Lavigne, 22, wanted to build a home but settled on buying one that was fairly new with substantial upgrades. The three-story house behind gates has eight bedrooms and 10 1/2 bathrooms in 12,000 square feet. The Tuscan-style residence, on an acre, also has an elevator, an office, a state-of-the-art kitchen, a steam shower, a sauna, a pool, a spa and garage space for 10 cars.
Lavigne's move to court international fans is being studied by other artists as record sales in North America continue to decline, Billboard magazine reported. The pop-punk star initially targeted her fans in Asia, where she makes 30% to 40% of her global album sales.
Lavigne, who released her debut album, "Let's Go," in 2002, is scheduled to appear as the musical guest next weekend on "Saturday Night Live." Her third album, "The Best Damn Thing," is due out April 17.