Bell Ranch, named for its iconic bell-shaped mountain, is a fully operating cattle ranch with 250,000 deeded acres and a genetically selected cattle herd.
would stand for years. Chase draws parallels between real estate at the highest echelons and the art market. “When you look at the price of art today, this property is the price of a Picasso,” she says, referring to Tranquility, a $100 million estate in Lake Tahoe that is among the crème de la crème this year. “The same amount buys a Picasso to hang on your wall and look at it or it can be something spectacular that you live in.”
“The steady increase of billionaires and millionaires worldwide is driving the demand for high-end homes and new wealth is boosting the number of millionaires in India, China and Europe,” says Coughlin. For many, she says, new wealth also brings “an insatiable demand for things they've never had before.”
Additionally, says Seattle broker and publisher of luxuryrealestate.com, John Brian Losh: “With the dollar being low, it makes for great opportunities to buy and invest in the U.S., and the world still perceives the U.S. as the safest place for their money.”
More Than Amenities
Dunnellen Hall may have gorgeous gardens, a stunning Koi pond, indoor and outdoor ballrooms, but the real value of the property derives from its brilliant execution of Jacobean architecture and significant acreage less than an hour from Manhattan. On our list too is another classic, one of the last estates designed by famed architect Wallace Neff, set on 7 acres of lush grounds in Holmby Hills, Calif. What makes Trump's North Ocean Drive property so valuable, according to Lawrence Moens, a Palm Beach broker who is listing the property, are the 6 acres and almost 500 feet of unobstructed oceanfront. Also significant is the location itself, which he describes as “prime, one of the most desirable places on the Eastern seaboard.”
Often, it's the artful way that something is pulled together that gives uniqueness to the property, says Chase. One facet that makes Tranquility so exceptional, according to Chase, is the interplay of new and old elements. Architectural artifacts and antiques, such as the distressed oak-inlaid flooring in the dining room, which came from a 17th-century chateau, can be found throughout the home. The marble floor in the foyer is patterned after the floor in the New York Public library, while the grand staircase and magnificent glass dome skylight replicates the staircase built for the S.S. Titanic. Antique ceramic tile panels finish the Delft lounge and bar, while the cigar lounge evokes a similar space in the St. Regis in New York City. Even the prep
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Hillandale’s expansive grounds include stunning formal gardens, a picturesque lake and five miles of private roads.
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