The latest big news and luxurious listings around the globe, from penthouse prospecting in Dubai to land banking in South Africa…
The demand for hard assets as a haven from stock market volatility continues to define the appetite for real estate among the ultra-high-net-worth cohort. But not just any acquisition will do for discerning asset bankers as we venture into 2023. Trophy properties have come a long way from Richard Branson’s Necker Island. A new wave of tycoons is riding on real estate worthy of the digital age.
A truly palatial penthouse atop the new Central Park Tower, New York’s tallest condo at 1,550 feet, is set to become the nation’s most expensive home as it hits the market for US$250 million. Down south, Citadel kingpin Ken Griffin set a new record for a Miami home purchase with his US$109 million scoop of a four-acre Coconut Grove compound. And Aspen’s Willoughby Way, a renowned bolthole for billionaires, is seeing an influx of elite newcomers to nearby enclaves. Think Wall Street West locking in equity via ski-in or backcountry access and premium views. Sotheby’s International Realty trend reports reveal a strong uptick in demand for ultra-hospitality properties. Clients seek security and sanctuary, but the winning proposition must also hold the promise of a solid balance sheet. In the realm of Dubai prestige real estate, no reveal set pulses racing quite like Volante. At the pinnacle of this prominent project rises a sleek duplex penthouse sprawling over four decadent levels, capped by a two-level rooftop terrace and lap pool.
A magnum opus of scale and steel, this four-bedroom residence delivers a refined build quality impossible to overstate, reflected in the US$50 million list price. Vast in size and inviting in style, interiors feature crosscut Navona marble walls, a grand staircase, and a ten-seat cinema. A dual-level roof terrace shows off a Mediterranean-style sanctuary and swimming pool, with sincerely sick views of Burj Khalifa.
For the blue-chip visionary open to a once-in-a-generation conservation gain, a rare opportunity to own a 41-acre private reserve in the heart of the Karoo, Eastern Cape, South Africa is now a reality at $29 million. If ever there was a listing simply made for the likes of Leo DiCaprio, this is it. iSanti Big-5 Private Reserve anchors this enigmatic ecosystem, home to some of the world’s most endangered wildlife, including the world’s largest living Black Rhino.
The rugged Karoo landscape evokes vast horizons, vistas, and plains penetrated by deep unending skies. As fintech titans seem keen to add the feather of hotelier to their cap, this detail may seal the deal—the purchase price includes The Magic Hills Private Collection of three designer lodges, and one luxe camp, built to host stylish and soulful safari experiences. The Reserve’s conservation can be supported through various advantageous tax incentives. And there is also potential to expand, to the point of adjoining the Addo Elephant Park, creating the largest private reserve in South Africa.
“iSanti actually offers not one, but two sides to the commercial coin – that of the hotelier or hospitality operator, and that of conservationist,” observes Kim Cooper of Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty. “Globally we are finding that peace is becoming a commodity, and clean, fresh air a privilege. For those wishing to enjoy the rewards of their success, nothing compares with the vastness and vistas of iSanti.”
In the market for a spot to stable both your Spanish Arabians and beloved vintage weekend whip? The Retreat at Moonstone Beach in central California is a gated 78-acre coastal sanctuary complete with dense forests and sprawling acres of equestrian open space. At the center of this impressive multi-structure property is a 12,000 square feet masterpiece residence, which happens to be one-Harry-Styles-songon- the-AirPods away from Cambria’s storybook beaches.
Realty. PHOTO COURTESY OF LEW GEFFEN SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY
Car collectors take note – showroom storage for up to 50 vehicles and direct frontage on Pacific Coast Highway’s most dramatic stretch towards Big Sur and Pebble Beach puts this one over the top. Get the jump on Jay-Z before he decides his Maybach Exelero needs new digs and scoops up this smokeshow.
Listed at $40 million, the compound also includes a helipad, guesthouse, staff quarters, and two flexible event halls, for a total of 12 bedrooms, 12 baths, and 33,270 square feet across all structures. And did we mention the six-acre Pinot Noir vineyard?
A valentine to French Riviera chic, meet the waterfront villa boasting an enviable location near the storied Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat lighthouse. Designed by the acclaimed JA Architecture, this contemporary gem is impeccably styled to showcase cinematic views from every vantage point. For those who privilege privacy over showboat flash, the secure footprint is the property’s true distinction, well worth the $33 million price tag. This is the kind of second home where you end up spending all your time, endlessly drawn to its southwest exposure, endowing soaring living spaces with endorphin-lifting light.
Spread over four levels – all accessible by elevator – it offers a massive master suite and four additional en-suite bedrooms. The garden brims with a robust Mediterranean plant palette, flaunting private access to the seaside path, a stone’s throw from the venerable Club Dauphin of the Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, a famed Four Seasons property.
Rising on a lush, tropical horizon like something built with the cunningly-procured proceeds of a Thomas Crown Affair-style heist, here’s your chance to sip chilled Sancerre in one of the Seychelles’ largest villas. This spectacular campus sits on nearly 10 acres of freehold land, priced at US$28 million. Indian ocean views-meets-Bali-inspired architecture, combining high design with the amenities of an ultra-luxury resort. The villa is divided into four parts that include superior residential blocks offering 23 ensuite bedrooms, a spa, gym, professional kitchen, restaurant, rooftop bar, swimming pools, and an additional four bedrooms for staff. An architectural gem framed by an oceanscape starring Seychelles’ signature granite stones, awaiting adventures in haute hospitality.
Primed for christening with copious magnums of Perrier-Joüet, an exquisite new estate composed of three sleek residences is ready to rule the west coast of Ibiza. Built in 2021, the campus offers 26,909 square feet of living space across a stunning 20-acre plot tucked into the hills of Sant Agustin. Each of the homes features impossibly cool designer finishes meticulously handpicked and installed with precision – think Gagosian Gallery goes to Ibiza. Original farming terraces have been restored with robust fruit orchards. Each home has its own kitchen, living and dining rooms, with delicious views of the countryside or sparkling sea. This plum property bears all the hallmarks of a passion project, where developers and designers clearly brought their creative A-game (price upon request). And for the first time, the Pinnacle Penthouse at Woolworth Tower Residences is up for acquisition, with the potential for an approved combination of the 49th floor – think 12,131 interior square feet encompassing the entire crown of this iconic Manhattan landmark. Designed by illustrious French architect Thierry W. Despont, peak highlights include 125 windows, 24-foot ceilings, and a private elevator to service the three ensuite bedrooms. At an asking price of US$59 million, the penthouse shall be delivered in designer-ready white-box condition.
Suffice to say, this global tapestry of prized properties currently on the market leaves little to be desired. While George Soros may have been content banking rural farmland in bulk, sophomore billionaires on the scene may be seeking a bit more sizzle between the spreadsheets.
By SI SI PENALOZA
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