Did you just sell your social network to Yahoo for $1.1 billion? Or maybe you are the anonymous 26 year old single mom who is rumored to have recently won $228 million in the single largest Powerball jackpot of all time. Either way, if you happen looking for an upgraded home that better fits your newly-found obscene wealth, we may have the perfect property for you. Last Friday, an estate in the ultra-exclusive Greenwich, Connecticut, hit the market. Big deal right? That must happen all the time, what's so special about this house? This particular 15,000 square foot mansion sits on 50 acres of pristine waterfront property and can be yours for the low low price of $190 million. That's enough to make it the most expensive house in America.
What exactly does a house need to have in order to cost $190 million and subsequently be named most expensive house in America? Let's start with the basics. Also known as Copper Beech Farm, the current owner is a businessman named John Rudey who purchased the house in a private transaction from a family friend in the 1980s. Prior to Mr. Rudey, the estate was owned by one of Andrew Carnegie's US Steel co-founders. Rudey made his fortune in the timber business as the Chairman of the US Timberlands Services Company and the CEO of the Inland Fiber Group. Who knew there was still so much money in trees?
This fantastic property features a 15,000 square Victorian mansion that dates back to 1898. It also has a 7,000 square foot basement area in case you need to store… everything. The driveway of this property alone is 1800 feet long. As we mentioned earlier, the mansion sits on 50 acre property that is mostly open fields and forest. If you buy this house, you will be able to enjoy multiple grass tennis courts, sprawling gardens, two greenhouses, a private apple orchard and a 75 foot heated pool with hot tub that overlooks the Long Island Sound. The property nestled on 4000 feet of water views and private beaches.
One word of caution: Even though you will already be spending $190 million, be prepared to pony up a few million more for upgrades. Believe it or not, many of the rooms still do not have central air and instead rely on regular old window units in warmer months. Also, the kitchen is actually located in the basement near the staff quarters. You will probably want to add a modern kitchen on the same floor as the main living area. On the bright side, if you don't mind neighbors there is a potential option to split the estate and sell off parcels for new mansions. That will probably make your accountant happy, but you might have to say goodbye to Sunday naked pool parties.
So what do you think? If you had the coin, would you drop $190 million to own the most expensive house in America? Here are some more photos of the property:
$190 Million Greenwich Estate:
Update! On April 14, 2014, this incredible estate sold for $120 million. That tops the $117.5 million that was paid for a nine acre Silicon Valley estate in 2013, making this the most expensive single family home ever sold in the United States. Technically speaking, a ranch in Montana sold for $132.5 million, but that property was considered a working farm, as opposed to a single family home. The sale more than doubles the previous record paid for a property in Greenwich, Connecticut. The buyer, who has so far remained anonymous, purchased the house through an LLC.
