Most people spent much of 2021 at home, even the ultra-rich. Unsurprisingly, it gave some itchy feet for a change of scenery, resulting in a few now-regretted home purchases and some record-smashing property sales across the globe.
Here we round up six of the biggest sales on the planet this year, including a Hamptons estate with links to the Ford Motors family and a One Hyde Park Knightsbridge pad. And we spotlight three (very) expensive homes still up for grabs.
Serge Azria’s Malibu beachside pad, California
Sold for $177m
Fashion tycoon Serge Azria certainly has the Midas touch when it comes to property buying. The CEO of Joie and Equipment brands recently sold his beachside Malibu compound for an impressive $177m, making it the biggest property deal in California’s history. He had bought the seven-acre, two-plot Paradise Cove residence in 2013 for $41m and it has been remodelled by Scott Mitchell Studio.
Donald Trump’s old Palm Beach estate, Florida
Sold for $122.7m
In February, it was revealed that New York financier Scott Shleifer paid $122.7m in cash for this Palm Beach estate. Shleifer parted with the hefty sum after viewing the oceanfront property for just 15 minutes, according to the NY Post. The two-acre Florida property has a nine-bedroom mansion and guest house totalling 21,000 sq ft, built in 2020 on a plot once owned by Donald Trump.
The Ford family’s former Hamptons estate, New York
Sold for $101m
The sale of a 42-acre coastal estate in Southampton smashed a new price record for (for a single plot) in New York’s East Hampton. Its new (unknown) owner, bagged it for $101m – $44m under its asking price. The Jule Pond residence, which has three beach frontages, was originally part of the Fordune estate, built by Henry ‘Hank the Deuce’ Ford II, the grandson of the motor company founder, in the 1950s. More recently, it’s appeared in smash HBO series Succession.
Deluxe Peak apartment in Hong Kong
Sold for $82.2m
Set in Hong Kong’s Peak neighbourhood, in lofty and leafy surrounds, the Mount Nicholson complex is one of the city state’s most upscale luxury developments. In November 2021, it was reported an apartment there had sold for $82.2m, making it Asia’s most expensive in terms of price per sq ft, according to the Independent. The 4,544-sq-ft Hong Kong property comes with panoramic city views and an eyewatering price point of $17,876 per sq ft.
A hockey player’s glass, stone and wood Aspen mansion
Sold for $72.5m
During the summer, Aspen real estate history was made when former professional hockey player turned entrepreneur Patrick Dovigi spent a record-breaking $72.5m on an 11-bedroom house and guesthouse overlooking the Colorado town. The 22,000-sq ft Aspen property, with a heated pool, was renovated by Lewis A Sanders, the founder and CEO of Sanders Capital, who bought it in 2009 for $43m, according to Mansion Global.
Ultra-luxe Knightsbridge pad, London
Sold for $147m
London’s lost none of its sheen with the ultra-rich despite Brexit and the ongoing pandemic, as this property sale attests. An unknown buyer has handed over a whopping $147m for a home at the ultra-luxe Knightsbridge development One Hyde Park, which overlooks Hyde Park and has amenities provided by the adjacent Mandarin Oriental Hotel. It is believed to have been owned by Hasan Ismaik, former CEO of the now liquidated Dubai-based construction firm Arabtec Holdings. Developer Nick Candy
Plus, some big-priced homes still for sale:
Rome’s 16th-century Villa Aurora, which has frescoed ceilings by Caravaggio worth millions, is up for auction in January 2022. Bidding will start at $533m.
Green Gables is a 74-acre Silicon Valley estate created by early 20th-century entrepreneur Mortimer Fleishhacker Sr, which has listed for $135m.
And, in the UK, a Grade-II listed 18-century Mayfair townhouse is asking $72.3m.
