Lytle Mansion, Once $40 Million, Now Up For Auction

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Feb 18th 2010 at 3:01AM

Once upon a time (otherwise known as 2005), the Lytle Mansion on Mercer Island in Washington state was listed at a whopping $40 million. Even then it was a groaner of a price tag and one that made sure the home stayed on the market a long time. But those days are over because the three-story mansion on two acres is being put up for auction.

This home has some incredible details. The indoor saltwater pool has a cloud mural and Egyptian-style columns that have been specially treated to look aged. A Dale Chihuly chandelier spiraling twelve feet of crystal hangs over a marble floor in the entry. The house is full of inlaid stones, marble fireplaces and everything is done on a grand and ornate scale. It has four bedrooms but with nearly 23,000 sq. feet of space much of the space is devoted to waking pursuits. There are two wine cellars, an exercise room, massage and tanning room, music room, steam room, sunroom and a dining room with a gleaming gold leaf ceiling. The master suite has a raised platform bed, a marble fireplace and a bathroom where the tub is set on a pedestal and has a chandelier over it. Outside there is a saltwater pool and 175 feet of waterfront including a boat dock that can accommodate a 140 foot yacht.

The home is being offered for sale in a sealed bid auction by Sheldon Good & Company and will be sold subject to a qualified minimum bid of $15 million with a deadline of April 14, 2010. A bidder's information packet priced at $75 is a requirement for bidding, as well as a certified or cashier's check totaling five percent of the total bid.

UPDATE: This auction has now been extended to June 30.

Gallery: The Lytle Mansion