The 20 Most Expensive Homes Sold in the U.S. in 2017
Around 5.8 million homes sold in the US in 2017, ranging from bargain fixer uppers to multi-million dollar estates. While the average sale price was in the mid to high $300s, some of these properties sold for a lot more. In fact, some of them sold for more money than most of us could possibly imagine. While your finances might not be able to handle purchasing a home with a 7 digit sales price, it doesn’t mean you can’t dream. The following 20 most expensive U.S. homes sold in 2017 should give you plenty of ideas for your own dream home.
20. 81 N. Briar Patch Rd., East Hampton, NY – Purchased for $25.925 million on August 15, 2017
Known as “Pond House” because it sits on a 2-acre site that includes 203 ft. of Georgica Pond frontage, this property first went on the market in 2009 with an asking price of $35 million, meaning it took forever (and a significant price drop) to sell it. The 12,000 sq. ft. home includes 7 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms, an infinity pool, spa, separate guest cottage, and countless architectural extras. They include hand-carved heated marble tubs, 18th-century French Louis XV carved stone fireplaces, hand pegged parquet floors installed by French craftsmen, oak paneling with a hand-applied French chalk finish, and a wraparound terrace made of Turkish limestone. Before it was sold to Jay-Z and Beyonce, the previous owner rotated the entire thing 90 degrees to face west over the pond.
19. 7 Olde Towne Lane, Southampton, NY – Purchased for $26 million on February 2, 2017
This brand new 17,400 sq. ft. home sits on 4 acres in the heart of Olde Towne, an upscale enclave, and is known as Tower House. The property includes a custom 60’x20’ pool, cabana, tennis court, spa, sun pavilion, and perfectly landscaped garden beds. Inside, the 10-bedroom, 15-bathroom home boasts a custom Crestron smart house system, top-of-the-line kitchen, billiard room, huge loggia off the living room, an entertainment lounge with bar, gym with sauna, steam room, and spa, home theater, wine bar, six fireplaces, and an elevator. The sale price included all the luxury furnishings. The anonymous buyer is listed as Oldetownhouse LLC.
18. 215 South Beach Rd., Jupiter Island, FL – Purchased for $28.5 million on May 26, 2017
After 4 years on the market and a $44.5 million price drop, this 5.7 acre oceanfront estate previously owned by Celine Dion was finally sold. The property is nothing short of amazing and includes its own waterpark with spiral slides, cannons, a tree house, and a lazy river, along with 415 ft. of private beach frontage, a pool house, a beach house, 2 guest houses, tennis courts, golf simulator, and a playset for children. Between the 10,000 sq. ft. main house and the guest house, there are more than a dozen bedrooms, 24 bathrooms, 5 kitchens, a media room, spa, and a walk-in closet with an automated carousel. The buyer is listed as the Jupiter Island Trust on the deed and is said to be an American businessman who plans to use the property as a family vacation spot.
17. 2800 W Buttermilk Rd., Aspen, CO – Purchased for $29 million in September 2017
Nestled atop Buttermilk Mountain, this 44.6 acre equestrian farm includes a 13,500 sq. ft. home with 6 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, an art gallery, a 300-bottle wine cellar, home gym, custom-made chandeliers, Italian countertops, stone fireplaces, and an 11 ft. glass pivoting front door. A 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom guesthouse, a fully decked out horse stable, and numerous riding trails are also located on the property. The property, known as the Mopani Estate, had an initial asking price of $44 million. However, the seller agreed to sale it to Lachlan Murdoch (son of Rupert Murdoch) for the bargain price of $29 million.
16. 211 Lily Pond Lane, East Hampton, NY – Purchased for $29 million on August 29, 2017
Built in 1920, this 10,000 sq. ft. mansion was completely renovated before it went on the market. It includes 8 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, a gourmet kitchen, sun/game room, library, and 6 fireplaces. As an added bonus, it sits on 1.2 acres of land, including 200 ft. of ocean frontage, and has a 40’ heated gunite pool. It has an extensive history as a summer rental property and was used by the Clintons in 2011 and 2012. Interestingly enough, the home was owned by Elie Hirschfeld, a major supporter of President Trump, at the time. The new owner, Eric Blatstein, is the founder and CEO of OTG EXP Inc. He, too, plans to rent it out, so if you have an extra $150,000 a month lying around, the house is currently available for rent.
15. 343 Willoughby Way, Aspen, CO – Purchased for $30 million on April 17, 2017
Offering gorgeous panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, this 9,613 sq. ft. home has 5 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms. Although it is a bit smaller than some of the other homes on this list, the house makes up for it with its location and attention to detail. The home includes precision cut and installed Spanish tile, Epay wood, doors and walls that appear to float from the top and bottom, and state-of-the-art electronics and lighting. In addition to the outdoor pool, hot tub, and sitting area, there is an indoor gym, spa-like massage and steam room, media room, and more. The anonymous buyer is listed as Mochen Strata LLC on the property records.
14. 328 Gin Lane, Southampton, NY – Purchased for $31 million on May 3, 2017
Let’s face it. While this 2,500 sq. ft. house is nice, it definitely doesn’t look like it should have such a high price tag. Apparently, it sits in the “very best location the Hamptons has to offer.” The 2.6 acre meticulously maintained property includes the 4-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom house that offers amazing ocean views, as well as north and south tennis courts, a huge pool, an incredible outdoor mosaic tile shower, oceanfront gazebo, and a 199 ft. private beach. Plus, the grounds are said to be as spectacular as any park, thanks to the mature trees and stone statues. On a side note, the home’s original owner purchased the property for a mere $175,000 in 1984, meaning his estate made an impressive profit. There’s no information available about the buyers.
13. 2712 Broadway St., San Francisco, CA – Purchased for $38 million in June 2017
Believe it or not, there was a pretty intense bidding war before the unidentified new owners were able to call this newly built home their own. Just like the last house, this one isn’t particularly extravagant from the outside. Instead, it’s the “artfully sculpted” interior that pushed his sale price so high. Within the façade of cement and glass, there are 7 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, a home theater, wine cellar, spa, and a fifth floor observation deck that allows for panoramic views of the city and bay. Floor-to-ceiling windows also allow this is almost every room of the 11,400 sq. ft. house.
12. 443 Greenwich St. PHH, NYC – Purchased for $43.99 million in May, 2017
Rumored to be the new 5-bedroom, 6.5-bathroom home of Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, this 8,900 sq. ft. triplex penthouse is said to the absolute best this historic building has to offer. While the interior is gorgeous, it’s the 3,246 sq. ft. terrace that really sets it apart. It includes a full outdoor kitchen and dining area, as well as a private plunge pool. The building features an indoor pool, private fitness studios, children’s playroom, fitness center, a wine cellar, and men’s and women’s locker rooms with an adjacent Turkish bath. As an added bonus, the purchase price includes 2 assigned garage parking spots.
11. The Pierre PH, NYC – Sold for $44 million in August 2017
First, you should know that this 3-level penthouse sold for an astounding 65% LESS than the original asking price of $125 million, almost guaranteeing that the new owner, Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick, got the top real estate deal of 2017. In return, he gets a 12,000 sq. ft. penthouse that offers 360-degree views of ALL of Central Park, 5 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, a grand living room with 23’ ceilings, four spacious terraces, all of the amenities included with the hotel below, and a private elevator that stops at all three floors.
10. 432 Park Ave.84th floor, NYC – Purchased for $44.6 million on May 5, 2017
Located in the tallest residential building in the western hemisphere, this 5,421 sq. ft. penthouse was purchased by Juan Beckmann Vidal, a Mexican businessman who owns 70% of the Jose Cuervo tequila brand, after four years and quite a bit of drama. Apparently, before he closed on the property, it was flooded by up an upstairs penthouse, causing him to file a lawsuit against Harry Marklowe and CIM Group. At some point, the builder and Mr. Vidal must have worked out their differences because the sale was finalized and NYC newspapers stopped mentioning the lawsuit. There are no specific details about the penthouse available.
9. The San Remo #2627C, NYC – Purchased for $45 million on April 20, 2017
After three years on the market and a $30 million price drop, Demi Moore was finally able to sell her triplex penthouse to a buyer hidden behind an LLC. The 7,000 sq. ft. triplex includes a 2-story living room that overlooks Central Park and features a turquoise ceramic tile fireplace, a library, 6 bedrooms, and a 1,500 sq. ft. wraparound terrace. Interestingly, the property includes a 2-bedroom, ground-floor apartment (maybe for guests who are scared of heights.) Also in the triplex is the historic building’s original, elaborate plaster molding.
8. 55 Leonard St. PH60, NYC – Purchased for $47.8 million on June 7, 2017
Although the closing on this 7,779 sq. ft. penthouse started in 2016, it didn’t finish up until 20177. When it was all said and done, the buyer, listed as Uticon Investment Holdings LLC, paid $800,000 over the asking price. In return, they got a 4-bedroom, 4 ½-bathroom penthouse with floor-to-ceiling windows, a private fitness room, conservatory, and library, as well as 925 sq. ft. of exterior living space in the form of a balcony and terrace. Very few details about the penthouse are available.
7. 15 Central Park West PH40B, NYC – Purchased for $50.55 million on May 15, 2017
Yet another penthouse in a high-end NYC building is on the list. This time the 5,276 sq. ft. penthouse sits near the top of Central Park West, where it looks down over Central Park and the river. Unlike the other penthouses on this list, this one doesn’t have any balconies or terraces. It does have 4 huge bedrooms, 5 ½ bathrooms, a library, 14’ ceilings, and an additional 1,222 sq. ft. apartment on the ground floor. Plus, the building has tons of luxury amenities, including a 75’ infinity-edge lap pool, hot tub, sundeck, fitness room, children’s playroom, and catering kitchen. The new owners are listed as Senza Nome LLC.
6. 960 5th Ave. #34B , NYC – Purchased for $55 million on May 11, 2017
Once the home of famous Asian Art dealer Robert Ellsworth, this 3rd floor penthouse now belongs to a Columbian financer, Carlos Alejandro Pérez Dávila. This was a private deal involving one of the city’s most lavish addresses, meaning the penthouse never actually went on the market. As a result, there is very little information about it. What we do know is that it includes 4 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, multiple fireplaces, a library, and 8 maid’s rooms. According to a previous listing, the full-floor unit’s living room, dining room, and library face E. 5th Ave, which is definitely one of the city’s most famous roads, and is likely a contributing factor to the high price.
5. 432 Park Ave. #83, NYC – Purchased for $65.16 million on March 15, 2017
This 83th floor penthouse was purchased in a private deal by Lawrence Ho Yau Lung, a Hong Kong billionaire businessman, who is considered a game changer in the Asian gambling industry. The penthouse is believed to include 6 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms. Unfortunately, no further information is available.
4. 432 Park Ave. #85, NYC – Purchased for $65.6 million on January 5, 2017
Interestingly, there is absolutely no listing available for this penthouse that occupies the entire 85th floor of 432 Park Ave, putting it more than 1,100 ft. off the ground. The only things that have been confirmed about the penthouse are that it includes 5 bedrooms, a library, and at least one wood-burning fireplaces. There’s very little to be said about the owner either, who is listed as Parklight LLC on the deed.
3. Carbon Beach Compound Malibu, CA – Sold for $85 million in May 2017
This very private property is located on the Pacific Coast Highway, along Billionaires’ Beach and consists of 5 lots combined into one and 5 buildings, including the 2-story main house and 2 guest homes. In addition, it boasts a professional grade screening room, a lily pond, a beachside pool and spa, multiple shaded verandas and open terraces, and of course, a private beach. The previous owner, David Geffen, opted to sell the property off the market to an unnamed buyer. This area is known for having some of the most expensive real estate in the U.S. It’s interesting to note that Mr. Geffen was committed to keeping the property out of the public eye. As a result, he constructed fake garages along the edge of the highway to confuse anyone looking for it and has refused to publish any photos of the interior.
2. 454 Cuesta Way Bel Air, CA – Purchased for $88 million in August 2017
You may remember that Jay-Z and Beyonce bought the 20th most expensive home on this list. Well, they also added this Malibu compound to their real estate portfolio in 2017. The 30,000 sq. ft. home was recently completed and, of course, offers every possible extravagance you would imagine is included in an $88 million home. This includes wraparound floor-to-ceiling glass walls for views of LA and the Pacific Ocean, four pools with a 12-person Jacuzzi, a gym, an in-home spa, a basketball court, a state-of-the-art media room, and a 15-car garage. A custom staircase lined with leather, Calcutta marble floors, 40’ ceilings, and bulletproof windows are just a few of the extras in this “smart” home that features all the latest technology to ensure the family’s convenience, safety, and comfort.
1. 432 Park Ave. PH 92, 92B, and 93B – Purchased for $91.1 million on December 19, 2017
This list started in NY and ends there as well. In fact, this address has already made the list multiple times. Its back to 432 Park Avenue, where an unnamed Chinese businessman purchased three penthouses with the intention of combining them into a single penthouse with a total of 11,906 sq. ft. spread over two floors. The mega penthouse will feature plenty of little extras, such as hand-painted wall coverings, 10’ windows, custom Venetian plaster installed around the wood-burning fireplaces, marble floors, freestanding soaking tubs, and way too much more to name.