To say that luxury real estate agents are having a banner year would be a colossal understatement. Higher-income buyers are still buying and selling homes at record pace.
“It’s extraordinary,” Michael Altneu, vice president of Coldwell Banker Global Luxury, told Inman. “The luxury sector continues to outperform itself.”
Along with work-from-home options, these high-end consumers are searching out properties that will enhance their lifestyle and health. Other popular amenities include home gyms, theaters, Zoom rooms set up for video conferencing, and integrated smart home technology.
Ultimately, clients at the highest end of the spectrum simply “want it all,” says Altneu.
Turns out, how much they’ll pay fluctuates by location. According to the Robb Report, which recently showcased the most expensive listings state-by-state, prices range from $2.7 million in North Dakota to $220 million in—no surprise here—Texas.
“Buyers are considering real estate across the U.S. in a way they never have before.”
Here, some of the standouts—from a 59,000-square foot cattle ranch in remote Montana to a Missouri estate complete with a backyard Ferris wheel.
Texas: Mesa Vista Ranch, $220 million
Mesa Vista Ranch, a sprawling 64,000 acre property, was the pet project of former owner and financer T. Boone Pickens. The late oil tycoon spent 50 years transforming the land, located 85 miles from Amarillo, into the “ginormous playground” it is today.
There are amenities galore, from an 11,000-square-foot dog kennel to a freestanding gun room (this is Texas, after all). Included in the asking price: pickup trucks, hunting vehicles, farming equipment, furnishings—even Pickens’ bird dogs. Want the cows and the artwork, too? Those come packaged together and can be purchased separately.
California: The Sanctuary, $160 million
There’s a reason this is billed as the “crown jewel” of the West Coast. Seven miles south of Santa Barbara, this oceanfront estate sports not one but two over-the-top mansions—not to mention 2,129 feet of coveted coastline bluff. We especially love the citrus grove and rose garden located on the 22 acre grounds.
Florida: Gemini, $115 million
In the price-is-no-option category, this one might be considered a bargain. Down from the original $195 million asking price, the property includes a 62,200-square-foot main residence, two guest houses, and a pair of beach-side cottages. Future homeowners should get ready for guests. With the Atlantic Ocean on one side, Lake Worth on the other, the 15-acre estate sports beach access to both.
Colorado: Ute Avenue, $75 million
This property epitomizes Rocky Mountain High. For their money, home buyers can score this 20,000-square-foot manse in—where else—the chichi mountain town of Aspen. The newly-completed residence features a 60-foot indoor lap pool, private bowling alley, and three tennis courts.
North Carolina—A Welcome Respite, $11 million
This is your quintessential vacation home—it’s situated on the Outer Banks, a stretch of islands offering panoramic views of the Atlantic. Buyers of this ultra-private estate will find everything they need close at hand—along with 250 feet of secluded beach, there’s a home theater, game room, five-hole putting green, saltwater pool, and multiple outdoor lounge areas.
Missouri—Hillside Court, $20 million
Fun lovers rejoice: this 2,550-square-foot English Country-style estate boasts an entertaining array of amenities—think pool, lazy river, stable, sports field, bowling alley, fitness room, home theater, dance floor, even a swim-up cocktail bar. But the pièce de résistance? Homeowners will be the only ones on the block with their very own Ferris wheel.
Preview the complete line-up of the country’s priciest real estate, from Alabama to Wyoming.
