The story behind how Rihanna rented an Arizona man’s house for the Super Bowl

In February, Spyro Malaspinas unknowingly rented his Arizona luxury home to none other than superstar Rihanna as she prepared for her live performance comeback at the Super Bowl halftime show.

The cybersecurity expert hadn’t been planning on renting out his home to anyone, despite big offers being made. It wasn’t until he was offered $500,000 for a one-week stay that he made the deal.

An offer he couldn’t refuse

Malaspinas, a cybersecurity expert based in Phoenix, never entertained the idea of renting out his 6,400 square-foot, five-bedroom mansion in Paradise Valley. Originally purchased for $7.3 million last year, the home also has a pool and is only a 30-minute drive from the State Farm Stadium in Glendale.

The home has received offers for rental, although Malaspinas maintained his disinterest in renting out his home.

Until Rihanna came along.

“The last thing I am is a real estate baron,” Malaspinas told The Wall Street Journal. “My pride’s not that big. I don’t mind moving out for $500,000 a week.”

A property management firm that Malaspinas had previously worked with to help manage a smaller investment property he owns, called him up and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

The $500,000 offer is enough to cover the home’s mortgage payments for at least two years. Malaspinas packed up his bags, before finding out that the renter in question was Rihanna.

“My [13-year-old] daughter was absolutely thrilled,” he said once the family found out that the star of the Super Bowl halftime show had graced their home.

Since the superstar’s week-long stay at the mansion, Malaspinas has yet to move back in, having been offered “crazy amounts of money” to sell the home.

Why did Rihanna stay in Malaspinas’ home?

Celebrities are known for their extravagant tastes when traveling whether it’s renting out homes, or traveling in private jets, and it isn’t necessarily just to sit in the lap of luxury.

While the rich and famous can easily afford a stay in a five-star hotel, renting a private home offers them the added benefit of security and privacy that can often elude them.

This has resulted in a network of real estate agents working with business managers to let them know when luxury homes, like Malaspinas’, are available to rent for the right price.

“You need to know who to call,” said real-estate agent Carl Gambino of Compass. “Sometimes you know your client went to France for the year and their house is sitting there.”

For the 2017 Super Bowl, Lady Gaga stayed in a custom Houston home as she prepared for her performance.