estate

The Sexiest Bachelor Pad in Los Angeles: Estate of the Day

Josh Altman sexiest bachelor pad los angeles

It takes one to know one. Josh Altman, arguably one of Los Angeles' sexiest and most successful bachelors, has listed a home at $6,250,000 that he describes as "the sexiest bachelor pad I've ever sold."

Tags: estate, Estate of the Day, Josh Altman, Los Angeles, Million Dollar Listing, reality TV stars

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Fantasy Villa in Mougins: Estate of the Day

by Bobbie Leigh (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Auctions

It's no exaggeration to say that the grand Villa L'Imperiale fulfills every fantasy of a lavish French manor.

Built in 1980 and totally renovated, this magnificent villa has almost three and one-half acres of landscaped gardens with sweeping views of the countryside. Located in Mougins, a snap five miles north of Cannes, it is totally removed in spirit and sensibility from the chaos of the French Riviera port. Mougins, which has preserved some of its medieval walls, is serene and quiet yet boasts some great restaurants where chefs like Alain Ducaisse got his start. No wonder Picasso spent the last 12 years of his life here.

The villa is perched on a hilltop within a gated community in what is widely considered the most desirable and prestigious residential area of Mougins. Along with seven bedrooms, new kitchen, gym, and guest quarters, the property also has an attractive screening room. The large pool, pool-house, and outdoor dining area fit in seamlessly in the manicured gardens.

Admittedly, the French owner, who is selling because of relocation, is a Napoleon "fanatic." In a private Napoleon museum next to the wine cellar, he displays original and authenticated helmets, swords, rifles, and documents as well as many paintings from the Napoleonic era. Details at estatenetfrance.com.

Gallery: Villa L'Imperiale in Mougins

Tags: Cannes, estate, Estate of the Day, French Riviera, Mougins, Picasso, villa

"The Godfather" Home, Staten Island, N.Y., Estate of the Day

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

The outside of this Staten Island, N.Y., English Tudor was used to portray Don Corleone's residence in the classic 1972 film The Godfather. The home is in Staten Island's Todt Hill / Emerson Hill section, known for its large, pretty homes and good-sized lots. This home is surrounded by park-like grounds and inside boasts 12 rooms that comprise 8 bedrooms, 3 full baths, 1 half-bath, 1 three-quarter-bath, 2 fireplaces, and an English pub basement that includes a rec room and a storage room. There's also a living room, formal dining room, den, butler's pantry, and a laundry room with a chute from all three above-ground floors. Need more space? There's also a 4-car garage. For outdoor living, there's an in-ground pool.

This home has some personal meaning for me. I grew up right near it, and the band that played in the opening scene at daughter Connie's wedding played at my parents' wedding. My parents also like to tell the story about how they and some neighbors hung out near the home during the filming one day and were given some cookies, albeit stale, from the wedding scene.

Judging from the photos, the owners didn't bother to hire a professional stager, or even clean up much. The home appears to have good bones but needs needs refreshing and updating. It's listed for $2.9 million with Connie Profaci Realty. Check the link on her site for more photos.

We must thank sharp-eyed reader Caroline R. for telling us about this iconic home for being for sale. She sums it up well: "Considering the house's history it would make an exciting 'Estate of the Day' for the film buff, the gangster aficionado, or a real-life wannabe Don Corleone."

Gallery: The Godfather Home in Staten Island, NY

Tags: estate, Estate of the Day, Godfather, home prices, New York, new york real estate, Staten Island, The Godfather

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Private Palace in Paris Listed for Sale at $140 Million

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Clocking in at just behind the $150 Spelling Manor in Beverly Hills and snagging the title of the second most expensive estate in the world is this private palace in Paris just listed by an affiliate of Christie's Great Estates for about $140 million. Located on the city's famed Avenue Foch, one of the world's most expensive and prestigious addresses, home to many mansions including those of the Onassis and Rothschild families, the ultra-exclusive estate was built in 1912 for the Duchesse de Montmorency. The nearly 28,000 sq. ft. interior houses 12 bedrooms and 12 baths along with four staff apartments. Many elements of its incredibly rich décor come from older mansions and are of historical importance including 18th century wood paneling, dozens of marble fireplaces and a museum-quality ceiling in the enormous dining room by the great French Post-Impressionist painter Henri Rousseau. The lavish interior also boasts massive crystal chandeliers, huge Corinthian columns, gilded moldings and marble floors.

[via JustLuxe]

Gallery: $140 Million on Avenue Foch

Tags: Beverly Hills, Christies Great Estates, estate, mansion, Paris, Spelling Manor

Kings Point Estate Hits The Market For $39.5 Million

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

A luxury mansion believed by some to have inspired Gatsby's 'West Egg' estate has gone on the market in Kings Point, New York. The 20-acre estate is situated at the tip of Kings Point on a private peninsula with more than 1,600 feet of waterfront property and panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline. One of the early owners of the home, John Alsop King Jr., is the namesake of Kings Point. He constructed the main residence in the early 1850s. Richard Church, heir to Church & Dwight Company, makers of the Arm & Hammer baking soda brand, purchased the estate in 1913 and threw lavish parties. It's not known if F. Scott Fitzgerald attended any of Church's parties.

The property includes the nine-bedroom main house, a marble swimming pool and a pool house that has been converted into a four-bedroom home with a wall of glass overlooking the water. There is an English garden, koi pond, vegetable garden, squash court and the Greenhouse and Courtyard residences. The Orchard House is a five-bedroom house built in 1970. Adjacent to the water is the Silo House and the Boat House and at the entrance of the long private driveway is the Cottage House. The property and its nine residential buildings are offered for sale at $39.5 million through Coldwell Banker.

Tags: estate, kings point, new york real estate

Conseco Mansion Sells For a Song To Lucas Motor Oil President

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

It seems to be a good week for unloading hard-to-sell megahouses. First we heard about the sale price for Dunellen Hall, now in Indiana the pink palace known as Le Chateau Renaissance has sold for $3 million to Forrest Lucas, founder and president of Lucas Oil motor oil. The home is the former estate of Stephen Hilbert, the one-time head of the firm Conseco. Conseco, which is now insurance company CNO Financial Group Inc. put the home up for auction earlier this year. CNO took the house in 2005 after a dispute with Hilbert over millions he borrowed from the company to buy its stock.

We first saw this home in 2006 when it was the the 2006 Decorators' Show House. The estate was once valued at $25 million but was listed at $20 million in 2006. An auction of the household possessions raised more than $750,000 in February 2005. More recently the home was listed at $9.9 million. WIBC says that Lucas and his wife Charlotte toured the home in 2008 but didn't make an offer. He opened negotiations five weeks ago after hearing that the property might be divided into smaller units. At first his bid of $3 million was rejected but after another deal fell through an arrangement was made.

Tags: carmel, estate, forrest lucas, indiana, indiana real estate, lucas oil

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The Classicist: Historic British Polo Estate Cowdray Park for Sale at $38 Million

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Sports, The Classicist

Cowdray Park, the country sporting estate famed as the home of British polo, has been listed for sale at £25 million, or about $38 million, in what UK estate agents are calling "the landmark property sale of the decade." The 19th century estate, centered on a 13-bedroom, 44,000-sq.-ft. manor house (above) built circa 1874, is set in 110 acres of parkland with horse paddocks and stables, two lakes, landscaped gardens and a cricket pitch, as well as its own a hamlet of cottages. It also includes the original practice ground where polo was first played in England 100 years ago.

"For anyone keen on polo, this has to be the ultimate property as it literally adjoins the polo club which is the British home of the sport," Edward de Mallet Morgan, of Knight Frank, the agency handling the sale, tells the London Telegraph. The property, situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in West Sussex, does not include the estate's famous Cowdray Park Polo Club, which hosts 450 matches a year including the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup featuring the world's top players including Prince Harry, however. The mansion features both indoor and outdoor swimming pools, wine cellars, tennis courts, and a bowling alley.

The estate's architectural merit matches its illustrious sporting heritage. Stained glass windows, oak, stone and marble fireplaces, ornate cornices, mouldings and period paneling abound. The spectacular great hall has a barrel vaulted ceiling, minstrel's gallery and massive fireplace. The estate's owner, Viscount Cowdray, considered turning it into a luxury hotel, spa and conference center before deciding to sell the historic property after failing to find a suitable business partner for the venture. He is retaining ownership of most of the 16,000 acres of land surrounding the mansion, which includes a ruined castle, a golf club, holiday cottages, farmland and the polo club, however, and plans to move to a smaller house on the property.

Gallery: Cowdray Park, Home of British Polo

De Mallet Morgan has said that there has already been considerable interest in the estate from wealthy Russian, Middle Eastern and Indian prospective buyers. Cowdray Park has been owned by the Cowdray family since 1909 when it was purchased by the engineer and oil industrialist Sir Weetman Dickinson Pearson. The first competitive polo tournaments were recorded at Cowdray in 1910, and by the 1920s a series of competitions with dedicated cups and trophies was firmly established, such as the Coronation Cup, first presented in 1911 to celebrate the coronation of King George V.

Source

Tags: country house, Cowdray Park, Cowdray Park Polo Club, England, equestrian, estate, horses, polo, Prince Harry, sporting, UK, Veuve Clicquot

ClockTower Penthouse Still Not Sold, Could Become Rental

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Architecture & Design

ClockTower Penthouse Still Not Sold, Could Become Rental

We've been hearing delicious rumors about the the triplex penthouse in the Dumbo section of Brooklyn for a while. Earlier this year the NY Post reported that both Ralph Lauren and Jay-Z had been spotted checking out this unusual space which is listed for $25 million. Now there may be a new deal in the works. According to NYC's amNY, the developer is in talks about a possible rent-to-own deal with a prospective taker.

The four-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom unit has unobstructed views of the New York Harbor and the Brooklyn Bridge through four, 14-foot glass-faced clocks that are synchronized to all show the same time. Word has it that this 3,200-square-foot apartment could rent easily for $60,000 a month.

Gallery: Clock Tower Building

An earlier version of this story had this space confused with a previous listing in the building. We regret the error.

Tags: Brooklyn, Clocktower, estate, Estate of the Day, real estate

Dr. Phil Buys $30 Million Home That Re-Creates the Alamo

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Estates, Celebrity Shopping

Dr. Phil McGraw and his wife, Robin, have purchased a close to $30 million home in Beverly Hills that re-creates the Alamo. The home, on nearly three acres, features a formal dining room, huge entryway, library/media room, and a great room that combines the living room and kitchen. It totals 15,000 square feet and has five bedrooms, nine full baths, and two half-baths, and there's a giant fountain out front (of course). There's also a guest house above the garage with another bedroom and a full bath, as well as a pool and lighted tennis court. McGraw and his wife not long ago listed their current home for $16.5 million. The listing was with Jana Jones Duffy.

Tags: 30 million, Beverly Hills, celebrity real estate, dr phil, Dr. Phil, estate, real estate

Casino King Bill Harrah's Former Ranch in Reno for Sale at $75 Million

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Rancharrah, an incredible 150 acre equestrian estate located in Reno, Nevada that belonged to casino king Bill Harrah has been listed for sale at $75 million via Distinctive Homes Sotheby's International Realty. Harrah's eldest son, John Harrah, purchased Rancharrah from the family trust in 1991 and under John's direction it has become one of the most exquisite equine facilities in the nation. The main house, originally built in 1934, was torn down and a new house was built based on the original floor plan. The new six bedroom residence features a dramatic central stairway and the use of exceptional materials and finishes throughout. The luxe amenities include numerous fireplaces, barn, carriage house, exercise room, art studio, gardens, horse facilities that include a huge indoor arena, pastures, stables, staff quarters plus a private lake and mountain views. There is 36,000-sq.-ft. of living space in all.

Gallery: Rancharrah

Tags: Bill Harrah, casinos, equestrian, equestrian estate, estate, lake, Nevada, ranch, Reno

The Classicist: Historic Hudson River Astor Estate Restored to Its Former Glory

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, The Classicist

Marienruh, a historic fieldstone colonial revival country estate built for heiress Alice Astor, the daughter of John Jacob Astor IV and sister of Vincent Astor, and her Russian aristocrat husband Prince Serge Obolensky in 1926 is being restored to its former glory by its new owners. The gracious mansion, situated on 100 scenic acres given to Alice by her brother overlooking the Hudson River in Rhinebeck, New York, was constructed for the glamorous couple by renowned architect Mott B. Schmidt. It had been on the market for $8.5 million up until last summer when unnamed buyers purchased the property, which had been in institutional use for some time, and set about renovating it – a pleasing reversal in an age where many fine old mansions are being put to less dignified uses, often destroying their souls in the process.

After Alice Astor's death the mansion was used over the years as a Christian youth camp, a home for unwed mothers, a drug rehab center and an events space. Over the decades the house was stripped of nearly all its original details, including fireplace mantels, lighting fixtures, hardware and even the copper gutters. The restoration work is being done extremely carefully, overseen by New York architect-designer Robert Couturier. A few upgrades are of course necessary, and new greenhouses are being installed. One of the wings will now house an elegant two-story tall library. As architectural historian Mark Alan Hewitt notes in The Architecture of Mott B. Schmidt (Rizzoli, 1991), Marienruh's block-with-dependencies design was inspired by two influential 18th century American mansions: Montpelier (1751) in Laurel, Maryland, and the the Hammond-Harwood House (1773-4) in Annapolis, MD.

Marienruh is next to photographer Annie Leibovitz's 220-acre spread which had been listed for sale at $11 million as part of her debt restructuring imbroglio. David Bowie and his wife Iman have reportedly considered buying it; other celebrities with property in the area include Liam Neeson, Gwyneth Paltrow, financier George Soros, hotelier Andre Balazs, and Rolling Stone magazine founder Jann Wenner. Leibovitz's property including some stone barns was once part of Alice's father John Jacob Astor IV's 3,500-acre estate Ferncliff; another remnant of that once glorious demesne is the beautiful Astor Courts, designed by Stanford White as a playhouse for Ferncliff with an indoor pool and tennis court, which was was an Estate of the Day last fall with an asking price of $12 million.

Gallery: Marienruh

Tags: Annie Leibovitz, architect, architecture, Astor, Astor family, Astors, country house, David Bowie, estate, Gwyneth Paltrow, historic houses, Hudson River, library, mansion, Maryland, Mott B. Schmidt, New York, restoration, Rhinebeck, Stanford White

Private Island in the Bahamas for Sale at $110 Million

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

In a rare offering, an incredibly beautiful private island in Exuma, Bahamas, is being offered for sale at $110 million. Located near David Copperfield's famed Musha Cay, the island, called Cave Cay, features a protected deep-water harbor and marina with floating cement dock system and 35 dock slips, a 2,800 ft. private airstrip and several completed buildings. The island is totally self sufficient with water and power supplied by diesel generators, and features unspoiled beaches, lush vegetation, and elevations of up to 40 ft. capturing breathtaking views. Perched atop one of the highest points on the island is a luxurious owner's estate with 360-degree views and top-of-the-line appointments. Plans are in place for a world-class resort including a large clubhouse and restaurant, marina, shop, and guest houses, though it would of course make the perfect private retreat. Aside from Copperfield, Cave Cay's neighboring island owners are said to include Johnny Depp, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw and the increasingly impecunious Nicolas Cage. Christie's Great Estates has the listing.

Gallery: Cave Cay

Tags: Bahamas, Cave Cay, David Copperfield, estate, Exuma, island, Johnny Depp, Musha Cay, Nicolas Cage, private island, resort

Nobody Wants Nic Cage's Bel Air Home

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

We've know for years that Nicolas Cage's house in the Bel Air area of Los Angeles was a hard sell. After all we've seen the home linger on the market since 2007 going from a high of $35 million to $17.5 million in 2009. Cage, whose money troubles have already cost him most of his other real estate, was set to lose his Tudor-style home at an auction on April 7. It was up for auction with several other foreclosed properties at the county courthouse in Pomona. The LA Times reports that the bidding opened at $10.4 million. There were no takers and it was all over in a flash with ownership going back to the foreclosing lender, one of six that have queued up to get their share of the $18 million owed on the house.

Why can't Cage unload this one? He bought the home in 1998 from Tom Jones for $6.469 million and it was also owned by Dean Martin. The vintage Tudor is classic old Hollywood but Cage's tastes which run toward the baroque and bizarre may have thrown off some buyers. A tour shot by Everett Fenton Gidley reveals comic books framed on the wall in the dining room and a massive amethyst geode dominating another room. The core bones of the seven-bedroom home are great and it is on over an acre of land with a pool but the pervasive air of wackiness may have worked against it.

TMZ reports that Cage lost more than just the Bel Air house on Wednesday. He also owned two adjacent properties in the hills of Malibu which represented hundreds of acres total. Both of those properties were being auctioned for a minimum of $10 million but with no takers they were also surrendered to the lenders.

Cage, who also saw both his New Orleans homes go back to the bank, has sued his former business manager, Samuel J. Levin, claiming that Levin mismanaged Cage's funds and left him destitute. In return Levin has countersued saying that Cage was a binge spender.

Tags: bel air, estate, nicolas cage, real estate

Lenny Dykstra's Home Back On The Market

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping, Sports

If at first you don't succeed, list, list again. The former Thousand Oaks, California estate of hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, the same one he sold to Lenny Dykstra, has popped onto the market again at a new low price. The lavish, Richard Landry-designed home has over 6.5 acres of space that includes three guest houses, formal gardens, tennis courts, pool, spa and gym. The neo-Georgian main house has six bedroom done up in lavish style. The listing pictures appear to be similar to the ones used the when Dykstra put the home on the market for $24.5 million. He had bought the home from Gretsky, for $18.5 million in 2007.

A year later Dykstra's financial empire began to unravel. The home later had a price cut to $16.5 million (and was listed for rent for $55,000 a month). Dykstra's financial worries deepened. At one point we heard the home might be up for auction. Meanwhile Dykstra, in the serious weeds over the disintegration of his Players Club magazine has been fighting with the courts to have control over his Chapter 11 reorganization. Last we heard, an outside trustee was going to handle the financial management. Dykstra has sold off a variety of sports memorabilia and other valuable possessions to help satisfy his debts. The listing agents Nicki LaPorta and Karen Crystal of Ewing Sotheby's Realty say that the listing is a Trustee Bankruptcy court approval sale. The home has a new low price, $14.9 million, which might finally help it attract a buyer.

Gallery: Lenny Dykstra in Thousand Oaks

Tags: estate, lenny dykstra, LennyDykstra, richard landry, RichardLandry, thousand oaks, ThousandOaks, wayne gretzy, WayneGretzy

Madoff's Beach House Sells for More Than Asking Price

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Crimes and Misdemeanors

Madoff's Beach House Sells for More Than Asking Price

Another tiny dent soon will been made in the repayment of the funds owed to those duped by Bernie Madoff. His 3,000-square-foot Montauk, N.Y., beach house sold this week in an all-cash deal for more than the $8.75 million asking price. Neither the buyer's name nor the exact amount of the sale has been released. The four-bedroom, three-bath home is located on 182 feet of prime beach property.

The house was only on the market a few weeks. See more about the house, and more photos, in this story my colleague Deidre did on September 1, and check out this New York Times slideshow.

Tags: beach, Bernie Madoff, BernieMadoff, estate, Madoff, Montauk, real estate, RealEstate

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