Selling Mountains, Coast, Town & Country
This was a huge year for high-end real estate.
The most expensive home ever sold in the US hit the record books in 2014, and several famous properties changed hands.
From celebrity-owned estates in Los Angeles to sky-high mansions in Manhattan, here are the most expensive homes sold in the US in 2014.
*Thanks to our astute readers for pointing out a missing house. It’s been added to the list.
The mansion includes five bedrooms, a moat, huge terraces, and an infinity pool with an ocean view.
Since Dre bought it after the news broke of Apple buying Beats Electronics, it’s likely that the house was a celebratory purchase for Dre.
Stryker bought the penthouse for only $12.8 million in 2002.
It has 5,600 square feet, 12 rooms, and two terraces that overlook Central Park.
The 2.6-acre estate, which actually consists of three separate properties, sits on the Atlantic Ocean. One of the properties was sold to Stryker by Jimmy Buffet.
It was the most expensive sale this year in swanky Palm Beach, according to the Palm Beach Daily News.
the mansion has 30,000 square feet, eight bedrooms and 19 baths, a bowling alley, indoor and outdoor pools, and even dental offices in the basement.
It’s located in one of the most prestigious zip codes in LA, and is just steps from the Playboy Mansion and other sights.
According to CityRealty’s year-end market report, the condo has a total of 5,610 square feet. The new owner shares the building with other famous faces, such as Bob Costas, Denzel Washington, and even Sting.
It’s unclear who bought the spread.
Billionaire music producer and film studio exec David Geffen bought an East Hampton compound nestled between the beach and Georgica Pond for around $50 million, significantly less than its $75 million asking price.
The waterfront compound includes four separate lots: one for the 7,500-square-foot house, one for a guest house, and two additional vacant lots. It was previously owned by socialite and philanthropist Courtney Sales Ross, wife of the late head of Time Warner, Steven J. Ross.
Former Coach creative director Reed Krakoff and his wife sold their Lenox Hill townhouse in January for $51 million to an undisclosed buyer.
It underwent a major renovation after being destroyed by a fire in 2006.
The penthouse at the Chelsea building has floor-to-ceiling windows on every wall, with views of the Statue of Liberty on one side and the Chrysler building on the other.
It reportedly only took the unnamed buyer five minutes in the penthouse before saying “I’ll take it.”
The 80th-floor condo has been under contract since March 2013 before closing for $52.95 million. The four-bedroom space sold for $1.55 million under the asking price to Lapusny Inc.
One57 is NYC’s most buzzed-about building; it towers 1,000 feet over Central Park, making it the tallest building in Manhattan (excluding) One World Trade Center’s spire).
Rebecca Moores’ One57 condo, on the 81st floor, has four bedrooms, five and a half baths, and a huge 75-foot-long entrance gallery with a sitting room.
It also features sweeping views of Central Park on the north side of the full-floor apartment.
Silas Chou, the co-chairman of Michael Kors Inc., is now the owner of the 82nd floor of One57’s Midtown condo complex.
The unit had been under contract since February 2012 before closing this October.
Rupert Murdoch bought the penthouse triplex and the apartment on the floor below, taking over the 57th through 60th floors of One Madison.
The lavish apartment has a near-600-square-foot wraparound terrace with panoramic views of the NYC skyline.
The condo, which is actually the penthouse at the top of the 18-story Faena House, has 8,000 square feet of living space as well as a 7,000 square feet “alero” — a fancy Brazilian-style sweeping terrace — complete with a 70-foot rooftop infinity pool.
It was listed for $50 million and sold for $10 million over the asking price
The ultra-modern home has eight bedrooms, a wine room, and a killer view over looking Los Angeles.
The house, which was initially listed for $85 million and attracted potential buyers including Jay-Z and Beyonce, a has a 16-car garage, home gym, and giant infinity pool.
The Fifth Avenue co-op has a wraparound terrace with views of Central Park, 16 rooms, and guest quarters. It previously belonged to the late Edgar Bronfman Sr., who was chairman of the Seagram Co.
A real estate source told the New York Post that the new owner is likely to completely remodel the space due to its outdated decor.
The second most expensive NYC co-op ever sold went for $71.3 million. It was bought by hedge-fund mogul Englander, who already owned an apartment at the prestigious building, 740 Park Ave.
The billionaire purchased the apartment from the country of France for a whopping $23 million over the asking price following a three-way bidding war.
The former Disney estate was completely rebuilt by Houston Dynamo owner Gabriel Brener in 2001.
The 35,000-square-foot mansion has a putting green, wine cellar, movie theater, three bars, and two safe rooms among many other luxurious amenities.
New York Jets owner Woody Johnson sold his NYC home to Ukrainian billionaire Leonard Blavatnik, making it the most expensive Manhattan co-op ever sold.
Blavatnik is the 32nd richest man in the world, and now adds the Fifth Avenue co-op to his collection of NYC properties.
An unnamed billionaire rumored to be financier Michael Milken won a three-way betting war and closed in 10 days in an all-cash deal that included the home’s antique furnishings.
The initial closing price on the home was $102 million, though that figure was later lowered to $88 million.* The 50,000-square-foot home has a ballroom, 15 bathrooms, and is equipped to host parties of 500 people.
Hedge fund tycoon (and major Hamptons real estate buyer) Scott Bommer, who runs SAB Capital Management, spent a reported $93.9 million on three adjacent properties on Lily Pond Lane.
Previously the most expensive home for sale in the US, Connecticut estate Copper Beech Farm sits on 50 acres, has 4,000 feet of waterfront along the Long Island Sound, and two private islands.
The property was originally listed at $190 million before taking a $70 million price cut.
Hedge fund manager Barry Rosenstein of Jana Partners bought the record-breaking 18-acre property in April — the most expensive home ever sold in the US.
Rosenstein is now neighbors with Jerry Seinfeld, hedge fund manager Jim Chanos, and art dealer Larry Gagosian. Much to local brokers’ dismay, the property was sold privately by the late owner Christopher H. Browne’s family.
The Gaetano Group 