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The Anatomy of a Hundred Million Dollar Listing
High Rises in High Heels Column
Luxury spec homes rarely surprise me anymore. After 10 years in Dubai real estate and two years in Los Angeles I have seen many, many "dream homes" with multi-million-dollar price tags. Walk-in closets that look like boutiques on Rodeo Drive, infinity pools that spill over hills with skyline views and swanky garages that display limited-edition super cars like the Louvre displays art are now commonplace in the modern world McMansion.
So, what makes a hundred-million-dollar listing? The hundred-million-dollar listing is the league of the real estate extraordinary. There are a handful of homes in the world that have sold with 9-digit closings. So, get your walking shoes on, we're about to take a tour of the biggest and most expensive homes on earth...
The Hamptons
In an all-time record-breaking sale, 90 Jule Pond Drive in Southampton New York - with an asking price of $145 million dollars- has gone under contract! The first unique aspect about this great estate is magnitude and location. The property is a 42-acre compound offering the largest ocean frontage in the Hamptons. This classic estate was originally built in the 1950s by Henry Ford II, a descendent of the automotive dynasty. Important details were preserved from the original family estate including distinctive ceilings, Italian marble fireplaces, and select antique hardware from a European chateau. The main house offers 12 bedrooms in a mere 20,000 square feet of the 42 acres. With the ultimate location and epic acreage, the sky's the limit for this Hamptons hotspot.
Dubai
The world's newest big city has gained a quick reputation for creating the biggest, best everything...real estate is no exception. In a recent record-breaking sale, a Palm Jumeirah (man made island built in the shape of a palm tree) modern spec home dubbed "One100" gave 'hundred million listing' a whole new meaning. In reality the home, built by SAOTA a top South African architecture firm, was in the $33m dollar range but in local currency the asking price was AED121 million. In true Dubai fashion, every aspect of this mega-mansion is OTT.
The 14,000 sq. ft. beachfront mansion offers 5-bedroom suites with a 1300 sq. ft. master with a walk-in closet resembling a Beverly Hills boutique. No need to bring cars to this home as a fleet of automotive marvels come included; namely a $300,000 Rolls Royce Wraith coupe, a Ferrari 599 GTO and a Harley Davidson Ultra Glide parked inside the house also playing the role of a work of art.
Other curated features designed to impress even the most discerning billionaire include a champagne vault stocked with vintage Dom Perignon and Crystal, two outdoor cinemas and an indoor theater with IMAX and DOLBY ATMOS surround sound and a wall lined with sugary snacks at your disposal. An entertainer's dream pad, One100 also offers a rooftop deck with a hot tub serving up ocean views, three distinctive bar areas and a first-floor lap pool to splash around in. The furniture was entirely custom-made with one-of-a-kind Fendi and Bentley home pieces, adorned in the world's finest soft furnishings by Hermes and Louis Vuitton.
Cannes
The French Riviera is known for being a playground for the rich and fabulous and France basically invented 'chateau' living. For the price tag of exactly $145 million dollars (120 million Euros) you can literally live like royalty in the heart of Cannes in an extraordinary estate fit for a king, or queen. The Palais Vénitien, inspired by the architecture of Byzantium and Venice spreads over 6-acres hosting an over 30,000 sq feet lavish home. The home encompasses the grandeur of Venetian design yet offers the latest tech and amenities that a modern-day billionaire would expect; security and home automation, wine cellar with exceptional wines included, gym, sauna, and hammam. The grounds offer a wealth of luxury amenities including a lake, tennis court, secluded woodlands and impressive outdoor pool. This extraordinary estate combines the old-world glamor of Venetian design and French flair naturally in an outstanding Cannes location overlooking the glistening Mediterranean Sea.
Florida Pumpkin Key Island
Across the pond in sunny Florida lies the ultimate estate getaway. For the price of around $100 million dollars this exclusive island is available for the taking for the buyer who wants to own the ultimate paradise getaway on the Southern East coast. Pumpkin Island, located in Key Largo, offers 26 acres of self-sufficient land with water, electric and fiber optics. Though remote, Pumpkin Island is a mere 10-mins helicopter ride away from the action of Miami's South Beach and a couple of minutes to its shore home with docking at Ocean Reef a private club in Key Largo with a landing strip for private jets. Today the island features a main house with 3-bedrooms in addition to two caretaker dwellings and a dockmasters apartment. However, 12 1-acre lots are available on the island to build multiple homes, or of course fewer large scale private residences. The island currently offers several amenities including tennis courts - that also serve as a helipad- and club car paths to get around the island. Accessibility is a key theme at Pumpkin Island which also offers a 20-slip marina that can host a mega yacht and 3-bedroom shore home. The sky's the limit at Pumpkin Key Island...as well as the sea.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, home to the McMansion, currently has two $100 million dollar-plus listings for sale on the market. The city of stars, known for the affluent Beverly Hills lifestyle and the dreamy waterfront Malibu mansions is currently serving up two dream homes offering the epitome of luxury living for both lifestyles. The Thai-inspired Malibu estate currently listed for exactly $100 million is California dreaming defined sprawling over one acre with around 115 feet of beachfront, tropical lush gardens all looking onto the majestic Pacific Ocean. This waterfront dream offers resort-style living with all the amenities of an extraordinary mega mansion, wine cellar, music room, home theatre, fire pit and wet bar. The real magic lies in the opportunity to acquire an epic estate in the best oceanfront Malibu location.
Meanwhile off-market in the notorious billionaire playground of Bel Air, the largest home in the urban world has been recently completed by developer Nile Niami. The house spans 105,000 square feet and serves up a panoramic 360-degree view of the entire city.
This mega mansion is probably one of the most extraordinary spec homes ever built taking 10 years to complete. Some of the incredible features include 7 pools including one off the master bedroom- an area that is 4000 sq. ft. alone, the size of a significant home in America. The home features a running track around the property, a nightclub and parking for 50 cars. In a recent home tour released on YouTube, the host logged around 17,000 steps halfway through walking the house. As of today, this mega-mansion is off-market, but if it ever does come to market it could pave the way forward for the multi-hundred-million-dollar listing.
