Kevin Costner’s ex is getting closer to her new love – literally.
Christine Baumgartner has moved into a new home just two miles away from financier Josh Connor as their years-long relationship heats up.
On Saturday, they enjoyed a relaxing afternoon date at the exclusive Coral Casino and Cabana Club, a stone’s throw from the financier’s home.
When they left, Connor, 49, had his arm around her back and her hand on his buttocks.
Baumgartner, 50, complained in court last year that her $40,000-a-week rental home in Montecito wasn’t good enough for her family as she fought for a share of Yellowstone star Kevin Costner’s fortune.
Christine and her new love Josh Connor enjoyed a low-key date at the swanky private Coral Casino and Cabana Club in Montecito last weekend
The couple had no problem touching each other at the exclusive club on Butterfly Beach, where membership costs $2,500 a month
Now: Christine Baumgartner’s Range Rover SUV is parked here in front of her new rental home in a leafy part of Montecito
Now DailyMail.com can reveal that Baumgartner is moving again: this time to a much cheaper house with just three bedrooms, a smaller backyard – and no swimming pool.
Her new home is a brand-new $3.6 million rental property tucked down a secluded driveway in a leafy part of the small California town where similar properties rent for $22,000 a month.
But there’s one big advantage: the house is less than two miles from friend Josh Connor’s estate.
Although the couple have spoken enthusiastically to friends about their love and their plans to marry – as DailyMail.com revealed in May – they have yet to move in together.
Instead, Baumgartner is settling into her new place, with exclusive photos from DailyMail.com showing her Range Rover SUV parked outside the property. While the property is more compact than her previous rental, it does at least have its own guest house.
The 3,500-square-foot property occupies less than an acre of land, but features manicured gardens and 4.5 bathrooms, according to the Santa Barbara County Assessor.
Baumgartner lived in a luxurious four-bedroom home nearby, complete with a large swimming pool and custom amenities. However, he complained in court that the home was not “comparable” to Costner’s sprawling estate, which consists of three separate homes and backs directly onto the beach.
Costner’s main house features an infinity pool overlooking the Pacific Ocean and an interior that features a combination of striped rugs, brown leather couches and cream-colored walls, creating a look that emphasizes “California living.”
In addition, the 69-year-old film veteran’s home is equipped for water sports and surfing, with a former neighbor’s garage now a storage space for surfboards, wetsuits and diving gear.
Baumgartner and Connor show love during their weekend date, but while the couple is excited about their relationship and plans to get married to friends, they have yet to move in together
Baumgartner and Connor looked carefree as they held hands during their weekend stroll together in Montecito
The new property occupies a total lot of less than an acre, but it features manicured gardens and has 4.5 bathrooms, according to the Santa Barbara County Assessor
Christine complained in court last year that her previous home, a four-bedroom, $40,000-a-week rental in Montecito, complete with a large pool and custom amenities, wasn’t good enough for her family.
The four-bedroom house she had previously lived in nearby had its own pool with a hot tub and cost a hefty $40,000 to rent
The former couple’s eldest son, Caden, is 17 and even has his own boat on the estate, which he uses for fishing trips to the Channel Islands and for diving.
In contrast, Baumgartner’s new home has no view at all, but it is located in a leafy part of Montecito and within driving distance of the upscale Pierre LaFonde delicatessen and the Montecito Coffee Shop, where Costner was spotted with the former couple’s three children shortly after he succeeded in having Baumgartner’s alimony payments cut in half last September.
Baumgartner, who settled her divorce from Costner last October, wanted a staggering $161,000 a month, but her temporary $129,000-a-month award was halved to just $63,000.
The mother of three has since rediscovered the love of her life with venture capitalist Connor, whose daughter Abigail, 13, is good friends with Baumgartner’s daughter Grace, also 13.
In May, DailyMail.com reported that the couple’s relationship has become increasingly serious, with Connor, in love, telling friends that he wants to marry Baumgartner.
A source said: ‘He knows he can give her what Kevin couldn’t give her, even though he himself is a very powerful professional in his own field.’
“It’s not easy to merge two families, but she’s worth it.”
Baumgartner, seen here in court after a hearing on her divorce from Costner, right, in August 2023, wanted a staggering $161,000 a month, but saw her temporary $129,000-a-month award cut in half to just $63,000 a month
Costner’s pile is a massive complex consisting of three separate homes and located right on the beach, spread across 10 acres, and is reportedly worth $145 million
Baumgartner’s friends have also confirmed that the relationship is serious. One of them told DailyMail.com: ‘Christine herself has said that Josh is the man she wants to spend the rest of her life with.
‘Christine said she has never been happier, especially now that she and Josh have decided to go public with their relationship.
‘Her friends said they wouldn’t be surprised if they got married within a year, something intimate and simple.’
Connor’s modest work life stands in stark contrast to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood that Baumgartner knew when she was married to Costner for nearly two years.
He is a managing director and co-portfolio manager of Oaktree Capital’s infrastructure investment strategy, specializing in the transportation sector.
He has been working for the asset manager since 2017, after serving as a strategic advisor to the firm’s Infrastructure Investing team since September 2015.
Connor has worked as an investor, strategic advisor, lender and investment banker for transportation companies around the world.
Prior to joining Oaktree, he founded Connor Capital SB, an investment firm focused on investing in transportation companies.
He was also managing director and co-head of the Industrials Banking Group at Barclays, a member of the Barclays Investment Banking Operating Committee and Global Head of Transportation Banking.
He currently serves on the boards of Frontier Airlines and Copa Holdings.