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See the lavish homes 6 billionaires are trying to offload — and why it could be tough for them to find buyers

aerial view of pritzker estate

Anthony Barcelo

  • Billionaires Darwin Deason, Michael Dell, and Tony Pritzker are trying to offload homes right now.
  • Their properties for sale range from a $31 million penthouse in Boston to a $195 million LA estate.
  • It can take a long time for extremely expensive or unique homes to find buyers.

Billionaires regularly want to offload their homes, but the housing market can present some unique challenges for the wealthiest home sellers.

Buyers at high price points don't always love properties customized for the previous owner, and the additional cost of maintenance and upkeep can deter even the deepest pockets. Some people struggling to rid themselves of luxurious properties end up slashing their asking prices. Others forego selling them altogether, choosing to either auction them off or rent them out instead.

At least two billionaires have found buyers for their homes this fall.

Gordon Getty, heir to the Getty fortune, found a buyer for his home near Berkeley, outside San Francisco, in less than a month. The 3,991-square-foot house, nicknamed the Temple of Wings, features Corinthian columns and luscious greenery, sold for $5.85 million in September after listing for $5 million in August.

Media mogul Rupert Murdoch's three-story, nearly 7,000-square-foot penthouse in Manhattan went into contract on October 10 after more than two years on the market, according to its listing. The former chair of Fox Corporation and News Corp. purchased it for $57.9 million in 2014. In 2022, he listed it for $62 million but dropped the price as low as $28.5 million — a 50% decrease.

A handful of billionaires, however, have homes they're still trying to sell.

Here's a roundup of billionaire-owned properties from Boston to California on the market as of January 6. They are presented in order of last name.

Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen listed his Bay Area mansion for $33 million in March 2024.
A mansion in Atherton, California, facing onto a green lawn and surrounded by trees.
Marc Andreessen's Atherton mansion has five bedrooms and sits on 1.55 acres of land.

Bernard André Photography

Earlier this year, tech investor Marc Andreessen and his wife Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen listed their $33 million Bay Area mansion.

Touted as ideal for hosts of events and parties, the five-bedroom, four-bathroom home has seven fireplaces, two separate kitchens ready for catering, and custom built-ins throughout to display art. It is located in Atherton, California, near Palo Alto and Stanford, and across the street from the Menlo Circus Club, an exclusive social club.

The Andreessens may not be leaving California altogether, however. The couple has purchased over $250 million worth of real estate in Malibu, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Of the three homes they have acquired over two years in the coastal enclave northeast of LA, the most expensive is a $177 million, seven-acre estate in Malibu's Paradise Cove neighborhood. Known for its picturesque shores that locals fiercely guard, Paradise Cove was once dubbed "the most unfriendly-to-the-public public beach in Southern California," according to San Francisco publication SFGate.

Andreessen's net worth as of January is $1.9 billion, according to Forbes.

Tech mogul Darwin Deason is parting ways with his Versailles-inspired estate in California.
Exterior view of the Sand Castle mansion on a cliff in La Jolla, California.
Deason has listed his Versailles-inspired mansion in La Jolla for a remarkable $108 million.

Courtesy of Austin Ashline of Future Home Photos

Tech billionaire Darwin Deason has put his oceanfront estate in La Jolla, California, nicknamed the Sand Castle, on the market for an impressive $108 million.

Deason, who sold his IT and business process outsourcing company Affiliated Computer Services to Xerox for $6.4 billion in 2009, initially spent about $26 million on the house and an adjacent parcel of land, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Over about six years, Deason poured an additional $60 million into transforming the property into a breathtaking 13,000-square-foot mansion, drawing inspiration from Versailles and the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, a five-star retreat for celebrities in the South of France.

The estate includes a seven-bedroom main house and a three-bedroom guest house, with 14 full bathrooms and three half-bathrooms. It also features a pool, two cabanas, a fitness center, and an elevated, private beach with sand Deason imported from the Augusta, Georgia, golf course where the famed Masters tournament is played.

If the property sells even near its listing price, it will more than double the San Diego County record of $44.1 million set by billionaire Egon Durban in 2023.

Deason is worth $1.3 billion as of January, according to Forbes.

Michael Dell is trying to offload not one but two luxury penthouses in Boston.
Michael Dell's penthouse in Millenium Towers with a view of the Boston skyline.
Michael Dell's penthouse in Millenium Towers isn't the only luxury property in Boston he's looking to part ways with.

Lucas Scott, Nauset Media

Dell Technologies Chairman and CEO Michael Dell is no stranger to eye-popping real estate.

In 2015, he was the buyer of what was then the most expensive home ever sold in New York City, a $100 million penthouse overlooking Central Park on West 57th Street, aka Billionaires' Row. He raised his kids in a sprawling 33,000-square-foot Austin compound dubbed "The Castle" that featured both indoor and outdoor pools.

As of January, Dell's net worth was $119.6 billion, according to Forbes.

Now Dell is looking to unload two Boston properties he bought in 2020.

The first is a penthouse in Boston's tallest residential tower, One Dalton, which is one of the Four Seasons' private residences. The ultra-luxe home comes complete with 24-hour white-glove concierge service and a 570-square-foot private balcony. Originally listed at $34 million, the price has been reduced to $31 million as of October.

Dell's second Boston property for sale is a $9.45 million penthouse on the 54th floor of Boston's Millennium Tower, located just steps from the iconic Boston Commons park. This property features floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic views of the city and the Charles River.

Hedge fund manager and billionaire Ken Griffin is exiting Chicago by selling his multiple condos
No 9 Walton Ken Griffin
No. 9 Walton in Chicago.

Google Street View

Ken Griffin, who founded Citadel, a hedge fund that manages $92.46 billion in total assets as of September 2023, is offloading a few condos in Chicago.

Griffin famously relocated his managing firm to Florida in 2022. He also set himself up pretty nicely by spending about $169 million on properties in one neighborhood between 2020 and 2023. He also bought two bay front houses in Coconut Grove in 2022.

He's seemingly all in on Florida, but still has some loose ends to clean up in the Midwest.

Griffin bought a Chicago penthouse and three other units for $59 million in 2017 in what is still the city's biggest real-estate deal.

Records show he bought the top two floors, totaling about 15,000 square feet, for $34 million. The units are the top two floors of the No. 9 Walton building and are unfinished. Griffin has never lived in them.

In November, he sold those units for $19 million, taking a 44% loss on the sale. He's not quite yet done as the other two units he owns are still for sale.

According to Forbes, Griffin's net worth is $45.9 billion as of January.

Joe Lacob, who owns the Golden State Warriors, put his Malibu mansion on the market in August.
People walking along Carbon Beach in Malibu in 2005, which is lined by ocean-facing mansions.
Lacob's property is one of several lavish digs on Carbon Beach, a part of Malibu nicknamed Billionaire's Beach.

David McNew/Getty Images

The owner of the Golden State Warriors basketball team, Joe Lacob, once claimed to be one of the best blackjack players in the world, winning $1 million in one sitting at least nine times.

Lacob must be hoping his luck hasn't run out as he tries to sell his Malibu mansion for $44 million.

The home on Carbon Beach has five bedrooms across about 5,500 square feet. It allows for indoor-outdoor living, with open balconies throughout to enjoy California's balmy climate.

It also has Hollywood-glam touches like a waterfall wall, a movie theater, and a glass-enclosed gym.

The third level is a prime entertaining space, complete with a barbecue island, a fire pit, a lounge area, and a hot tub.

Lacob does have a history of good bets. In 2010, he and other investors purchased the Golden State Warriors for $450 million. In July, the New York Post estimated the franchise's value to be $5.4 billion.

Lacob, a former venture capital investor, is worth $2.1 billion as of January, according to Forbes.

Hyatt Hotels heir Tony Pritzker is selling his enormous Los Angeles home after a bitter divorce.
aerial view of pritzker estate
The Pritzker Estate was listed for sale in October 2024.

Anthony Barcelo

Tony Pritzker, chairman and CEO of Pritzker Private Capital, built one of the country's largest and most luxurious homes.

Pritzker and his former wife Jeanne spent six years constructing a 50,000-square-foot megamansion in the hills of Beverly Crest, an upscale neighborhood in Los Angeles' Westside.

After their contentious divorce earlier this year, the home landed on the market in October for a staggering $195 million.

The estate has 16 bedrooms and 27 bathrooms over six acres. Amenities include a tennis court, a basketball court, a cliffside pool, a detached guest house, a bowling alley, and a private movie theater. The house's perch also offers stunning 180-degree views of the Los Angeles skyline.

The Wall Street Journal reported that if the Pritzker estate sells for its asking price of $195 million, it will set a record for the most expensive home sold in Los Angeles. This record is currently held by Jeff Bezos, who spent $165 million on the Warner Estate, located 1.4 miles away, in 2020.

According to Forbes, Pritzker, an heir to the Hyatt Hotels fortune, has a net worth of $4.1 billion as of January.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Billionaires create compounds for privacy and status — and their neighbors get richer, too

3 January 2025 at 01:37
indian creek florida
Indian Creek, Florida.

Shutterstock/Richard Cavalleri

  • Billionaires are buying bundles of properties for several advantages.
  • The ultrawealthy set a new price for the market, sending ripple effects to nearby areas.
  • Their presence can also attract unwelcome visitors to the areas.

The real-estate portfolio of the ultrawealthy is typically expansive: Coastal homes, overseas vacation getaways, and a handful of homes scattered in cities where they frequent.

However, billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Taylor Swift, and Mark Zuckerberg have recently been snatching up multiple properties in the same place.

Over the course of two years, Bezos spent over $200 million on three properties in an exclusive South Florida enclave 11 miles from Miami. Meanwhile, Swift dropped nearly $50 million in one of New York City's most trendy neighborhoods, while Zuckerberg is building a 1,400-acre compound in Hawaii that he describes as a "little shelter."

While some billionaires want to bundle their properties for privacy, others simply seek space. Despite the reasoning, monied buyers collecting multiple homes at a time can typically name their own price, dramatically affecting the surrounding real estate market.

"Hearing what Bezos paid for those two properties — no one had ever paid that before," Miami real-estate broker Jill Hertzberg of The Jills Zeder Group told Business Insider.

She's referring to how, in 2023, Bezos paid $68 million and later $79 million for adjacent mansions in Indian Creek, Florida. He'd go onto purchase a third mansion on the island, which he secured for $90 million.

"We all rise together, and we sink together," she added.

The Bezos Effect is changing South Florida's pricing landscape

Longtime Seattle resident Jeff Bezos announced in 2023 that he was leaving the West Coast and heading to Florida — following the trend of wealthy elites seeking solace in the Sunshine State.

Jeff Bezos
Jeff Bezos

Getty Images

Bezos, whose net worth is $233.7 billion as of January 2024, according to Forbes, didn't buy just one home in Florida; he bought several.

His homes are located on a secluded island called Indian Creek, nicknamed "Billionaire Bunker," and for good reason. The island has security patrolling the perimeter 24/7, so unwelcomed visitors — like paparazzi or fans — can't come close. Although it's unclear why he bought several homes on Indian Creek specifically, privacy is definitely a top perk.

Bezos is one of many wealthy individuals to move to the island, and his mansions have raised property values drastically. Miami-Dade County property records show his $79 million purchase sold for $28 million in 2014. (It was listed for $85 million.)

An aerial view of Indian Creek Island.
An aerial view of Indian Creek Island.

Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images

"When Bezos came in and bought 11 and 12 Indian Creek Island Road, those are both tear downs," Hertzberg said. "So that sets the land at that price for those sized lots, those 80,000 square foot lots."

A roughly 80,000-square-foot vacant lot neighboring Bezos' property hit the market in December 2024, asking for $200 million, a little more than what the billionaire paid for the two lots. That's the Bezos effect.

Ilya Reznik, the vacant lot's listing agent, told BI that sellers she's spoken to will not accept less than what Bezos paid.

Hertzberg said the Bezos Effect has spilled off the island to nearby neighborhoods like Bal Harbour and Surfside, which sits just across the water from Indian Creek and has similar views.

For example, her son, Danny Hertzberg, broke a record in October 2024 for the highest sale in Surfside after selling a home for $19.7 million.

Taylor Swift's New York compound

Taylor Swift owns multiple real estate properties, including mansions in Rhode Island, Beverly Hills, and a penthouse in Nashville.

However, over the last decade, Swift has turned her properties at 155 Franklin Street in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York City into a compound, paying a total of $47.70 million for privacy, square footage, and the status that comes with living in one of the city's chicest neighborhoods.

BI's Britney Nguyen and Jordan Hart reported that Swift bought two penthouse units from Peter Jackson of "The Lord of the Rings " in 2014 for $19.95 million. Jackson paid $17.35 million for the units — which form a duplex in the Sugar Loaf, a pre-war building in Tribeca — when he purchased them in 2008, Curbed reported. The six-story building has 10 units and two apartments per floor, as said on its StreetEasy profile.

Taylor Swift outside the Sugar Loaf in Tribeca in July 2018.
Taylor Swift outside the Sugar Loaf in Tribeca in July 2018.

Gotham/GC Images/Getty Images

Swift also purchased the townhouse next door to the Sugar Loaf for $18 million in 2017 and another apartment in the Sugar Loaf building for $9.75 million in 2018.

Real-estate agent Andrew Azoulay told The Wall Street Journal he suggested Swift use the townhouse as a garage that connects to the Sugar Loaf through the additional apartment, allowing her to enter and exit the building without using the front door.

Swift's properties in the building appear to be the priciest sold in recent history. Zillow records show a three-bedroom, three-bath apartment in the building sold for $5.95 million in 2023, and a similar unit sold for $7.1 million in 2022. (A four-bedroom unit was sold off the market in January 2024, so the price wasn't available, according to StreetEasy.)

Noble Black, a Douglas Elliman real-estate agent, told BI that Swift hasn't changed the Tribeca real estate landscape much with her high-end purchases. The neighborhood has long been appealing to luxury buyers looking for more spacious apartments in a quieter area of Manhattan.

Likewise, most Swift fans can't afford to buy an apartment in her neighborhood because she lives there, so it's not like Tribeca has been crawling with Swifties since she moved in.

Black also said buyers looking at listings in Tribeca aren't likely to be turned off by Swift's presence in the neighborhood since celebrities live all over Manhattan; it's part of the city's culture for many New Yorkers to see stars day-to-day.

Black also told BI that Swift's compound is comparable to similar listings in the area. For instance, Black is listing a penthouse in 111 Murray Street, a modern luxury development, for $33.95 million. And just before the New Year, the penthouse of 67 Franklin Street, a luxury building just a few blocks down from Swift's compound, was put under contract for $12 million in a deal by real-estate agent Krista Nickols of SERHANT.

However, Swift's presence in the building garners attention, with paparazzi and fans often lining the streets outside when she is spotted in the city — even those with more sinister intentions. For example, a 33-year-old man was arrested three times in January 2024 for trying to access Swift's compound.

Taylor Swift's stalker is arrested outside her Tribeca apartment in January 2024.
A man is arrested outside of Taylor Swift's Tribeca apartment in January 2024.

Gotham/GC Images

Swift's residency also raised some eyebrows in the New York Sanitation Department. In 2023, The New York Post reported that the sanitation department ticketed Swift 32 times for trash that accumulated in front of the townhouse since she had bought it.

Zuckerberg is one of many billionaires living in Hawaii

Meta cofounder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has a diverse real estate portfolio, with properties in Palo Alto and Lake Tahoe, California. Still, the roughly $200-million real-estate portfolio is highlighted by his 1,200-plus acre land in Hawaii. He's been buying land on the island of Kauai since 2014.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
Mark Zuckerberg.

David Zalubowski

According to a 2023 Wired report, the compound was built in secrecy and includes a 5,000-square-foot underground shelter. The below-ground dwelling screams doomsday bunker, but Zuckerberg recently tried to quell concerns from locals and said it's a shelter to protect against hurricanes.

"I think that's just like a little shelter," he told Bloomberg. "It's like a basement."

Kauai real-estate broker Michael Ambrose told BI that even though bunkers aren't that common, Zuckerberg isn't the first to buy land in Hawaii.

"I know this lady on the East Coast; she owns like a hundred and something acres out here, and she's literally just sitting on it, and it's worth millions of dollars," he said. "I think the more that the world population grows, the more there's an interest in owning physical areas of the world."

Kauai, Hawaii
Kauai, Hawaii.

Shutterstock/Pierre Leclerc

As for Zuckerberg resetting the market, Ambrose said several billionaires, like Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison, are already in Hawaii and may have contributed. Still, his presence can be felt in the market.

"Say you could be neighbors with the richest guy in the world — clearly, the land itself has more value because of the next-door neighbor being who he is," Ambrose said.

Ambrose, for example, highlighted a vacant lot for sale in Kilauea, a community on the northern shore of Kauai that shot up in price after Zuckerberg moved in. As of December 2024, it's listed for $16.5 million. According to Zillow, the 7.87-acre lot went on the market in 2014 for only $3.9 million.

Read the original article on Business Insider

5 of the most expensive homes sold in the US this year, from a private island in Florida to a mansion in Malibu

aerial view of island property
A property on Palm Beach's only private island sold for $152 million.

Daniel Petroni

  • Home prices across the US kept climbing in 2024, and luxury home prices were no exception.
  • The cost of the top 5% of luxury homes rose nearly 9% from 2023 to 2024, Redfin found.
  • A $210 million Malibu mansion and $108 million Aspen property were among the priciest sold in 2024.

By some measures, all home prices reached record highs in 2024.

It's not just more affordably priced homes that have gotten more expensive: Luxury real estate has also boomed this year.

The price of luxury homes — defined as those with a market value in the top 5% for their area — rose nearly 9% year-over-year as of the second quarter of 2024, according to the most recent data available from real-estate site Redfin. That jump was twice as fast as the increase for non-luxury homes, Redfin found.

Here's a look at five of the most expensive homes sold across the US this year.

A $210 million Malibu mansion broke California's record for priciest property ever sold

aerial view of home on oceanfront
An aerial view of the Malibu home off the Pacific Coast Highway that sold for $210 million this year.

USGS

In June, Oakley sunglasses founder James Jannard sold his Malibu mansion for $210 million.

It edged out Beyoncé and Jay-Z's $200 million compound, also in Malibu, to break the record for the most expensive home ever sold in California.

Jannard bought the estate 12 years ago for $75 million, but the new owner's name is shrouded behind an anonymous LLC, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The mansion has eight bedrooms, 14 bathrooms, and a tennis court spread over 9.5 acres and was pared down by previous owners who found the original main home "too grandiose," according to San Francisco outlet SFGate.

Its renovation was handled by Michael S. Smith, who also redesigned the White House's Oval Office for then-President Barack Obama in 2010.

A home on Palm Beach's only private island sold for $152 million

In May, a 28,600-square-foot home on Tarpon Island in Palm Beach, Florida, sold for $152 million, a real-estate agent behind the sale confirmed to Business Insider.

image of luxury home with pool on oceanfront
A home on a private island in Palm Beach, Florida, sold for $152 million this year.

Daniel Petroni

The property — situated on Palm Beach's only private island — includes two private decks, multiple pools, a wine room, a waterfront gym, a tennis court, and a wellness facility complete with a massage room and a nail salon, according to Mansion Global.

image of home foyer interior
A look inside the foyer of the Tarpon Island home, which sold for $152 million.

Daniel Petroni

The home's buyer was Australian investor Michael Dorrell, who founded infrastructure investment firm Stonepeak Partners and formerly served as a senior managing director at Blackstone, The Wall Street Journal first reported, citing people familiar with the deal.

Another Palm Beach home sold for $148 million to a collector of trophy properties

A nearly 23,000-square-foot house with 225 feet fronting the Atlantic Ocean in Palm Beach sold for $148 million to billionaire investor Daren Metropoulos earlier this year, Mansion Global reported.

Metropoulos — a principal at private-equity firm Metropoulos & Co. and former co-CEO of Pabst Brewing Company — is a collector of trophy properties. He purchased the former Playboy Mansion in Holmby Hills, California, in 2016 for $100 million, according to The New York Times.

The landmarked Mediterranean Revival-style house in Palm Beach, designed by architect Addison Mizner in 1919, is called Casa Amado and sits on 3.2 acres, according to Mansion Global.

A $135 million penthouse was New York City's most expensive sale of the year

image of top part of crown building
A five-story apartment in Manhattan's landmarked Crown Building sold for $135 million.

Sharkshock/Shutterstock

Real-estate developer Vlad Doronin's highest-profile project of late is the hotel and condos at Aman New York, located in the landmarked Beaux-Arts-style Crown Building on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.

Doronin himself purchased a five-story penthouse in the building this year for $135 million, Bloomberg reported.

The penthouse is one of just 22 residences above the hotel, which has more than 80 rooms, according to Bloomberg.

The home, which fetched more than $10,000 per square foot, was sold as an unfinished space that the owner can build out, Bloomberg reported, citing a spokesperson for developer OKO Group.

Doronin, who the Wall Street Journal called a "Russian James Bond" earlier this year, founded OKO Group and serves as Aman's owner, chairman, and CEO.

An Aspen home with 11 bedrooms broke a Colorado record

side-by-side of Wynn and Peterffy
Steve Wynn (left) and Thomas Peterffy purchased an Aspen home together.

Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe, James Leynse/Corbis via Getty Images

Former casino tycoon Steve Wynn partnered with billionaire financier Thomas Peterffy to purchase Colorado's most expensive home ever sold, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Looking out over Aspen at the base of Red Mountain, the 22,405-square-foot mansion — which includes 11 bedrooms, 17 bathrooms, an outdoor pool, and a guest house — sold to the pair in April for $108 million, The Denver Post reported.

Aspen's first nine-figure sale elevates it to the ranks of other places that have hit that milestone: New York, Los Angeles, and Palm Beach, according to the Journal.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Michael Jordan finally sold his mansion outside Chicago after 12 years — for a 67% discount. See inside.

13 December 2024 at 12:25
Michael Jordan wears a black leather jacket and wears a tense expression in March 2023 at a Charlotte Hornets game
Michael Jordan has finally offloaded his ultra-customized mansion in the Chicago suburbs.

Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images

  • Michael Jordan has sold his mansion in the Chicago suburbs after 12 years on and off the market.
  • Jordan, who hasn't lived there in years, listed it for $29 million in 2012. It sold for $9.5 million.
  • The massive home has custom nods to Jordan throughout, which might be why it took so long to sell.

Michael Jordan's mansion in the suburbs of Chicago, which has sat abandoned for years, has a new owner.

The legendary basketball star has officially sold the nine-bedroom home, which has been on the market on and off since 2012, for $9.5 million, according to property records.

Fourteen years ago, the former Chicago Bulls shooting guard listed the Highland Park, Illinois, mansion for $29 million. In 2015, he reduced the price to $14.855 million — whose digits add up to 23, the number on his Bulls jersey.

The mansion's sale price is a 67% discount from its original asking price.

Listing agent Katherine Malkin, of Compass, told The Wall Street Journal that after buying the property in 1991, he spent about $50 million building the home.

The house is full of nods to Jordan's basketball career, including the 23 on the front gate. His famous Air Jordan logo adorns the full-size indoor basketball court, and flag sticks on the putting green.

Even after various gimmicks, like offering a complete set of Air Jordans with purchase and marketing the home via videos in Mandarin to Jordan's fans in China, the house sat abandoned.

Jordan splits his time between his home state of North Carolina and Jupiter, Florida.

Below, we take a closer look at a house once considered basically unsellable. Most images are from footage taken by Concierge Auctions, which held an unsuccessful auction for the house in 2013.

The 56,000-square-foot compound sits on 7 acres.
michael jordan house2

Concierge Auctions

The front gate is emblazoned with 23, for Jordan's number.
Michael Jordan House

Zillow

Jordan himself lived in the main house for 19 years.
2018 10 23_9 46 43

Concierge Auctions

One outdoor amenity is an infinity pool with a grass island in the middle.
michael jordan house16

Concierge Auctions

The putting green outside the house comes complete with Jordan-branded flag sticks.
michael jordan house37

Concierge Auctions

An indoor-outdoor entertainment space perfect for watching basketball.
Michael Jordan house

Zillow

Inside are multiple sitting areas and entertainment rooms. This one is the "great room."
michael jordan house10

Concierge Auctions

This sitting room has a piano.
2018 10 23_9 27 13

Concierge Auctions

The centerpiece of the home is a full-size basketball court with a center ring that bears the name of his three children: Marcus, Jeffrey and Jasmine.
michael jordan house23

Concierge Auctions

The home also features a locker room, trophy room, and a full gym.
michael jordan house25

Concierge Auctions

Jordan's Chicago Bulls teammates used to work out there every morning, according to an interview shared by Concierge Auctions.
michael jordan house24

Concierge Auctions

There is also a cigar room with card tables, where we're guessing Jordan has played some high-stakes poker games.
Michael Jordan house

Zillow

There's also an expansive wine cellar.
michael jordan house27

Concierge Auctions

Some other fun details: The set of doors seen below are from the original Playboy Mansion in Chicago.
michael jordan house31

Concierge Auctions

There is a large aquarium built into the wall in one of the dining areas just off the kitchen.
2018 10 23_9 36 33

Concierge Auctions

The library upstairs, which features a drop-down movie screen, was said to be Jordan's favorite room.
2018 10 23_9 40 03

Concierge Auctions

There are media rooms throughout the house. Even seemingly random nooks have TVs.
michael jordan house11

Concierge Auctions

Even though it is widely considered abandoned, the house was at least at points occupied by staff Jordan hired to keep it looking fresh.
michael jordan house13

Concierge Auctions

Jordan has other homes. In 2013, he spent $2.8 million on a North Carolina lake house located in a golf-course community.
Michael Jordan house

Zillow

The house is in Cornelius, about a 30-minute drive from the Charlotte Hornets' arena. Jordan bought the team for $275 million in 2010 and sold it for $3 billion in 2023.
Michael Jordan house

Zillow

Jordan also reportedly bought a house on a golf course in Jupiter, Florida, for $4.8 million in 2013 and spent $7.6 million on renovations. The Wall Street Journal reported in April that Jordan bought another mansion in Jupiter for $16.5 million.
Michael Jordan house in Jupiter

Zillow

He also owns a full-floor condo in downtown Charlotte, in the same building as NFL quarterback Cam Newton. Condos there reportedly went for between $1.5 and $3.5 million.
2018 08 13_11 21 18

YouTube

In 2019, Jordan listed his 10,000-square-foot home in Park City, Utah, for $7.5 million. Agents think it will likely sell faster than the Chicago compound.
Michael Jordan

Isaac Brekken/Getty

Cork Gaines, Rachel Askinasi, and Tony Manfred contributed to this post. It was last updated on December 13, 2024.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Robert Redford, 88, selling another California home to spend more time out of state

5 December 2024 at 01:43
Robert Redford (left) and the interior of a home in California (right).
Robert Redford is selling his home outside San Fransisco for $4.15 million.

Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images; Open Homes

  • Robert Redford has listed his Tiburon, California, home for $4.15 million.
  • The actor, 88, and his wife want to spend more time in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
  • The couple has recently offloaded a wine-country estate in California and two Utah properties.

Robert Redford and his wife have put their secluded home outside San Francisco on the market for $4.15 million.

The actor, who starred in films "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and "The Way We Were," was born in California and still owns property there but said in an email that he wants to spend more time in other parts of the West.

The roughly 2,824-square-foot home is located in Tiburon, California, a town across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. The median listing price for homes in Tiburon is $3.3 million, according to Realtor.com.

Redford and his wife, artist Sibylle Szaggars Redford, bought the home in 2020 for $3.1 million, public records show. The couple also own another home in California, Sundance, Utah, and Santa Fe, New Mexico — where they primarily live.

"Sadly, we are not able to spend as much time in Tiburon as we would like, as we are now spending more time in Santa Fe, New Mexico," the Redfords said in an email. Santa Fe is home to Szaggars Redford's fine art gallery and an arts and conservation nonprofit the couple runs called The Way of the Rain.

Redford, who has said over the years that he values privacy, added that the Tiburon house appealed to him in part because of its location "on a quiet, unpaved cul-de-sac, which does not experience a lot of traffic."

In 2014, he told the Hollywood Reporter that he wanted to leave the congestion of his hometown of LA.

"I wanted to be away from Los Angeles because I felt it was going to the dogs," he said. "I was just getting more and more anxious about wanting out."

The couple has offloaded several properties over the last five years.

In 2019, they sold a Napa Valley home on 10 acres of wine-country land for $7 million. They still have another property in California, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Redford, who cofounded the Sundance Film Institute in Utah, has also sold two properties in the state: the 2,600-acre Sundance Mountain Resort and Horse Whisper Ranch. Szaggars Redford listed a separate cabin in Utah for $3.99 million earlier this year. Redford still owns a ranch near the resort.

The four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom home is nine miles from the Golden Gate Bridge.
The exterior of a home in California.
The exterior of the 2,824-square-foot home.

Open Homes

The wood-shingled home was built in 1968.

The Redfords, who bought the house for $3.1 million in 2020, have put it on the market for $4.15 million.

The Redfords remodeled the interior of the home to give it a more coastal feel.
The coastal interior of a home in California.
A living room inside the home.

Open Homes

According to Compass, the brokerage representing the Redfords, the home's furniture and artwork are not included in the listing price but can be negotiated.

The house has 2,824 square feet inside and more than 1,000 square feet of outdoor decking.
An outdoor patio with a view of the water.
A portion of the deck with views of the water.

Open Homes

The home has views of San Francisco Bay, Angel Island, Raccoon Straits, and the East Bay.

The home's lush surroundings make it feel like an oasis.
Lavender growing outside a home.
Lavender growing outside the home.

Open Homes

The home is surrounded by redwood trees, according to listing agent Steven Mavromihalis, and the gardens are perfect for lavender, jasmine, and succulents.

The split-level home is located on a quiet cul-de-sac off an unpaved dirt road.
A view of the water from a bedroom.
A view from one of the bedrooms.

Open Homes

The cottage is a short walking distance to the beach, hiking trails, restaurants, and three yacht clubs.

Even though it feels secluded, the house is not too far from San Francisco.
A sunset view of the water from a home.
A sunset view of the water from the home.

Open Homes

Tiburon has a population of under 10,000 residents, but the property is only a 40-minute car ride — or a 30-minute ferry ride — away from San Francisco.

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Luxury chalet buyers in the Alps are now interested in a lot more than just skiing

1 December 2024 at 04:24
Gstaad, Switzerland.
Property buyers in Europe's top ski resorts are becoming more demanding.

xbrchx/Getty Images

  • The Alps have the bulk of the world's major ski resorts.
  • Property companies say the quality of the skiing is not the only criteria for some Alpine buyers.
  • Instead of winter sports, wellness is taking priority for many seeking an Alpine chalet.

Powdery snow, wide slopes, epic mountain views, and a vast network of interconnected trails weaving through snowcapped forests are hallmarks of skiing in the Alps, home to many winter resorts.

About 120 million people visit the Alps between December and April for its ski and snowboard offerings.

Yet, for some wealthy chalet buyers in upmarket towns such as Gstaad and Courchevel, it seems skiing is no longer the only draw.

In its 2024 Alpine Market Review published in November, property company Knight Frank reports buyers are just as interested in the "après ski" health and wellness activities after hitting the slopes as strapping on the skis.

A woman in a hot tub in the mountains.
High-net-worth property buyers in the Alps are looking for wellness facilities.

Fani Kurti/Getty Images

Knight Frank surveyed about 730 high-net-worth individuals from more than a dozen countries for the report and found that health and wellness ranked above skiing and snowboarding in priority when asked about the Alpine lifestyle they're most interested in.

Wellness offerings also came out ahead of ski-in/ski-out access and proximity to the village center when wealthy respondents were asked what amenities were most important in their purchasing decisions.

The rebalancing of their priorities aligns with findings from Bain & Company and Altagamma's 2024 Luxury Monitor. They found that consumer spending has shifted away from tangible goods to luxury experiences, particularly those linked to wellness and personal treatment.

In response to increased demand for wellness offerings, Knight Frank notes that resorts in the Alps are repositioning themselves as "a top destination for rejuvenation" with high-end spas, thermal baths, and specialized health resorts.

"The Alps are increasingly viewed as a year-round destination, with health and wellness now overtaking skiing as the primary lifestyle driver for buyers," said Kate Everett-Allen, head of European residential research at Knight Frank.

People skiing in Gstaad.
Pristine slopes are not the only draw for Alpine chalet buyers.

perreten/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Knight Frank's results echo a similar ski market report from Savills, highlighting the emergence of "wellness/medical retreats" in luxury winter resorts.

Jeremy Rollason, head of ski for Savills and author of the report, told Business Insider that health and wellness offerings are not an entirely novel concept. In the mid-1900s, he said, the Swiss Alps had sanatoriums visited by those with physical and mental health issues.

But interest in modern health and wellness trappings, such as saunas, steam rooms, and heated outdoor pools, among Alpine buyers, is now picking up speed, Rollason said.

"You buy in a ski resort because you like the mountains and probably because you like skiing or winter sports," he said. "There is much more than that now, and that's required developers and providers of hospitality in the ski resorts to offer so much more."

Rollason added that if the uber-wealthy are buying a chalet, "then it's not just a chalet — it's an all-encompassing leisure object."

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Christian Louboutin wants to keep his favorite holiday spot special — but it's on Harry and Meghan's radar too

23 November 2024 at 22:08
The Melides lagoon.
Melides, Christian Louboutin's secret escape in Portugal, loses its mystery as tourists flock in.

INAQUIM/Getty Images/iStockphoto

  • Christian Louboutin is working to protect his secret hideaway in Portugal from overtourism.
  • The French designer's aim is to prevent the town of Melides from becoming the next St. Tropez.
  • But the area is becoming an A-lister hot spot, drawing the likes of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Christian Louboutin is trying to keep a tiny town near the coast of Portugal low-key, but as real estate developers open five-star resorts and sprawling golf clubs nearby, drawing A-listers and royalty, his effort might be in vain.

The French designer, 61, told Bloomberg that the rural village of Melides, nestled within the Alentejo region of Portugal, is grappling with an influx of tourism and the impacts of climate change.

Louboutin, who came across Melides over a decade ago, has a personal stake in the town with a population of around 1,500.

Not only does he own a home there, but in 2023, he opened a 13-room boutique hotel in Melides with plans to open a second.

Christian Louboutin.
Christian Louboutin opened a small hotel in Melides, Portugal, and plans to open another.

Victor Boyko/Getty Images For Dior

While stopping tourism completely isn't part of his mission, Louboutin is dedicated to preserving the Melides he first fell in love with.

"People are touched by authenticity and we need to keep it that way," Louboutin told Bloomberg. "Don't expect Melides to become like St. Tropez. It's not going to happen."

Representatives for Louboutin did not immediately respond to BI's request for comment.

A best-kept secret no more

But whether Louboutin likes it or not, the once-upon-a-time lowkey getaway is now squarely on the map — thanks in part to the development of a series of luxury resorts and private members clubs nearby.

Just a 15-minute drive from Melides lies Costa Terra, a 722-acre luxury resort community and gold club built by US real estate developer Discovery Land Company.

The company is headed up by Mike Meldman, who cofounded Casa Amigos with George Clooney.

The Telegraph reported that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited the club last year. Since then, speculation has been rife that the couple, who are based in Montecito, California, bought a property within the gated community.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle smile together in a crowd.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in Colombia in August 2024.

Eric Charbonneau/Archewell Foundation via Getty Images

The Sussexes aren't the only A-listers rumored to have bought into Costa Terra — reports have also associated George Clooney, Paris Hilton, and Sharon Stone with the development.

Representatives for Costa Terra did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Alongside Costa Terra, several other glitzy developments are cropping up near Melides, including a 175-house residential project under development by Vanguard Properties and one on the Tróia peninsula built by Inditex billionaire Amancio Ortega's daughter.

Priced out

Vitor Paiva, a license partner at the Comporta branch of real estate agency Engel & Völkers, says the Portuguese government has set limits on touristic beds that prevent the area surrounding Melides from becoming as saturated with tourists as hot spots like St. Tropez or Monoco.

However, Paiva said the tourists that are now coming to the area are more affluent and "sophisticated" than those before, which means the small villages are changing from their rustic roots.

"New investors, customers coming, they ask for more modern services," he told BI. "They want to have the very good beach restaurants, luxury restaurants, high-quality services."

As a result, some locals in towns in the region are feeling priced out, Paiva said.

"Local restaurants are closing, even the small coffee shops for the locals, they are closing and being upgraded with more sophisticated coffee shops," he said. "In some cases, we are seeing the locals struggle."

In Melides, the idea of a rustic town remaining a secret oasis is slipping away.

But Louboutin isn't giving up on his aim to protect it.

He cofounded Intertidal Melides, a community-led organization rallying local landowners and business owners to preserve the local environment.

"Tourists come here for the beauty of this place," Louboutin told Bloomberg. "So we need to just keep it that way."

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This 6-bedroom mansion just sold for $20 million, making it the most expensive property in Puerto Rico this year

20 November 2024 at 01:53
Villa Dorado Estates 907 exterior shot , showing the pool and house at dusk.
The six-bedroom mansion is located in one of Puerto Rico's most expensive neighborhoods.

Eduardo Almodovar/Focuzz PR

  • A $20 million six-bedroom seaside mansion sold in Puerto Rico this month.
  • The 14,000-square-foot home is the most expensive property sold in Puerto Rico this year.
  • It's located in Dorado, an upmarket neighborhood that the who's who of the island calls home.

A sprawling six-bedroom mansion has become the most expensive property sold in Puerto Rico this year.

The 14,000-square-foot villa is located in the Ritz Carlton Reserve in Dorado, a luxury five-star resort community about 30 minutes from the capital, San Juan.

Since 2019, Puerto Rico — a US territory — has witnessed an influx of mainlanders, particularly wealthy ones, drawn to its shores by tax breaks.

Mainlanders who take up residency in Puerto Rico receive a 15-year tax break under Act 60, meaning they only pay a 4% fixed rate on income and enjoy a reduction in property taxes of up to 75%.

Intended to help boost Puerto Rico's economy, the legislation angered some locals who don't qualify for the tax break. A group of Democrats has called for its abolition, saying that it encourages tax evasion and the displacement of local communities, Reuters reported.

Not everyone is a fan of Act 60, but it might explain why the island has been on the up since it was introduced.

Blanca Hebe Lopez Pierluisi, boss of Corcoran Puerto Rico, the real estate agency that represented the buyer of the $20 million mansion, told Business Insider via email that Puerto Rico has "seen an incredible boom in real estate during these last five years as well as numerous new development projects that speak to the healthy demand across the island."

"This record-breaking sale is a strong indicator that the real estate market in Puerto Rico is thriving and resilient," she added.

Take a look inside.

The size of the property within the gated community was a draw.
The mansion sits within an exclusive private community.
The mansion sits within an exclusive private community.

Eduardo Almodovar/Focuzz PR

"The key feature that most attracted the buyer to this property was the rarity of finding a one-acre lot within a five-star gated community," Pierlusi said.

While she declined to share further details about the owner, Pierlusi said that they own a property in San Juan and intend to use their new place in Dorado Beach as a second home.

That's also pretty standard for homeowners in the neighborhood, she said.

"I wouldn't compare it to Beverly Hills necessarily, except for the fact that both are highly desirable locations offering the most expensive real estate in their respective states," Pierlusi added. "Celebrities, notable entrepreneurs, renowned athletes, local families, and the who's who of the island frequent or live here."

The open-plan layout stretches over four levels.
A living room and view of a kitchen area in a mansion in Dorado, Puerto Rico.
It has an open-plan concept.

Eduardo Almodovar/Focuzz PR

On the ground floor, the airy interior features a sitting room connecting to a dining area and open-plan kitchen.

"Some elements of the interiors of the home, the spaciousness and smart layout, as well as the privacy offered by the large acreage, were significant factors in the decision-making process," Pierlusi said of the new owner.

She said the buyer also kept all of the furniture in the home, including paintings, sofas, beds, and tables, as part of the sale. "The home was sold turn-key."

The kitchen has easy access to the surrounding patio and garden.
The kitchen in a mansion in Dorado, Puerto Rico.
There is plenty of space for hosting guests.

Eduardo Almodovar/Focuzz PR

Like any other property in Dorado Beach, one of only two ultra-luxury resorts operating on the island, the new owner can explore the 2,000-acre reserve by walking or driving along its network of golf cart trails.

Originally built by the Rockefellers in the 1950s, the reserve was bought by Ritz-Carlton in 2012 and now boasts a five-star hotel. It sits within one of the priciest neighborhoods in Puerto Rico.

According to Realtor.com, the median listing price in Dorado is $2.4 million, over double that for homes in San Juan.

The villa has six bedrooms.
A bedroom in the most expensive house to sell in Puerto Rico in 2024.
One of the six bedrooms in the mansion.

Eduardo Almodovar/Focuzz PR

The property also has seven full bathrooms and four half-bathrooms, per the listing.

Elsewhere, some of the standout features include a movie room.
Cinema room in a mansion in Dorado, Puerto Rico.
The home theater has six recliners.

Eduardo Almodovar/Focuzz PR

The movie room can accommodate six people in reclining chairs. Other amenities include a wine cellar, a pool table and lounge.

The owner can enjoy ocean views from the rooftop terrace or swim in their infinity pool.
An infinity pool and sun loungers at a mansion in Puerto Rico.
The infinity pool.

Eduardo Almodovar/Focuzz PR

Beside breaking sale records for the year, Pierlusi said the mansion is a key indicator of the "sustained demand for diverse property types" in Puerto Rico.

It "further affirms that Puerto Rico continues to be a desirable destination and a true paradise for those seeking both luxury and a beach lifestyle," she said.

Read the original article on Business Insider

13 signs of over-the-top wealth and luxury I spotted in Jackson Hole, the Aspen of Wyoming

19 November 2024 at 13:43
the author standing on a wooden balcony with a modern home in the background.
Business Insider's reporter traveled to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, a luxury ski town and millionaire hot spot.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

  • I explored Jackson Hole, Wyoming, a luxury real-estate hot spot near Grand Teton National Park.
  • Jackson Hole is known for its wealth disparity.
  • I noticed several signs of extreme wealth and luxury, from the airport to the members-only clubs.

I spent three days exploring some of the most coveted real estate in the US in a 60-mile-long valley on the edge of Grand Teton National Park.

I was reporting from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, one of the most unequal places in America. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the top 1% of residents earn 132 times more than the bottom 99%.

The area comprises the town of Jackson and surrounding suburbs like Wilson, Teton Village, and others.

The Daily Mail recently dubbed Jackson Hole the "new Aspen," as celebrities and billionaires, from Kanye West and the Kardashians to Sandra Bullock and Harrison Ford, have transformed the Wyoming ski town into a vacation home hub.

During my trip, I spotted several signs of extreme wealth and luxury in the Aspen of Wyoming.

The first sign of luxury was landing at Jackson Hole Airport, a popular spot for private jets in the US.
A view out a plane window with the wing on the left and mountains and lakes on the right.
The author's view during her flight's descent into Jackson Hole.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Before I flew into Jackson Hole, I assumed the only way I'd ever get an aerial view of a national park was to book one of those expensive helicopter tours.

But as I gazed out my window during our plane's descent into Jackson Hole Airport (JAC), my jaw dropped.

We were soaring above Grand Teton National Park, which was lush with green forests. Rocky mountains with bits of snow on top towered above the forests, and bodies of water were dotted with islets.

Business Insider reported in 2023 that JAC is the second most popular small-town airport for private jets after Aspen/Pitkin County Airport.

As I deplaned onto the tarmac, I spotted some smaller planes on the runway.

The next came immediately after landing when I entered the airport.
A composite image of travelers walking through a decorative arch designed to look like antlers leading into Jackson Hole Airport and seats inside an airport terminal with wood ceilings
Inside Jackson Hole Airport (JAC).

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

JAC doesn't have lounges. It doesn't have an array of stores or restaurants. It doesn't even have more than one terminal.

But it's still the most luxurious airport I've ever flown through.

Located within Grand Teton National Park, JAC is a small airport with windows for walls and supportive pillars made of Douglas fir trees.

Inside, it felt like a luxury mountain lodge. When renovating the space, CLB Architects wanted to give the interior a "living room" feel — and I think they succeeded.

After deplaning, I stepped into the cleanest terminal I'd ever seen. The walls were coated in murals and wildlife paintings, and cowboy sculptures decorated the baggage claim area.

The terminal had a free library bookshelf, one restaurant, a grab-and-go snack area, and two shops, including an official Grand Teton National Park store.

I had one of the most luxurious stays of my life in an adults-only hotel that costs $1,500 per night.
A triangular, wood building with a black, sloping roof in front of a mountain range
Hotel Yellowstone, an adults-only hotel in Jackson.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I stayed at Hotel Yellowstone a month after its August opening. The upscale, adults-only hotel overlooking the Teton Range is in the town of Jackson, but it's so high up a winding hill that it feels secluded from civilization.

There's a reason the company picked this specific spot for the hotel — the property boasts clear views of Snake River Valley and the Tetons.

The scene was more dramatic and awe-inspiring than any other hotel I've stayed in.

I've stayed in many upscale accommodations, but none impressed me as much as this hotel room.
A composite image of a hotel room with white walls and a bed in front of two seating areas with a view of mountains from a balcony at the back of the room and the same room is shows from the balcony
Inside the author's hotel room.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

My 600-square-foot room had a king-sized bed, two sitting areas, and an elegant bathroom. The most luxurious part was the balcony with unobstructed views of the Teton Range.

The room felt modern and chic but with a Western twist. One seating area had chairs coated in 100% New Zealand sheepskin, and the other had a floor lamp that resembled moose antlers.

The hotel's restaurant provided the most dramatic views I've ever seen while dining.
Inside a restaurant with a wooden ceiling and wide windows showing the mountains in the background
Inside Olivia's, the restaurant at Hotel Yellowstone.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Dining at Olivia's felt like dining in a luxury restaurant in the middle of the wilderness. With gigantic floor-to-ceiling windows and a cathedral wooden ceiling, the views were the centerpiece of the eclectic restaurant.

During dinner, I watched the sun set over the mountains while munching on bao buns. In the morning, I spotted a moose just outside the window — a regular sighting at Hotel Yellowstone, according to my server — while scarfing down steel-cut oats.

I spent the next night at the Four Seasons and toured a penthouse that wealthy travelers book for $11,000 a night.
Inside a penthouse suite living room with wood, cathedral ceilings, windowed doors in the back, two couches between a coffee table in the middle, and a fireplace on the left
Inside a penthouse at the Four Seasons Jackson Hole.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I spent my second night at the five-star Four Seasons hotel in Jackson Hole, a ski-in, ski-out resort. Built to highlight the destination, the interiors scream upscale Western chic.

The most luxurious part of this Four Seasons is the 31 private residences. These penthouse suites have full kitchens and up to five bedrooms, and they start at $11,000 per night in the peak winter season.

During my stay, I got a tour of the Granite Residence — a five-bedroom accommodation. Like the rest of the hotel, the penthouse blended American Western culture with modern luxury.

Each bedroom had a balcony, and there was a large terrace in one of the two living spaces.

"The majority of people who come to Jackson are really coming here to immerse themselves in nature," Sarah Kennedy, CLB Architects' principal and lead design director of the Four Seasons penthouse suite, told Business Insider.

I spent my final night at a hostel — the cheapest booking in town. Even that stay felt luxurious.
A composite image of the exterior of a dark teal hotel entrance with an evergreen tree in a gray pot on the left and A room full of bunk beds with white ladders land gray curtains lining either side of the room
Cache House, a luxury hostel in Jackson.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

After two nights in lavish hotels, I spent my final night in the cheapest accommodation I could find — a queen-sized bunk in a hostel for $150.

The price seemed steep for a bunk in a room with dozens of strangers. But I quickly learned that this hostel wasn't typical.

A company representative told BI that Cache House is a "modern, elevated interpretation of the classic European hostel."

Inside the mid-century-modern space was a large communal room, 50 bunks, a private locker for each guest, and a large bathroom with sparkling clean shower stalls and Co Bigelow toiletries.

Each bunk had a sound-and-light-proof curtain, a storage drawer, and a lamp, fan, and shelf inside the bunk nook.

The mattress felt like one you'd find in a luxury hotel with wool bedding. It was cozy, and the curtain blocked light and sound so well that I easily slept through the night.

While exploring the most expensive neighborhoods in Jackson Hole, I was impressed by the spread-out mansions on hilly roads.
A mansion made of wood and concrete seen from the drivewat with trees on the left and right
A Jackson Hole home worth more than $10 million.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Local real-estate agent Sam Haack told BI that millionaires in Jackson Hole build ranch-style homes outside the Jackson town center.

I taxied around these ultra-luxe neighborhoods and spotted short, wide homes sprawling across multiple acres.

These homes are coveted, as 97% of Teton County is public land that cannot be built on, according to Haack.

"As a buyer, it is so competitive because of simple supply and demand," Haack told BI. "We have always had much more demand than supply because, well, it's one of the most beautiful places in the US, and the lifestyle is unmatched."

A report by the local real-estate company the Viehman Group found that the average listing price in Jackson from July through September was $6.42 million.

The most expensive home on the market is a 9,100-square-foot, six-bedroom, seven-bathroom mansion listed at $40 million.

I was in awe of the architecture. Most of the homes I saw were made of multiple materials, like wood and concrete, which made for a pleasant contrast.

I also had the luxury of spending two hours exploring one of these swanky homes — a vacation home worth more than $10 million that buyers co-own through Pacaso.

I spotted an outdoor water feature that reminded me of a museum courtyard.
A composite image a wooden and concrete mansion with a small man-made pond out front and  an outdoor patio with a short waterfall and thin trees on the right and a table with benches on the left
The vacation home's water feature.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

On the top deck of the vacation home, I turned on a fountain that looked like a mini waterfall. The water flowed down a concrete barrier into a shallow, boxy pool on the first floor.

I thought it looked modern and sleek. From inside the house, wide windows in the foyer provided a stunning view of the pool and surrounding mountains. It reminded me of water features I've seen at art museums in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Austin, Texas.

The layout and interior design of one of these homes seemed to bring the outside in without sacrificing luxury details.
A living room with two white couches surrounding two wood coffee tables, a blue fireplace on the left and wide windows showing a mountain scene on the right and back walls
Inside the top floor of the vacation home.

Courtesy of Pacaso

Inside, the vacation home was three stories, including the basement. The top two floors were lush with natural light, as floor-to-ceiling windows graced every room.

On the top floor, between the living room and the kitchen, there was a gigantic blue structure that looked like an oven, but I later learned it was a double-sided fireplace. It was easily the largest fireplace I'd ever seen.

On the first floor, every bedroom had access to a long patio lining the water feature.

"When we set out to design it, we wanted to create a minimalist aesthetic that would let the stunning landscape take center stage," Lauren Farrell, the vacation home's principal designer, told BI.

"Every detail was carefully considered, from the use of organic textures to the way the architecture seamlessly blends with the natural surroundings, creating a harmonious connection between the home and its environment," Farrell added.

The same home had a sauna in the basement.
Inside an empty wooden sauna
The sauna in the basement of the vacation home.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I found a wood sauna in the basement and felt a twitch of envy. What's more luxurious than a spa treatment in your own home?

I imagined sliding my boots off after playing in the snow and cozying up in here.

I also visited members-only clubs where affluent residents pay more than $100,000 to join.
A large, cabin-like clubhouse behind a pool and a fire pit
Shooting Star, a members-only club in Jackson Hole.

Courtesy of Shooting Star

I visited two members-only clubs during my trip to Jackson Hole — the Mountain Club for skiers at the Four Seasons and Shooting Star, a golf and ski club that Golf Digest has praised for its 18-hole course sprinkled with streams and lakes beneath the Teton mountain range.

Residents dish out loads of cash for these memberships.

At the Mountain Club, the starting rate is $9,000 a year, along with a $100,000 initiation fee, according to the Four Seasons.

It's unclear what membership rates are at Shooting Star today, but the club's president, John Resor, said in a 2015 interview that the annual fee was $100,000 when it opened in 2009.

In Downtown Jackson, I spotted several high-end shops.
Inside a western store with brick walls, hats and boots on shelves lining the walls, racking of clothing, and display cases of knives, jewelry, and other accessories
Inside Kemo Sabe, a Western apparel store in Downtown Jackson.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The streets surrounding the town square were filled with luxury retail stores.

There seemed to be a fine art gallery and an upscale furniture store on every block. I peered through the windows and saw chairs coated in fur hides, tiered chandeliers, and canopy beds with wool blankets.

Elevated luxury wear, from bespoke leather products to plaid vests, was draped over mannequins in the retail windows between art and furniture stores.

I stepped inside one of these shops, Kemo Sabe, the celebrity-loved Western brand that started in Aspen about 35 years ago.

Kemo Sabe sells boots, belts, clothing, knives, and other accessories, but it's famous for its cowboy hats, which can cost up to $895. Each is hand-molded, and additional accessories like extravagant bands can cost thousands apiece.

My three-day trip was loaded with luxury.
The author on a balcony facing the mountains with two hotel units in front of her.
The author enjoys a balcony view at Hotel Yellowstone.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

From top-tier travel offerings to mountainside mansions, I could easily see why the ultrawealthy flock to Jackson Hole.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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