Written by Shivani Vora, Architectural Digest | Reference Source
Is a 64,000-acre Texas ranch replete with wildlife the home of your fantasies or is your style more in line with a Venetian oceanside estate in the South of France? Both are among the homes we’re featuring in our roundup of the most expensive listings currently on the market.
Yes, our 10 picks heavily favor the U.S. (specifically, California), but it’s for good reason. Michael Valdes, the president of eXp Global, which has a strong global presence, says that the largest concentration of high-end homes happens to be Stateside. “There are other expensive areas around the world, such as Monaco, where you will see listings in the high eight figures and above, but their market and inventory is small compared with the United States,” he says. And from the list below, we tend to agree.
Stonewall Farm (Westchester County, New York)
The largest privately owned property in Westchester County, Stonewall Farm is set on 740 acres of land that includes rolling hills, fruit orchards, forest, and ancient stone walls. With a history in raising championship racehorses, the estate has a racetrack, riding trails, two 24-stall barns, and round pens. The four-story main house has eight bedrooms and baths, and measures in at 24,000 square feet. Notable features include a spacious sunroom, two-level library, 2,200-bottle wine cellar and tasting room, and a Japanese-inspired indoor garden in the master bedroom. Stonewall Farm also offers a 4,000 square foot pool house with a 60-foot-long swimming pool, a spa, and gym.
Price: $100 million
Beds/Baths: 8 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms
Square Footage: 24,000 plus 740 acres of land
For more information, please click here.
Green Gables (Silicon Valley, California)
Banker Mortimer Fleishhacker built Green Gables in 1911, and its original glamour remains unchanged today. The sprawling 74-acre estate comprises seven different homes, including a 10,000-square-foot main home overlooking the landscape and Santa Cruz Mountains, and has a total of 32 bedrooms and 26 bathrooms. It’s more akin to a luxury resort than a home, with features such as three swimming pools, tennis court, artist’s studio, produce garden, fruit orchards, and gorgeous landscaped gardens.
Price: $135 million
Beds/Baths: 32 bedrooms, 26 bathrooms
Square Footage: 10,000 for the main plus 6 additional homes and 74 acres of land
For more information, please click here.
Le Palais Venitien (Cannes, France)
Reminiscent of a grand Venetian estate, Le Palais Venitien sits on more than six acres of land and overlooks Cannes and the Mediterranean. Features include a lake, tennis court, large pool, and beautifully terraced grounds. The more than 30,000-square-foot main house is notable for its towering columns and intricate moldings. It has nine bedrooms and 12 bathrooms, a movie theater, sauna, hammam, gym, and a wine cellar that comes already stocked with top-shelf vintages.
Price: $145.9 million
Beds/Baths: 9 bedrooms, 12 bathrooms
Square Footage: 32,291
For more information, please click here
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The Pinnacle, The Woolworth Tower Residences (New York City)
The Pinnacle at The Woolworth Tower Residences, located in Downtown Manhattan, is a one-of-a-kind five-floor residence atop the iconic Woolworth Building. Commissioned by Frank Woolworth and designed by Cass Gilbert, the building was the tallest structure in the world when completed in 1913. The residential conversion of the crown of the building reaches 727 feet high and features 125 windows to maximize light and 360-degree views, up to 24-foot-tall ceilings and an in-residence private elevator. Buyers can customize The Pinnacle to their tastes with floor plan designs from Thierry W Despont, behind The Ritz Hotel Paris, and David Hotson, renowned for his work in residential spaces. Building amenities include a gym, studio, and wine cellar.
Price: $79 Million
Beds/Bath: 1 bed, 1 bath (Developer Alchemy Properties is offering the space as white box, so the purchaser can fully customize the residence, including their bedroom and bathroom count.)
Square Footage: 9,680 interior square feet plus a 408-square-foot observatory terrace
For more information, please click here.
Mesa Vista Ranch (Pampa, Texas)
Financier T. Boone Pickens built Mesa Vista Ranch, located in the Eastern Texas Panhandle, and lived here up until his death in 2019. Set on 64,000 acres of unspoiled land, the property is composed of multiple structures. The main lodge, at 25,000 square feet, has a huge master bedroom and bathroom, a grand living room with two fireplaces, a library with spiral staircase, a wine cellar, and a movie theater. There’s also an additional 6,000-square-foot home with five bedrooms and baths, a smaller guest house, chapel, and a building dubbed The Pub, which serves as a game room and gym. The 12,500-square-foot lake house was Pickens’s personal residence. Additional features include a dog kennel, airport and hangar, and landscape replete with wildlife such as antelopes, quails, and doves.
Price: $220 million
Beds/Baths: 18 bedrooms, 18 bathrooms
Square Footage: Main lodge is 25,000; the additional three homes span between 2,300 and 12,500. The ranch is on 64,000 acres of land.
For more information, please click here.
Willow Creek Estancia (Rancho Santa Fe, California)
Evoking the horse ranches in Argentina’s Pampas region, Willow Creek Estancia is set on more than 77 acres of land that has numerous facilities for horses including a 27-stall barn, a grand prix field, and private riding trails. The 15,000-square-foot main house has six bedrooms, a wine cellar, a cowboy-themed billiards room, and a master suite that spans the entire second floor and has an office and exercise room. Amenities at the estancia include a two-bedroom guest home, a building called the recreation pavilion with a bowling alley and arcade, a 15-acre lake filled with bass, a swimming pool, and a tennis court.
Price: $98.5 million
Beds/Baths: 6 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms in the main house
Square Footage: 15,000 in the main house plus more than 77 acres of land
For more information, please click here.
El Rancho Tajiguas (Santa Barbara, California)
Located on the Gaviota Coast overlooking the ocean, El Rancho Tajiguas is a sustainable property comprising two villas, both LEED certified. Villa Della Costa, at 10,300 square feet, has five bedrooms, heated floors, swimming pool, pool cabana, movie theater, wine cellar, and guest house. The 12,000-square-foot Villa Del Mare also has five bedrooms, swimming pool, movie theater, wine cellar, and guest house. El Rancho’s 3,500 acres of grounds include active cattle rangeland, fruit orchards, and swaths of untouched landscape.
Price: $110 million
Beds/Baths: The ranch includes Villa Della Costa, which has 5 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms, and Villa Del Mare, which has 5 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms.
Square Footage: Villa Della Costa is 10,300 and Villa Del Mare is 12,000. The property is on 3,500 acres of land.
For more information, please click here.
Mar de Amor (Malibu, California)
Set on a sandy private beach, Mar De Amor is a modern home that’s nearly 11,000 square feet in size and has 12 bedrooms. Its seclusion and the views of the ocean and coastline from the floor-to-ceiling windows throughout are highlights of living in this home. With its white walls and white marble floors, the aesthetic is decidedly California chic. The exterior area has several decks and patios, lush gardens, and an infinity pool overlooking the Pacific.
Price: $115 million
Beds/Baths: 12 bedrooms, 14 bathrooms
Square Footage: 10,649
Denham Place (Buckinghamshire, England)
Located 17 miles from central London, Denham Place has a long history that dates back to 1688, when construction on the estate began. An eight-year restoration around the turn of the 21st century brought it back to its original opulence, and it remains a gilded estate today—oak paneling, frescoes, and gold accents are prominent throughout the 28,000-square-foot main home. Additional features include a banquet hall, formal dining room, bar, lounge, and a master bedroom that evokes Versailles with its silk drapes, gold leaf molding, and hand-woven carpets. The 42-acre property also has a 6,831-square-foot coach house with nine bedrooms, two cottages, and a scenic landscape with a lake, walled garden, woodlands, and flower beds.
Price: $104 million
Beds/Baths: 10 bedrooms, 14 bathrooms
Square Footage: 28,000; 6,831 for coach house plus 42 acres of land
