Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Uber cofounder among buyers of top U.S. luxury homes sold in 2019
In 2019, luxury homebuyers in the U.S. shelled out upwards of $100 million apiece for mansions, penthouses, and beachside properties.
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This year saw weak annual gains in luxury home prices, new tax proposals on million-dollar properties, and restrictions for foreign investors. But that didn’t stop luxury homebuyers in the U.S. from shelling out upward of $100 million apiece for mansions, penthouses, and beachside properties.
A Manhattan penthouse topped the list of 2019’s 10 most expensive residential real estate sales, selling for $240 million, according to data from Miller Samuel Inc. That’s nearly $166 million more than last year’s biggest New York City sale.
In addition to Manhattan, the year’s top luxury homebuyers also made purchases in Palm Beach, Fla., and in Los Angeles’ Bel Air neighborhood. One Los Angeles mansion took a $156 million price cut before selling in September for $94 million, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Buyers included billionaires Jeff Bezos and Ken Griffin and Uber cofounder Garrett Camp.
The top 10 list, below, based on data from Miller Samuel.
$240 million for penthouse at 220 Central Park South, New York
Citadel CEO Ken Griffin purchased the approximately 24,000-square-foot penthouse at 220 Central Park South in January. It has 16 bedrooms and 18.5 bathrooms and is located in a 118-unit Vornado Realty Trust tower with unobstructed views. The $240 million selling price makes it America’s most expensive home.
$119.8 million for Holmby Hills mansion, Los Angeles
The Manor, a 56,000-square-foot mansion in the hills overlooking Los Angeles, has 14 bedrooms and 24 bathrooms. It was originally listed for $160 million, according to Jade Mills, before it sold for $119.8 million in July. It features a bowling alley, pool, tennis court, and entertainment center.
$110.3 million for oceanfront Palm Beach mansion, Palm Beach, Fla.
La Follia, a 37,516-square-foot house at 1295 S. Ocean Blvd. in Palm Beach, sold in June. It features 13 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms and offers views of the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway.
$100 million for Paradise Cove beachside home, Malibu, Calif.
The oceanfront property at 27600 Pacific Coast Highway has 13,693 square feet, sits on three acres, and has beach access. It features six bedrooms and 7½ bathrooms, as well as a pool, tennis court, theater, gym, and two guesthouses.
$99.13 million for Palm Beach mansion, Palm Beach, Fla.
Ken Griffin, Citadel’s chief executive, also bought a beachfront property at 60 Blossom Way this year, adjacent to his existing Palm Beach estate. The 18,452-square-foot home, on almost 3.6 acres, was built in 2000 and last sold in 2017 for $77.1 million, according to the website of Palm Beach County property appraiser Dorothy Jacks.
$94 million for Bel Air mansion, Los Angeles
Once listed for $250 million, this Los Angeles mansion known as Billionaire sold at a 62% discount in October, according to the Wall Street Journal. The four-story, 38,000-square-foot home has 12 bedrooms and 21 bathrooms, plus three kitchens, five bars, a spa, gym, pool, theater, auto gallery, and bowling alley.
$92.7 million for penthouse at 220 Central Park South, New York
A second unit at 220 Central Park South also made the list of top purchases. The condo building has recorded more than $1 billion in sales, according to the New York Post. This 9,817-square-foot unit features four bedrooms and 6½ bathrooms.
$81 million for three condo units at 212 Fifth Ave., New York
Jeff Bezos purchased three condos — a penthouse and two additional units — at 212 Fifth Ave. in May, for a total of $81 million. All together, the condos have 12 bedrooms and more than 17,000 square feet. The penthouse was originally listed for $58 million and the units at $18.2 million and $11.3 million, respectively, according to StreetEasy.
$77.1 million for Upper East Side townhouse, New York
John Griffin, founder of Blue Ridge Capital, bought an almost 30,000-square-foot townhouse on East 67th Street in Manhattan in June. It was previously owned by Philip Falcone, who purchased it in 2008 for $49 million and invested in a multiyear renovation.
$71 million for Trousdale mansion, Beverly Hills, Calif. Uber cofounder Garrett Camp purchased the newly built Beverly Hills mansion in June, according to the Los Angeles Times. The home is 12,119 square feet and sits on more than one acre, the Los Angeles Times reported.