Kevin Costner’s Former Friend Lists his Montecito Home For $7.3M

Kevin Costner‘s former friend, Josh Connor, has listed his Montecito property, which is just seven miles from the actor’s Carpinteria mansion.

The financier reportedly put his home on the market shortly before he proposed to Costner’s ex-wife, Christine Baumgartner, whom he had grown close to amid her divorce from the Oscar winner.

Christine Baumgartner’s engagement to Josh Connor comes almost a year after she finalized her divorce from Kevin Costner.

According to TMZ, Baumgartner’s fiancé, Connor, might be looking for a change of scenery as he placed his Montecito home on the market for a sum of $7.3 million.

Connor, a founding partner of Connor Capital SB, will make a significant profit if he sells the property for its current asking price, as he is said to have purchased the 2,899 square feet for $2.2 million in 2022.

While the home may not be as large as others in the affluent Montecito area, it reportedly screams luxury thanks to features such as its massive spa and loungers, electric car charging stations, and outdoor heaters.

The news outlet also notes that Connor’s home is seven miles away from his former friend Cosnter’s Carpinteria pad.

With his recent engagement to the actor’s ex-wife, the financier might be looking to put some space between him and Costner as he focuses on his blooming relationship with Baumgartner.

On Wednesday, January 29, People Magazine reported that Baumgartner and Connor had gotten engaged during a romantic dinner on the beach.

“It was about to rain, so almost no one else was on the beach when Josh got down on one knee,” a source told the news outlet.

The couple’s close friends were not surprised by the news, as the source notes that “they spent Christmas in New York together last month, where it all began. They are both over the moon and excited for their future together.”

Baumgartner and Connor first sparked romance rumors after they were seen together in Hawaii in July 2023, during her divorce from Costner. By January 2024, it was confirmed that they were dating.

“Christine and Josh’s relationship started as a friendship, so they have a really strong foundation. They share the same values, and she feels so happy and supported in this new relationship,” an insider told the news outlet at the time. “They’re so in love. It’s been a very natural and positive step forward for Christine.”

During Baumgartner’s divorce from Costner, there were rumors that she was dating the actor’s then-friend.

According to an Us Weekly report, Costner also “had strong suspicions” that his ex-wife and Connor had something going on while they were still figuring out their split.

A source revealed that the couple’s “close [bond] was a real elephant in the room” during that period, as they were even spotted together enjoying a sun-kissed vacation in Hawaii.

The romance rumors at the time also aligned with Costner’s comments during the divorce proceedings in August 2023, when he claimed he “does not know for a fact” if Baumgartner had “extramarital’ affairs.”

In March 2024, it was reported that Baumgartner and Connor had plans to marry soon.

At the time, a source told the Daily Mail that Connor had already told his associates about his marriage plans for Baumgartner.

To the financier, the blonde beauty is “worth it,” and he doesn’t mind blending their two families.

“Josh knows he can give her what Kevin didn’t, even though he is a high-powered executive with his own demanding career,” said an insider.

They added, “He also knows how important her children are to her – as his are to him. Trying to blend two families isn’t easy, but she’s worth it.”

While Costner’s ex-wife may have found love again, the actor is still happily single. The father of seven, who recently turned 70, is “in a good place” and “having fun with his family and friends” nearly a year after finalizing his divorce from Baumgartner.

Sources close to Costner told People that he “is not seriously involved with anyone and not necessarily looking for anything more than that right now.”

Though romantically linked to a few high-profile women since his split from Baumgartner, including Jewel, Sharon Stone, and Jennifer Lopez, Costner is reportedly not pursuing anything serious at the moment.

“Kevin is cool, real, and in some ways old-school in his thinking. He has a lot of interests and loves being busy when he is in that mode,” the insider added.