georgia real estate

A New Low Price For Le Reve, Georgia's Most Lavish Foreclosed Mansion

Filed under: Estates

Last month we mentioned that Le Reve, the once $50 million estate for sale in Forsyth County, Georgia was in foreclosure. It has now had yet another price cut down to a new low of $16.75 million. Real estate agent Troy Stowe put it bluntly in a piece on WSOC-TV, saying "now, our new strategy is, the house needs to go." The new listing trumpets the fact that the home has been reduced by $32 million as well as indicating that the home is now bank owned.

La Reve was the home of Hubert and Norma Humphrey who designed their lavish seven-bedroom home with a private bowling alley, its own golf course, a massage room and a huge movie theater that is a replica of Atlanta's Fox Theatre. There is also a train room that is a replica of the old Central Georgia Railroad from Atlanta to Macon to Savannah that Hubert Humphrey worked on for 17 years as a train conductor. This incredible edifice has 82 rooms, two elevators and 62 televisions. The grounds include a heated swimming pool, pool house, spa, private playground, stables, tennis court, formal gardens and a guest house. The home, which is approximately 47,000 square feet on 72 acres was listed at a stunning $45 million in 2008 just two years after it was completed for a price of nearly $50 million total.

Gallery: Le Reve

Tags: foreclosure, georgia real estate, le reve

Henderson Village, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Today's home isn't just a house, it's a whole village. Curbed led us to the listing for Henderson Village and Farms in Perry, Georgia. As the story on the Henderson Village website goes, Bernhard Schneider, who hails from Munich, Germany, bought Henderson Village, then a 3,500 acre farm, in 1979. Over the years he picked up other homes. He opened Henderson Village as a resort in 1998 with several separate buildings, including six old tenant cottages and four homes. ABS Farms is the owner of Henderson Village which has been designed to be a country resort with the charm of a bygone era.The rooms at Henderson Village include guest rooms and suites with antique furnishings, claw-footed tubs, fireplaces and featherbeds. The property has hosted plenty of weddings and business conferences and also offers bird and game hunting. There is a large owner's home with a pool, tennis court and guest house. It's all yours for $36 million and is listed with Sister Hood of Harry Norman Realtors.

Gallery: Henderson Village

Tags: estate of the day, georgia real estate, henderson village

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Georgia's Massive Le Reve Estate in Foreclosure

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Our friend Kenny at Homes of the Rich alerted us to the fact that Le Reve, a massive estate in Cumming, Georgia, that was our estate of the day back in 2008 is now listed as bank-owned and under foreclosure. La Reve was the home of Hubert and Norma Humphrey who designed their lavish home with a private bowling alley, its own golf course, a massage room and a huge movie theater that is a replica of Atlanta's Fox Theatre. There is also a train room that is a replica of the old Central Georgia Railroad from Atlanta to Macon to Savannah that Hubert Humphrey worked on for 17 years as a train conductor. This incredible edifice has 82 rooms, two elevators and 62 televisions. The grounds include a heated swimming pool, pool house, spa, private playground, stables, tennis court, formal gardens and a guest house. The home, which is approximately 47,000 square feet on 90 acres was listed at a stunning $45 million in 2008. In January 2010 we saw that price carved down to $28 million. Now it can be picked up for $18 million.

Gallery: Le Reve

Tags: cumming, foreclosure, georgia real estate, le reve, luxury home, luxury real estate

Turner's Rock, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Today we are looking at the beautiful water views in Savannah, Georgia. This estate is on Turner's Rock, a private 180 acre island where there are only 14 homeowners. Most of the properties are inherited and rarely change hands, this once has been sold only once in the past 55 years. This property has 3.1 acres of land with views of the Wilmington and Skidaway Rivers.The property's southwestern exposure makes for some beautiful sunsets.

The home began as a summer cottage built in 1937. The Federal-style home went through a major renovation in 2006-2007 that updated the wiring, plumbing, and lighting and created a more open and airy space. There is a great room that opens to a screened porch. The large kitchen was designed for two cooks and has a substantial kitchen island and the latest in appliances. The home's master bedroom suite has a large master bath with marble counters and a custom master closet with extensive built-ins and storage. There is a large office for two with views of the water and grounds. The property has a long 230' deepwater dock with a covered pavilion and 1 boat slip. There is also a large pool. This secluded property is listed at $6.5 million.

Gallery: Turner's Rock

Tags: estate of the day, georgia real estate, savannah, turners rock

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AC/DC Bassist Cliff Williams Lists Two Homes

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

AC/DC bassist Cliff Williams is selling two of his properties. The Wall Street Journal reports that Williams has listed his Savannah, Georgia townhouse and a Fort Myers, Florida home. The Georgia townhouse is a restored home that was originally built in 1872. Williams and his wife bought the home in 2006 for $1.5 million to stay there while they visited their son who attended college in the area. They spent over a year renovating the four-bedroom home and added an English pub-style bar. The three-story townhouse has a side garden and a carriage house with two bedrooms. There are five garage spaces. This home is listed at $1.95 million.

The couple is also selling a four-bedroom home in Fort Myers, Florida. That home is a two-story Mediterranean-style home with a courtyard in Edgewater of Gulf Harbour. This home has a outdoor kitchen with gas grill and bonus soundproof music studio/exercise/hobby room over garage. The courtyard lanai includes a woodburning fireplace with a gas starter and the pool is screened in. The home is prepared for storm season with a whole house backup generator with 500 gallon propane tank, as well as new impact windows. It is listed at $1.375 million and the listing says that the furniture can also be purchased.

Gallery: Cliff Williams in Savannah

Gallery: Cliff Williams in Florida

Tags: acdc, celebrity real estate, cliff williams, estate of the day, florida real estate, georgia real estate, savannah

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Final Auction Of Dean Gardens Interiors To Be Held This Weekend

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions

The saga of Dean Gardens just goes on and on. Last month I mentioned that the legendary Georgia home, which has been sold to Tyler Perry and will be torn down, is being sold off piece by piece. There was a massive luxury yard sale in August but apparently there is much, much more to be sold off. The Four Seasons Gallery in Atlanta is holding a public auction of the contents of Dean Gardens on September 12. There is a preview scheduled on September 11. This will be the last chance to see the home before its date with the wrecking ball. The auction spans furnishings including bookcases, tables, chairs and more as well as architectural elements such as stained glass windows, marble columns, fireplaces, fountains, chandeliers, basically everything but the walls. If you can't make it down to Atlanta, you can bid online through LiveAuctioneers.com. Estimates range from $500 to $50,000, the high estimate on the Carlos Maria Mariani painting shown at right which originally cost $90,000 when bought from the Lowe Gallery in Atlanta.

Tags: atlanta, dean gardens, georgia real estate

Everything Must Go In Massive Dean Gardens Yard Sale

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

You may have gone to a yard sale over the weekend but it was likely nothing like this, Dean Gardens, the massive 32,000-square-foot estate in Johns Creek, Georgia had a huge sale. Software entrepreneur Larry Dean basically priced everything in the home that wasn't nailed down. CNN reports that even parts of the home's architecture, including the rotunda in the foyer inspired by the dome of the Brunelleschi Cathedral in Florence, Italy, were up for sale.

Why the fire sale? The new owner, said to be director Tyler Perry, plans to tear down the home and build his own monument to ego on the 58-acre spread. Perry has his studios in Atlanta and owns several other mansions in the area. He bought the home for a song, just $7.6 million far below the most recent listing price of $13.9 million and previous prices of as much as $40 million.

Dean teamed up with Luminocity, an Atlanta group that runs light and dance shows to create one last big spectacle. Luminocity will run 12 performance art light parade events in downtown Atlanta starting in November. The group is also planning cultural arts programs for children. The weekend's events include a Friday night gala for $100 a ticket and Saturday's closing event with wine, food and music for $35. In both cases ticket prices were waived for sales over $1,500.

It's a bit of a sad ending for a home that Dean spent $25 million creating. The property also includes landscaped gardens, an 18-hole golf course, grass tennis courts, an amphitheater and a conservatory. The CNN report says that Perry's new home will be more energy efficient and sustainable.

Gallery: Dean Gardens

Tags: atlanta, atlanta real estate, dean gardens, georgia real estate, tyler perry

A Real Housewife's Alpharetta Home, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

The Real Estalker led me to the story of yet another house connected to Bravo's Real Housewives franchise. This home belonged to Eric and DeShawn Snow. DeShawn was one of the "Real Housewives of Atlanta" in the first season. Eric Snow is a former professional basketball player who played with the Seattle SuperSonics, Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Snows are in the midst of a divorce which began when it was revealed that Snow was expecting a child with a woman other than his wife.

This six-bedroom home in Alpharetta, Georgia was built by the Snows. They bought a 4.65 acre plot of land for $395,000 in 2005 in The Manor Golf and Country Club. Their home was finished in 2008 and measures over 10,000 square feet. It opens with a sweeping floating staircase that rises up to the second floor rooms. The huge windows in the formal living room has massive draperies. The home also has a formal dining room, family room, home theater and his and hers offices. The master bedroom has a raised sitting area, custom closets and a master bathroom with a fireplace.

The lower terrace level has a billiard room, card room, wine cellar, a full bar/family room, exercise facilities, and a hair salon. The backyard includes a children's playground with jungle gym, a basketball/sport court, and a large swimming pool. Two octagonal open air pavilions frame the swimming pool. One contains an outdoor kitchen and barbecue station, the other is near a spa and sitting area in front of an outdoor fireplace. This home is listed at $4.998 million.

Gallery: The Snows of Alpharetta

Tags: alpharetta, deshawn snow, Eric Snow, georgia real estate, Real Housewives of Atlanta

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Sea Island Company Files Chapter 11, Plans Sale

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Since 2008 we've been chronicling Sea Island's financial troubles. The Georgia resort, which once hosted the G8 Summit and has been visited by presidents, celebrities and dignitaries of all sorts, has now filed for bankruptcy, unable to pay back more than $600 million in debt. The company has been owned for six decades by the family of William "Bill" Jones III but is now planning to sell its luxury resorts.The sale includes the Cloister at Sea Island, shown above, which won three Mobil five-star awards in 2009 for the hotel, the Cloister Spa and its restaurant, the Georgian Room.

The economic downturn has meant empty hotel rooms for the luxury enclave which has been struggling with debt since a massive redevelopment and expansion of the resort that cost more than $400 million. The plan calls for the Sea Island Company to sell its four resorts, three golf courses and two private clubs for a total of $197.5 million to a group of investors represented by two private firms. The AP reports that the new owners would be investment managers Oaktree Capital Management of Los Angeles and Avenue Capital Group of New York. Company CEO Bill Jones III will stay in place as top executive but will lose his controlling interest in the resort. The resorts will remain open, keeping around 1,400 workers employed. The Atlanta Journal Constitution stated that the official auction will take place in October with closing by November. The article mentions that some locals are concerned over the the takeover, worried that new owners could change part of the Sea Island magic that has kept people coming to the resort since the late 1920s.

Tags: chapter 11, chapter 11 bankruptcy, georgia real estate, sea island

Dean Gardens Estate Finally Sold

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

One of our more intriguing estate of the day properties, Dean Gardens has finally found a buyer. The Atlanta Business Chronicle reports that the home's sale makes it the highest purchase price for any residence in the Atlanta area since the sale of the Dobson estate, 'Descante' on Tuxedo Road. Dean Gardens was most recently listed at $13.9 million with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty but had been on and off the market for the last 15 years with prices from $20 million to $40 million. There were even rumors that Michael Jackson had considered buying the estate.

The property in Johns Creek was created by Larry Dean, a software entrepreneur. The property's 58 acres include elaborate gardens, two carriage house apartments, a caretakers cottage, wedding chapel, Asian tea garden, grass tennis courts, amphitheater, conservatory ,lake and an 18 hole golf course. The home's interior is a hodgepodge of tastes and styles. The rotunda was inspired by Florence's Brunelleschi Cathedral. Art Deco and Art Nouveau flourishes abound in the bedrooms. Much of the terrace level is given over to a Moroccan theme and a game room has a 1950s diner look. Some of the home's many theme rooms including the Peacock room, the Egyptian suite and the elaborate French bedroom. Check out more images at the property website.

Gallery: Dean Gardens

Tags: atlanta real estate, dean gardens, georgia real estate

Rhododendron Hall, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Today's home is one of the loveliest in Atlanta's Tuxedo Park area. Rhododendron Hall is on over ten acres and was built in 1934. The home was the Atlanta Symphony Associates Decorators' Show House in 1997. The 11-bedroom mansion is full of many lavish details including leaded glass windows, paneled wood walls, beamed ceilings, crystal chandeliers, arched doorways and more. One particularly lovely touch is a long hallway with a painted vaulted ceiling. A glassed in solarium is also particularly beautiful. Outside, the landscaped grounds include a pool and a pavilion with an outdoor fireplace. This home is listed at $14.9 million.

Gallery: Rhododendron Hall

Tags: atlanta, estate of the day, georgia real estate, rhododendron hall

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Atlanta Loft, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Today's home is a pretty unique offering in Atlanta, Georgia. A former warehouse has been renovated into a stellar loft home. The steel exterior door opens into a two-story foyer with a large light fixture. The three-bedroom home has approximately 7,700 square feet of space. The large living room leads to an elevated piano entertainment area. There is also a 20+ seating dining room and a chefs kitchen with a skylight, two steam convection ovens, two traditional ovens, two warming drawers, two dishwashers, two freezers and more. The listing says that the home has approximately $1.5 million in electronics including a Crestron-controlled Italian projector and home theater screen in the 16-seat home theater. The patio has an outdoor kitchen including a gas burner cook top, grill with rotisserie, warming drawer and three refrigerators. There is a wood-burning fireplace adjacent to the heated, salt water pool which has five fountains and a spa. The patio also has a shower and towel room.

The master suite has a morning bar and glass walls that show the entertainment space, dining room and kitchen but can be concealed behind heavy curtains. The master bathroom indulges the owner with a Kohler soaking tub and an 18-head steam shower. The suite also has a cedar wall-lined closet with a Miele washer/dryer set and two digital wall safes.There are two additional bedrooms and an office/den area. The lower level includes a complete home gym with a filtered water fountain. The lower level also has a wine cellar and full sized walk-in vault and a panic room. The garage can hold 12 cars and has three lifts. It also has a car detailing center with deionized water, tap water, wet/dry vacuum system, tire air system, work lights and outlights. This home is listed as furnished even including a grand piano and selected art pieces. The price is $8.9 million.

Gallery: Atlanta Loft

Tags: atlanta, georgia real estate, loft, warehouse conversion

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Jane Fonda in Atlanta, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

The one and only Jane Fonda has put her large loft in Atlanta, Georgia on the market. She recently picked up a rental in the Sierra Towers building in Los Angeles. Fonda's loft is actually four units combined into one large duplex in a condo building in the Poncey-Highland area of Atlanta. The loft has three bedrooms and after a foyer it opens into a huge double-height room that has huge bookcases, a dining area and a living area. One wall is clustered with Andy Warhol prints of Fonda herself leaving no doubt as to whose place this is.

There is a small stainless steel kitchen, a large landing with a circular skylight and an entrance to Fonda's rather girly master suite that includes a fireplace with a glass surround and a bed with an oval canopy that conceals a mirror. The home is full of large art pieces and it has a semi Southwestern feel, perhaps influenced by Fonda's New Mexico ranch. Not one to let the real estate agent do all the heavy lifting, Fonda has promoted the loft on her own blog and says the art is from "the great vernacular artist, Thornton Dial." The apartment is listed at $4.5 million.

Listing photos are by Nathan Martin.

[via the Real Estalker]

Gallery: Jane Fonda In Atlanta, Estate of the Day

Tags: atlanta, celebrity real estate, estate of the day, georgia real estate, jane fonda

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Savannah Condos Up For Auction

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Auctions

Next month a group of luxury condos in the heart of the deep south, beautiful Savannah GA, will be going up for auction. There are 11 units total, 7 located at Jones Square in the Historic District and 4 at East Broad Place. The Jones group homes are rich in architectural details like 10 ft ceilings, decorative crown moldings, heart pine floors, luxury spa bathrooms, and private balconies while the East Board Place units have exposed brick walls, hardwood floors, and are conveniently located for access to islands, beaches, and the Savannah College of Art and Design.

The auction will take place on May 6h at Trustees' Garden at 10 E. Broad Street and according to National Auction Group 2 of the Jones Square properties are set to be sold regardless of price.

Source

Tags: auction, condo, condo auction, condos, georgia real estate, real estate, savannah

Gaston Street, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Today's home in Savannah, Georgia was built in 1857 for William F.Brantley and designed by John Norris. The historic residence had a beautiful renovation in 2009 and won an ASID award, a 2009 award from the Georgia Trust and a Preservation Award in 2008 from the Historic Savannah Foundation. It deserves it, the lovely five-bedroom home has been very elegantly redone. It is located in the Historic District near Forsyth Park and has a garden level with guest suite, craft room, butler's pantry and exercise room. The formal living room, dining room, family room, private office and kitchen are located on the parlor level and several rooms have custom plaster crown molding and ceiling medallions. The master suite has his and her baths and a grand dressing room. Wide porches overlook a courtyard and the three-car garage carriage house offers a sitting room, guest room, full bath and powder room. This home is listed at $5.5 million.

Gallery: Gaston Street