Many of us have our own vision of our perfect ‘dream home.’ But whether your vision includes an island in the kitchen, or a master en-suite, the retail price of your dream home is probably nothing compared to those of the most expensive houses in the world. These homes are truly reserved for the rich and most often, famous. And if they weren’t famous before buying their mega-million dollar homes, they certainly are now. So, what are the most expensive houses in the world and who are the people that own them? There are many houses that could be categorized as the world’s most expensive homes. Here, we’ll break it down into the top three for you.
The third most expensive house in the world does sit at the bottom of the list. But the history behind this home, and its famous setting certainly make it top-notch none the less. The home is known as William Randolph’s Hearst Mansion and is located in Beverly Hills and sits in the neighborhood along with the home of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. But it’s who once lived in this mansion that really makes it what it is! The previous owner was of course, William Randolph Hearst and in the 1920s, this publishing guru bought it, along with its 6-acre estate, for $120,000. Hearst is of course, most known for being the inspiration behind the classic film Citizen Kane. However, this home was also the setting of a scene in The Godfather, which also gives it another claim to fame. Other features of the home include: 29 bedrooms, 3 pools, and even houses a disco and a theater! In 1976, the home was sold to its current owner for a whopping $165 million.
The second most expensive house in the world does cost a bit more but you have to pay a price for being neighbors with the Queen of England! Not only is Buckingham Palace just around the corner, but Updown Court, which is the world’s second most expensive home, is also bigger than the home of Queen Elizabeth! The estate is known as one of the ‘most important private residences in all of England’ and it’s been compared to the real-estate version of Elton John! This house has 103 rooms, but only 22 of these bedrooms feature 24-carat gold leaf mosaic floors, as do 27 of its baths. Among these rooms are a bowling alley, squash court, a movie theater that seats 50 people, and 5 swimming pools. The estate lays on 60 acres, some of which you’ll see if you’re ever lucky enough to drive up the heated marble driveway. What does such an estate cost? A measly 85 million pounds!
So among all of these extravagances, what is the most expensive house in the world? Well, the most expensive house in the world might not be categorized as a house at all. You might call it a hotel that a family lives in. A very, very rich family. The owner of the home is Mukesh Ambani and it was just 2009 that he moved into Antilla, located in India, with his family. This estate tops at the price scale at $1 billion. But what can you expect from a home that is 27 stories tall and with double height capacities on each floor, a real height of almost 60 stories! But this home has a lot more than just bedrooms and bathrooms! Not only does it have its own panic room and health spa, it also has the prerequisite movie theater. Guests can fly in and land on the helipad, located on the roof, or they can use good old automobiles as the ‘house’ also has a garage that fits 168 cars! However they arrive, they’ll be very well taken care of by the 600 staff members that are there to take care of the family’s and guests needs. With everything that this house/hotel has to offer, it’s easy to see why it makes it to the top of the list. And it will most likely stay there for a while too at that price!
