“Top 10 Real Estate News”
“Cal Ripken Jr.’s Baseball Home Streak Ends”
After over 30 years, Cal Ripken Jr. has sold his 24-acre suburban Baltimore home with baseball diamond. Ripken put the home on the market in 2016 at $12.5 million following a divorce from his wife of 29 years. After almost two years without a sale, Ripken decided to go the auction route. In addition to the baseball diamond, the 21,890-square-foot home includes six bedrooms, 15 baths, home theater with box office and candy counter, a 10-person spa, pool, indoor basketball court, batting cage, training room and locker room. The auction sale price has not yet been released.
“Prince’s Island Mansion Going To Auction”
The late rocker Prince owned homes all over the world including a mansion with a purple driveway in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The 10,000-square-foot home on five acres with a 200-foot private dock and views of two private beaches will be going to auction on July 12th. The home went on the market soon after Prince died in 2016 at $12 million, but did not sell.
“Maine’s Last Gilded Age Mansion”
One of Maine’s last Gilded-Age mansions is for sale at $15.5 million. The 15,000-square-foot East of Eden was designed by Guy Lowell in 1909 – a blend of Beaux Arts and Mediterranean Revival style. It was one of the few old homes in Bar Harbor that survived a 1947 fire that destroyed most of the town. In 1980, East of Eden was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
“Lego Family’s Florida Horse Farm Sold”
One of the most famous trademarks in the world, Lego has generated great wealth for the Danish family of Ole Kirk Christiansen who invented the toy, originally made out of wood, in the 1930s. His great grandson just sold their Wellington, Florida equestrian estate for $5.9 million. Wellington is the hot spot for Florida polo families including Bill Gates, Michael Bloomberg and Bruce Springsteen. It is located just west of Palm Beach where many of the polo families retire to their Florida luxury condos and mansions.
“Taylor Swift Sells Beverly Hills Cottage”
Almost as busy with her real estate investments as she is with her music career, Taylor Swift recently sold one of her Beverly Hills homes for $4 million. She bought the three-bedroom home in 2011 for $3.55 million. Taylor owns a number of noteworthy homes including movie producer Samuel Goldwyn’s historic Beverly Hills mansion she purchased in 2015 for $25 million and one of New England’s prettiest beach mansions she bought in 2013 for $17.75 million.
“DiCaprio Buys Moby Tudor”
Environmental activist and celebrity Moby has sold his 1920’s L.A. Tudor to Leonardo DiCaprio for $4.9 million. The five-bedroom home is located in the Loz Feliz neighborhood near where DiCaprio grew up. DiCaprio is another celebrity home collector with homes in Palm Springs, Malibu Beach, Belize, New York City and L.A.
“Bruce Willis Sells Central Park Apartment”
Bruce Willis has sold his Central Park apartment for $17.75 million – just three years after purchasing the residence from Milwaukee Bucks owner Wesley Edens for $16.995 million. Although Willis told the WSJ that he considers himself an ‘Upper West Side guy….since the ’70s,’ Willis sold the 6,000-square-foot apartment because he was not spending much time there. Willis also owns a home in nearby Westchester County he bought in 2014.
“New York Buildings Dump Trump Name”
The Trump real estate brand seems to have lost its luster in New York City where the President’s name has been removed from several buildings including the luxury hotel Trump Soho – now known as the Dominick. Trump Place is a condominium building on New York’s Upper West Side that has carried the Trump name since it was built in 1998 but was recently approved by a New York judge to drop the name. Local real estate experts say that the Trump name may be adversely affecting rentals and sales. No word on whether Trump Tower, where the president keeps his two-story Manhattan penthouse home, might also change its name.
“America’s Most Expensive Mansion Is On Sale”
A new Southern California home with alligator-upholstered elevators was for sale at $250 million but has recently been reduced to $188 million. Designed for a billionaire who would only have to bring their toothbrush, virtually everything else is supplied including furnishings, walls of curated art, a $30 million collection of exotic cars, two fully-stocked champagne-and-wine cellars, and a massive candy wall in the game room. But that’s not all. For two years, the developer will provide a personal chef, a masseuse and five other full-time employees. Plus a helicopter, ten VIP guest suites, 21 luxury baths, three gourmet kitchens, five bars, and 270-degree views reaching from the San Gabriel Mountains to the Pacific Ocean beaches of Malibu. The price reduction drops the home to the #3 spot for pricey American homes.
“John Kerry’s Nantucket House Sold”
A 1920’s home where former Secretary of State John Kerry and wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, were married in 1995 and Teresa owned since 1982 has sold for $17.5 million. The five-bedroom was listed in 2016 for $25 million. The couple recently purchased another home on Martha’s Vineyard for $11.75 million.
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