Photography: LUXHABIT Sotheby's International Realty
Soaring interest rates, ongoing cost of living crises and widespread geopolitical and financial uncertainty made for a tough 2023. For many, this has been a year of fiscal sobriety. Such a widespread collective hunkering down has, not surprisingly, had a huge impact on house sales the world over. But while global property markets saw an almost universal slow-down over the past 12 months, it has also been a year of record-breaking listings. And despite some big-ticket sales amid an otherwise difficult market, many are still up for grabs as the year draws to a close. Here are five of the most high-value listings for 2023.
The Holme, London –$300m
When this 40-bedroom Regent’s Park mansion went up for sale in March of this year for £250m, it immediately hit the headlines, given it would be the UK’s most expensive house sale of all time. Known as The Holme, the 29,000 sq ft Georgian property has eight garages, a grand dining room and a library. It was put on the market by the current owner, a Saudi Arabian prince. According to the Evening Standard, property tycoon Nick Candy and his wife, Holly Valance, viewed the mansion earlier this year.
The Marble Palace, Dubai –$204m
Dubai’s most expensive home, The Marble Palace, was listed in June 2023 through Sotheby’s International Realty. The UAE property has views of the Burj Khalifa and covers 70,000 sq ft of land. The palace, which was built with $27m worth of Italian marble, has an interior boasting 700,000 sheets of gold leaf gilding (which took artisan designers nine months to apply), 160 marble columns, a koi pond, a 24-carat gold jacuzzi and a 16-car garage. Oh, and a formal dining room boasting a solid crystal table and coral reef installation.
The Penthouse at Central Park Tower, New York – $195m
Number three on the list would have been higher had it not been for a $55m price drop from $250m in September. The triplex apartment known as ‘The One Above All Else’ still boasts an eyewatering listing figure, and while the price tag might not be the highest in the world, the apartment does crown the world’s tallest residential building. The residence is so high up that it’s reported you can see the curvature of the earth from its terrace. Located on West 57th Street with views of Central Park and the Manhattan city skyline, the 17,545 sq ft home includes seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a library and a private ballroom.
Tarpon Island, Palm Beach –$187.5m
Another price reduction entry that still makes the top five, Florida’s most expensive home went back on the market this month after a massive $30.5m price cut. Listed by Corcoran Group and Douglas Elliman, the 28,600 sq ft compound sits on a 2-acre island accessible by a private bridge. Complete with two private docks, a wine room, and a five-car garage, the complex is 75% new-build and incorporates some of the site’s original 1930s homes. It comprises a main house, guest houses, staff areas and a wellness facility with a massage room, hair and nail salon, steam room, sauna and waterfront gym.
Bel Air mega-mansion, California – $185m
This 35,000 sq ft California mansion was listed in May, becoming the most expensive property in the super prime Bel Air market. La Vue sits on around three acres, and the never-been-lived-in new build boasts eight bedrooms, a guest house and a wellness centre. The primary suite offers a private steam room, sauna and facial recognition technology to shut it off from the rest of the property. It also has two 100-ft-long swimming pools, a tennis court and an olive grove for atmospheric alfresco dining.
