Top Ten Most Expensive Homes In The America

When it comes to house-hunting checklists, the average buyer might want a spacious backyard, a large kitchen and a spare bedroom for visiting guests, but the world’s 1% can afford to be a little fussier with their demands. With nine-figure price tags, jaw-dropping interior design and an array of opulent extras, these extravagant estates are some of the most expensive properties America has ever seen. Click or scroll on to feast your eyes on these seriously mind-blowing mega-mansions.

For a while, the aptly named Billionaire estate in Bel Air, Los Angeles, was America’s priciest property ever. It went on sale in 2017 for a cool $250 million (£177m) and its price was justified by its endless extravagant amenities. From its fully-stocked champagne cellar to its auto gallery with more than $30 million (£21m) worth of supercars, this luxurious crib was in a league of its own.

The pricey property was created by real estate developer Bruce Makowsky, a man with a reputation for building homes for billionaires. Described as a ‘playground for the super-rich’, the house features a 38,000-square-foot interior, 12 bedrooms, 21 bathrooms and three gourmet kitchens – not to mention plenty of unique interior design details. Most notably, the main living room boasts light fixtures made from gold-encrusted Brut Champagne bottles.

The house was apparently inspired by the décor found on mega-yachts and every whim has been catered to. The games room features a candy wall for the kids, ping pong and Foosball tables, a four-lane bowling alley with gold pins and a 40-seat Dolby Atmos movie theatre. There are over 100 art installations inside too, as well as Lamborghini wall clocks, Chanel bedding and fire extinguishers filled with Dom Pérignon.

The pinnacle of luxury, the house also comes equipped with dual master suites, 10 guest suites, five bars, a massage studio and a state-of-the-art fitness centre. Of course, the home’s exterior is just as incredible. There’s an ornamental helicopter parked on the rooftop deck and an 85-foot-long infinity pool that includes a swim-up bar and a giant flat-screen TV, so you won’t get bored while you bathe.

From the sunbathing terrace, you can take in views of the surrounding mountains, ocean and the incredible skyline of Los Angeles. Despite its original asking price, Billionaire sold in 2019 for a reported $94 million (£66m) and the buyer also purchased most of the high-end furniture, spending a further $7 million (£5m). We’re sure the new owners want for nothing…

When La Follia sold in 2019 for a cool $105 million (£74m), it became the most expensive property in Palm Beach real estate history. The waterfront estate belonged to Broadway producer Terry Allen Kramer and landed on the market for $135 million (£95m) in October 2018. Before La Follia, the record belonged to Donald Trump’s Florida estate, which sold in 2008 for $95 million (£67m), Forbes confirmed.

The mesmerising 37,500-square-foot oasis was constructed in the mid-1990s and at the time was said to be the only estate in Palm Beach with direct access to the ocean and the Lake Worth Lagoon. The Italian Renaissance-style home sits on around five acres of land and is dramatic and lavish in equal measure, both inside and out. As well as boasting 210 feet of private, sandy beachfront, the incredible coastal home has its own boat dock for making a speedy getaway.

The waterfront home was built 24 feet above sea level to protect it from the region’s devastating hurricanes. Step through the front door and you’ll find a two-storey, marble-clad entryway. This imposing space leads to corridors lined with delicate archways and majestic columns, as well as numerous living rooms kitted out with statement ceilings, ornate fireplaces and antique furnishings.

There are a total of 13 bedrooms and 18 bathrooms, as well as private staff quarters, a movie theatre and a wood-panelled ‘gentlemen’s club’ with a stocked bar. Many of the rooms offer 25-foot-high ceilings, elaborate fixtures and finishes, extensive glazing and of course, jaw-dropping views. The 4,500-square-foot master suite benefits from dual dressing rooms and its own private office, making it the ultimate billionaire bolthole.

As well as beautiful entertaining spaces like this sunroom, there are numerous courtyard gardens decorated with bronze fountains, plus manicured lawns, an oceanfront pool and cabana, a fitness centre and a five-car garage. Naturally, this isn’t the only ostentatious home in Palm Beach. In fact, Forbes estimates that the Florida enclave is home to at least 48 billionaire residents, which explains the region’s penchant for plush properties.

Savvy movie fans might recognise this enchanting mansion because the Beverly House played a starring role in numerous iconic movies, including The Godfather and The Bodyguard. Situated in the heart of Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, three blocks away from Sunset Boulevard, the palatial property sits on over three spectacular acres of landscaped grounds and offers an interior that truly evokes the grandeur of Old Hollywood.

The Mediterranean Revival-style mansion was built in 1926 and was once owned by publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst, the man behind the iconic Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California. The home’s sprawling interior is overflowing with mesmerising design details, such as dramatic arched ceilings, decorative panelled walls and gilded furnishings. So it’s no wonder that this OTT residence is one of the most expensive homes in America.

Yet it might also be one of the most unsellable homes. In 2007, it came up for sale for $165 million (£117m) and was available to rent for a cool $600,000 (£426k) per month. Then, in 2016, the house made waves when it hit the market again, this time for $195 million (£138m). After struggling to find a buyer, the property was relisted in 2020 for $125 million (£88m) and finally reduced to $119 million (£84m). According to the New York Post, there are only 20 families in the world that could actually afford to buy and maintain the property.

The spectacular spread features 18 bedrooms, 25 bathrooms, an 82-foot hallway, a two-storey library, two formal dining rooms, two screening rooms, a commercial-grade kitchen, a billiard room with a hand-carved stone fireplace and a formal living room finished with a painted ceiling. Elsewhere, there’s an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a lighted tennis court, outdoor dining terraces that can seat up to 400 guests, and grounds capable of accommodating 1,000 visitors.

If all this wasn’t enough, the home even boasts a separate two-bedroom apartment and a one-bedroom security cottage to keep the occupants safe and secure 24-hours a day. Adding to its pedigree, Jackie and John F. Kennedy honeymooned at the Beverly House in 1953 and used the estate as their HQ during JFK’s presidential campaign in 1960. Beyoncé’s visual album, Black Is King, was also filmed on-site at the property too. Perhaps Bey and Jay-Z are considering adding to their property portfolio…

In 2019, The Manor set a new real estate record when it sold for just shy of $120 million (£85m) – the highest selling price ever in California at the time. The property was off-loaded by owner Petra Ecclestone, the daughter of Formula One billionaire Bernie Ecclestone, who made a serious profit on her initial investment. She purchased the pad in 2011 for $85 million (£60m) and originally wanted $200 million (£142m) for the 123-room residence.

The 56,500-square-foot château can be found in the affluent Holmby Hills area of the city and was built in 1991 for TV producer Aaron Spelling – the man behind Dynasty and The Love Boat. Yet it seems Ecclestone spent time (and money) updating the mansion during her ownership. The home’s contemporary interior now boasts a huge entrance foyer lined with black and white marble, as well as exquisite living rooms finished to the highest imaginable standards.

Of the home’s 123 rooms, 14 are bedrooms and 27 are bathrooms. There’s also a glamourous formal living room, a high-end projection room, a library, an office, a billiard room, a games room, a wine cellar and a gym. The ultimate party pad, it’s also equipped with staff quarters, a service wing and a catering kitchen, ideal for entertaining large groups of VIP guests.

The opulent estate is overflowing with jaw-dropping home features – there’s a room dedicated to cutting flowers, a humidity-controlled room for storing silver and multiple gift-wrapping rooms, according to Architectural Digest. Elsewhere you’ll find a beauty salon, complete with a hairdresser’s station, nail bar, massage rooms and a pedicure zone.

But, of course, that isn’t even close to being all. The property even comes kitted out with a French wine and cheese room, while the luxurious two-lane bowling alley features its very own shoe closet. Ecclestone also added a large aquarium to the study and a nightclub to the luxurious basement. If that wasn’t enough, the home’s five-acre grounds offer a tennis court, koi pond, citrus orchard, swimming pool, pool house and 100-vehicle motorcourt.

This spectacular spread can be found in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, and has belonged to billionaire casino tycoon Steve Wynn since 2015. In January 2021, the property hit the market for $110 million (£78m), but after failing to find a suitable buyer, the price was inexplicably hiked up to $125 million (£89m), making the prominent estate one of California’s most expensive house listings to date.

Wynn reportedly bought the pad from Guess jeans co-founder Maurice Marciano for a snip under $48 million (£34m) and has expanded the home dramatically during his ownership. The casino mogul added about 8,000 square feet to the colossal compound, while transforming the living spaces into contemporary works of art.

The three-storey property now boasts 27,150 square feet of interior space, which includes 11 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms. The home’s eclectic interior design was undertaken by Roger Thomas: vibrant furnishings meet high-end architectural elements, resulting in dramatic living areas with five-star hotel vibes. There’s a bar room, a movie theatre, a wine cellar, a gym, an office and an elevator.

We can’t think of a more incredible place to store prized bottles of vino! The property sits on almost three acres of land and outside there’s a guesthouse, a swimming pool and a tennis court. Numerous terraces decorate the back of the house, allowing for priceless views over Downtown Los Angeles. Additionally, the estate offers three staff suites and two apartments for the owner’s security team.

Oh, and did we mention the house also comes complete with its own art gallery? We’re not sure the original Andy Warhol pop art will be included in the sale, but it can’t hurt to ask. Fancy getting your hands on the property? If so, it’s currently up for grabs via Hilton & Hyland.

In 2017, Chartwell became one of America’s priciest listings of all time when it landed on the market for $350 million (£247m). It was, unsurprisingly, later reduced to a slightly more reasonable $245 million (£173m). In 2019, the Wall Street Journal announced that Lachlan Murdoch, media mogul and son of Rupert Murdoch, had paid $150 million (£106m) for Chartwell, making it the second priciest home ever to have traded in the United States.

Although the dramatic estate wouldn’t look out of place among the historic fairytale châteaus of rural France, it can actually be found in the Bel Air neighbourhood of Los Angeles, California. The property is thought to have been named after the 14th-century estate in England, where Winston Churchill lived for more than four decades. Refined and regal, Chartwell is considered to be one of LA’s finest estates and TV fans may remember it from the credits of the iconic sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies.

Designed by architect Sumner Spaulding in the 1930s, the French Neoclassical-style mansion sits on 10 acres of land and boasts a 25,000-square-foot interior. The home’s lavish, oversized rooms are decorated with the finest materials and furnishings. There’s a vaulted foyer, a stunning ballroom and numerous formal dining and living rooms with hand-painted ceilings or ornate timber panelling. All in all, the estate contains 18 bedrooms and 24 bathrooms.

Chartwell was bought by billionaire businessman Jerry Perenchio in 1986 for $14 million (£10m) and he spent years acquiring more land around the property. Slowly, Perenchio grew the estate to what it is today, hiring designer Henri Samuel to restore the main residence. He also employed architect Pierre Barbe to create a ‘Versailles-like palace’ where he could house his art collection and one of California’s largest private wine collections – the custom cellar can hold up to 12,000 bottles.

Chartwell’s grounds are just as impressive and contain manicured gardens and elaborate fountains that are akin to those found in European palaces. There’s also a tennis court, a 75-foot swimming pool, a pool house, a subterranean garage for up to 40 vehicles and a separate guesthouse designed by Wallace Neff. If that wasn’t enough, the home is also said to offer a secret tunnel that runs from the house to the swimming pool outside.

The Hamptons is overflowing with prestigious addresses, but none is quite as exclusive as Meadow Lane in Southampton. With the nickname ‘Billionaire Lane’, this five-mile strip of land is home to celebrities including Calvin Klein, as well as Wall Street tycoons escaping Manhattan for the weekend. So, what can $175 million (£124m) buy you on this ultra-elite street? The answer is a 15,521-square-foot, modern Tudor-style mansion.

Mylestone at Meadow Lane is one of the area’s most expensive homes ever and the dreamy waterfront retreat is currently for sale with Bespoke Real Estate. The property sits on a twin lot that spans eight acres, with direct access to the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and Shinnecock Bay. The lucky new owner will gain access to the ultimate means of escape too since Meadow Lane boasts its very own helipad.

Inside, the beautiful beach house offers a timeless aesthetic, with neutral ocean tones and contemporary coastal décor. There are 11 bedrooms, 12 bathrooms, numerous living rooms, a breakfast room, a spacious farmhouse kitchen and a dining room. Every single space enjoys stunning landscape scenery and comes kitted out with what has been described by the agents as ‘health-driven amenities’.

Blending both old and new, the home features elegant timber floors, custom millwork, cosy fireplaces, luxury grasscloth wallpaper, and intricate tilework in the kitchen. The sunroom is the perfect spot for post-swim drinks, while the indoor gym and yoga studio are ideal for whiling away a few hours. Elsewhere, you’ll find a snug den for movie marathons, an observation deck where you can watch the sunset and a stunning master suite with a 660-square-foot oceanfront terrace, complete with a hot tub.

Designed for entertaining, the home sits mere steps away from a 500-foot-long beach, which can be accessed via a boardwalk that leads from the back door to the sand. There’s also an attached caretaker’s cottage, a heated outdoor pool, multiple alfresco dining spaces and courts for both basketball and tennis. Of course, the lucky new owner will also gain a deepwater dock so they can hit the water whenever they feel like it.

Taking third place in the list of America’s most expensive homes, Casa Encantada is one seriously sophisticated pad. The masterpiece was constructed in 1937 and landed on the real estate market in October 2019 for a cool $225 million (£129m). With such a steep asking price, it’s unsurprising that the house is still up for grabs with Hilton & Hyland.

Casa Encantada can be found on an eight-acre plot in the sought-after neighbourhood of Bel Air, Los Angeles, and has had numerous high-profile owners over the years. The estate is thought to have belonged to hotel magnate Conrad Hilton in the 1950s, as well as American billionaire businessman David Murdock and financier David Winnick, who bought the house in 2000 for $94 million (£66m). According to Business Insider, the last two times the house was on the market, it was the highest-priced property in America.

The Georgian-inspired mansion was designed by architect James Dolena and encompasses a H-shaped layout to provide city, ocean and garden views from all 60 of its luxurious rooms. Located less than 10 minutes from Los Angeles’ iconic Rodeo Drive, the property benefits from optimum privacy, surrounded by the fairways of the Bel Air Country Club golf course.

The home’s interior spans a staggering 40,000 square feet and each room is decked out with the finest fixtures and fittings, setting a new standard for billionaire home design. At the time of its construction in the 1930s, British designer T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings was called in to complete the interior flourishes, which reportedly cost over $2 million – or about $35 million (£25m) in today’s money. In recent years the interior has been lovingly restored, resulting in breathtaking living spaces.

Casa Encantada comes complete with seven bedrooms, 20 bathrooms, a walnut-panelled library, a living room and a family room. There’s also a garage with space for 15 cars, a guesthouse, a pool house and manager’s quarters, as well as a basketball court, tennis court, greenhouses, rose garden and numerous koi ponds. Other key details include the home’s entrance hall, which boasts an 18-foot ceiling and a bar made entirely from sterling silver.

Last listed for $279 million (£198m), West Creek Ranch is one of America’s all-time most expensive home listings – and, perhaps unsurprisingly, it also happens to be one of the largest. Made up of four distinct parcels of land, which were all included in the sale price, the estate stretches 8,700 acres and is so expansive that it straddles two states, Colorado and Utah.

According to Realtor’s records, the sprawling spread was first on the market in 2017 with an asking price of $149 million (£105m) but failed to sell. Then, in May 2019, the property’s owner relisted the house with a cool $130 million (£92m) added to the price tag, for no obvious reason. Unsurprisingly, the estate once again failed to attract a buyer and we’re sure it had everything to do with money.

The property belongs to Discovery Channel founder John Hendricks and the main structures date back to around 2001. The billionaire originally purchased the amazing American estate in the 1990s and accumulated more land in the years that followed. Now, the ranch comes complete with a 22,000-square-foot main home known as the West Creek Ranch Residence, as well as numerous separate resort-style guest lodges with a total of 72 rooms.

The West Creek Ranch Residence boasts a unique interior, where rustic touches blend with dramatic architectural flourishes. There are eight bedrooms and eight bathrooms across the home’s four floors, as well as a two-storey circular stone library, a movie theatre, an art studio, a gym, a swimming pool and spa. The ranch is also said to include a bear and mountain lion habitat, real dinosaur footprints and the ruins of the historic Driggs Mansion. How’s that for a billionaire backyard?

There are plenty more unique extras in this home, too. Alongside a 400-square-foot observatory, the property also boasts irrigated equestrian and bison pastures and a car museum, where Hendricks stored all of his favourite toys. According to Robb Report, all the vehicles were included in the sales price. The fly-in home also offers two helipads, a grass airstrip and a hangar. Doesn’t sound too shabby, does it?

Claiming the number one spot as America’s most expensive private residence is Nile Niami’s modern masterpiece, The One. Aptly named, the property was recently completed after eight years in development, and according to Architectural Digest, Niami is looking for $350 million (£247m) for his prized creation – staggeringly, a price cut on the $500 million (£353m) price tag he was originally seeking during its construction.

The lavish property can be found in one of the dreamiest locations in all of California, sitting on a prominent, five-acre plot in Bel Air. Positioned to soak up the scenery, the pad benefits from unobstructed, 360-degree views of the Pacific Ocean, Downtown Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Mountains. Niami bought the plot in 2012 for $28 million (£20m) and enlisted 600 labourers to construct the mega-mansion.

The 105,000-square-foot home was designed by architect Paul McClean, while its interior design was undertaken by Kathryn Rotondi. Designed and decorated in a modern, minimalist style, the property is swathed in marble and glass and is surrounded on three sides by a moat and a 400-foot-long jogging track. But of course, that’s not all…

As well as 26-foot-high ceilings, the ostentatious house has 21 bedrooms (including a 5,500-square-foot master suite), 42 bathrooms, a 30-car auto gallery with two turntables, a four-lane bowling alley, a 30-seat movie theatre, a spa level, five swimming pools and a 10,000-square-foot sky deck. Originally, a floor-to-ceiling aquarium full of jellyfish was planned for the property too, but there’s some uncertainty as to whether the costly feature came to fruition.

The gorgeous glass house has been in the news for more reasons than its hefty price tag though. In March 2021, the LA Times stated that Hankey Capital, who lent Niami $82.5 million (£58m) to construct The One, is still waiting to be paid back. After reportedly being served with a notice of default, the property could face foreclosure unless Niami can repay the loan. In any case, the residence doesn’t appear to have hit the public market just yet – keep your eyes peeled for more on this mesmerising mansion.