There was a recurring plot point on the first season of Selling Sunset, the Netflix show about the ambitious brokers at the Oppenheimer Group in Southern California: who could sell a coveted $40 million home, and with it, earn a hefty $1.2 million commission? The sprawling midcentury-style house was easily one of the most memorable homes ever featured on the show, which is now in its sixth season. And the pursuit of a purchaser for the extravagant SAOTA-designed manse remained one of the most addicting storylines in the world of reality real estate television.
For the at-home viewer, the house and its towering price tag may seem quixotic—it’s what makes for great TV, after all—but in the luxury real estate market, homes like these are par for the course. From Manhattan to Dubai, $40 million homes are certainly all over the high-end home landscape. However, not every property at this price point is created equal. Below, AD tours four $40 million homes across four major cities.
New York City, New York
The New York City real estate market is nothing if not ruthless: It’s a place where apartments frequently rent sight-unseen and bidding wars are as common as the bagel vendors on the streets below. Because of this, it also become a city where luxury is measured in different terms than anywhere else in the world. Here, a washer and dryer, dishwasher, or even just one extra room could be a signal of first-rate living.
But in the heart of Lincoln Square, a neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, one $40 million penthouse would meet the mark of opulence no matter where it was located. “This penthouse is the pinnacle of New York luxury living. As the highest home on the Upper West Side, the residence offers unobstructed views that stretch uptown and downtown, and from Central Park to the Hudson River,” Robin Schneiderman, Managing Director, Brown Harris Stevens Development Marketing, tells AD.
Located at the top of 200 Amsterdam Avenue, the tallest building in the neighborhood, the 6,347-square-foot home occupies the 51st and 52nd floor of the building. However, there is both an opportunity and a caveat for prospective owners: The unit isn’t move-in ready. “The Penthouse is delivered in ‘white box’ condition, meaning that only structural and mechanical elements are in place,” reads the listing, which also notes that this gives buyers the chance to customize their home from start to finish. At present, there is little more than hardwood floors and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking central park.
The same cannot be said for the building, however, which is packed with amenities. Designed by Elkus Manfredi with interiors by CetraRuddy, the condo complex include a spa with a 75-foot saltwater pool, a fitness center, golf simulator, a resident club, and children’s playroom. Listed at exactly $40 million, the home also carries a monthly HOA fee of $11,905.
Cote D'Azur, France
If space is what you want, then the French Riviera is perhaps a smarter place to unload $40 million. Here, a quintessential 10-bedroom manor house is up for sale, offering crystal views of the ocean and nearby Monaco. “This is a historic property…. It was the home of the former mayor of Beausoleil, Camille Blanc, who had the villa built in 1891 with the architect Henri Schmidt,” Peter Illovksy, President of Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s International Realty, tells AD.
The single-family home spans six floors across 10,365 square feet, and sits on a roughly half-acre plot. “The breathtaking view of the sea and the Principality of Monaco is one of the main assets of the house,” Illovksy adds. “The refined Florentine-inspired architecture will seduce Belle-Epoque lovers.” In the main house, which includes the top five floors, buyers will find a grand entrance with a sweeping staircase, a reception hall, two living rooms, dining room, breakfast room, office, and kitchen. Nine bedrooms with en suite bathrooms are located across these upper stories, including a primary bedroom with an attached antechamber and views of Monaco.
The ground floor encompasses an independent apartment, which the listing suggests could be set aside for staff. Also on the grounds are a 2,206-square-foot caretaker’s pavilion, a detached villa, and a two-car garage.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Though the penthouse at Raffles the Palm is not the most expensive apartment in Dubai, it is certainly among the most lavish. Upon walking in, a sinuous glass and marble staircase greets visitors from within the expansive entrance foyer. One this level, buyers will also find the living and dining room, a front terrace, wet kitchen, two guest bedrooms, and the master suite (which comes with its own private terrace and jacuzzi).
Sitting across three floors at the top of the luxury hotel, the pinnacle for the six-bedroom unit is the circular rooftop terrace. In addition to offering 360-degree views of the Arabian Gulf, you’ll also find a private pool and sun beds. “Purchasing a Raffles residence is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to invest in a highly desirable and prestigious community,” reads the property’s listing.
Branded residences are of increasing popularity in Dubai, where the market is expected to grow by 72% until 2030. At Raffles the Palm, residents have access to an outdoor swimming pol, the city’s largest indoor hotel swimming pool, fitness facilities, the Cinqe Monde spa, a Raffles-only beach, movie theater, ballroom, kids club, and library. The penthouse is for sale for just over $41 million.
London, England
The “best address in London,” is up for grabs if you’ve got €36 million, or about $39.6 million. Located on Eaton Square, a residential garden square in London’s Belgravia district, the home is one of only 12 properties that face the greenery. According to the listing, the property is also unusually wide for a townhome in the area, offering a full-width reception hall of 24 feet.
The home’s current state is a tale of patience and lucky timing. “Our client acquired this magnificent Grade II-listed building in the 1990s when it was sub-divided into flats,” Noel De Keyzer, the listing agent, tells AD. “Many of these elegant houses had been converted after World War II.” Later, the sellers were able to purchase a mews house in the rear, and restore both buildings into a single-family house. However, for those also interested in royal history, the property has perhaps an even more compelling background.
Beauchamp Estates, who also holds the listing, had previously shared the home’s connection to HRH Princess Katherine of Greece and Denmark, a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria and daughter of HM King Constantine I of Greece and Princess Sophie of Prussia. Princess Katherine and her husband, Major Richard Brandram, MC, moved into the estate in 1947 and used the impressive abode as their primary residence for years. “With its fascinating royal history, this magnificent townhouse-mansion provides the opportunity to acquire one of the finest houses on Eaton Square, on the market for the first time in a generation,” Gary Hersham, founding director of Beauchamp Estates, said in a statement at the time.
The town home counts a formal reception hall, conservatory, gym, patio, elevator, and wine cellar among its impressive amenities. The former royal residence was artfully restored in 1995 with its interiors designed by Nicky Haslam.
