Bercsi, who also recently refurbished silent screen star Buster Keaton's Beverly Hills estate.

The house the Magerses purchased has a courtyard with a fountain, a large living room with a beamed ceiling, a media room, a library-study and a wine cellar.

KCBS-TV was rumored to have almost doubled the anchor's salary from what he earned at KARE in the Twin Cities after his 10-year contract, estimated to be worth $11 million, expired.

Richard Minchenberg, Loren Judd and Kurt Rappaport of Westside Estate Agency, Beverly Hills, handled the real estate transaction, sources said.

When Magers came in, Gretchen Carr was out. Earlier item on Magers.