Buying a property is one of the main goals in life for many people, but the most expensive real estate in the world surely won’t appear on their list. From royal families to Hollywood moguls and business magnates, these folks take luxury homes seriously, and are willing to pay astronomical amounts for their dream property. And the luxury home market is highly responsive to these requests, including vast acres of land, antique buildings, and exclusive locations.
Now, it’s obvious that the real estate on this list won’t be found in any of the 20 countries with lowest cost of living, which we covered in a previous article. However, some of the off-trail sites may leave you wondering why someone would want to live there (and at such an exorbitant cost). While some of these houses, penthouse suites, and castles are inhabited, others are used for mere investment purposes. Let’s take a look at our list of the most expensive real estate in the world…and their owners.
7. One57 Penthouse
Price: $90 million
In 2012, history was made at 157 West 57th St. in New York, when a buyer decided to purchase the penthouse of the luxury One57 tower, nicknamed the “billionaire building”. The 10,923 square-foot home, which covers both the 89th and 90th floor of the sky-scraper, is the most expensive real estate to ever be purchased in New York’s history. The new owner remains unknown for now, as rumors about the prime minister of Qatar as the suspected purchaser were set to rest.
$90 million is mere pocket change compared to some of the remaining properties on our countdown of the most expensive real estate in the world. You won’t believe some of the properties that people can call home.
6. Silicon Valley Chateau
Price: $100 million
In 2011, Russian billionaire Yuri Milner broke the record for a single-family home in the U.S. by purchasing this 25,000 square-foot, 18th century French-style chateau for $100 million. Although he apparently paid twice the value of the home, its opulence is nonetheless noteworthy. Indoor and outdoor pools, a ballroom, a 4,600 square-foot guest house, 14 bathrooms, and a private car wash are only some of this mansion’s features.
5. 7 Upper Phillimore Gardens
Price: $128 million
Owned by Olena Pinchuk, daughter to Ukraine’s second president Leonid Kuchma, this mansion is quite extraordinary. It used to be a prep school, but was remodelled by Olena and now features an underground swimming pool, a sauna, a gym, a cinema, and a panic room. Furthermore, the interior is a sight of marble and gold, with a vast collection of valuable artworks.
4. William Randolph Hearst’s Mansion
Price: $165 million
This mansion became famous as the setting for the infamous “Godfather” scene, where a disloyal Hollywood producer finds a horse head in his bed. However, in reality the home belongs to publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst and is quite the idyll. Shaped like an H, it holds three pools, a disco, a movie theatre, and 29 rooms total. And although the sales price has fluctuated over the past few years it still remains one of the most expensive properties on the market.
3. Ellison Estate
Price: $200 million
Located in Woodside, California, this 23-acre property houses 10 buildings, but also features an exquisite outdoors with a man-made lake and a koi pond. Another peculiarity is the tea house and bath house, which can also be found in the compound. Considering the estate’s value, it’s no surprise that Oracle co-founder and third-richest man in the world, Larry Ellison, is the owner.
2. Villa Leopolda
Price: $750 million
For those of you wondering how much a 50-acre estate overlooking France’s Cote D’Azure could possibly cost, here’s your answer. Lily Safra, a Brazilian philanthropist and widow of Lebanese banker William Safra, is the proud owner of this property, which includes a commercial-sized green house, a swimming pool, a pool house, an outdoor kitchen, a helipad and a very impressive guest house. Alfred Hitchcock was also quite fond of this incredible mansion, using it as a set in his 1955 classic To Catch a Thief.
1. Antilia
Price: $1 billion
It seems only adequate that the most expensive real estate in the world fall in the hands of Mukesh Ambani. The businessman made a fortune of $23.6 billion by running the energy and material firm Reliance Industries, and today he’s India’s richest citizen and the 19th wealthiest man in the world. Breaking the world record for most expensive private home in 2010, Ambani moved his family into the 27-story, 400,000 square-foot building. The home requires a staff of 600 people to maintain all of its amenities, such as the 50-seat movie theatre, three helipads, and private Hindu temple. And at 570 feet tall, the building truly stands out in Mumbai’s urban landscape.
