When it comes to house-hunting checklists, the average buyer might want a spacious backyard, a large kitchen and a spare bedroom for visiting guests, but the world's 1% can afford to be a little fussier with their demands.
With nine-figure price tags, jaw-dropping interior design and an array of opulent extras, these extravagant estates are some of the most expensive properties America has ever seen.
Click or scroll on to feast your eyes on these seriously mind-blowing mega-mansions...
This spectacular spread can be found in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, and has belonged to billionaire casino tycoon Steve Wynn since 2015.
In January 2021, the property hit the market for $110 million (£86.8m). Strangely, after failing to find a suitable buyer, the price was inexplicably hiked up to $125 million (£98.6m), according to Realtor, making the prominent estate one of California's most expensive house listings to date.
Since then, the price has taken a series of cuts, listing for a much lower but still significant $65 million (£51.3m) in March 2024.
The three-storey property now boasts 27,150 square feet of interior space, which includes 11 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms.
The home's eclectic interior design was undertaken by Roger Thomas: vibrant furnishings meet high-end architectural elements, resulting in dramatic living areas with five-star hotel vibes. There's a bar room, a movie theatre, a wine cellar, a gym, an office and an elevator.
The property sits on almost three acres of land and outside there's a guesthouse, a swimming pool and a tennis court. Numerous terraces decorate the back of the house – including this one with a velvet seating area and leather-clad frepit – allowing for priceless views over Downtown Los Angeles.
Additionally, the estate offers three staff suites and two apartments for the owner's security team.
Oh, and did we mention the house was listed complete with its own art gallery? We're not sure the original Andy Warhol pop art was included in the sale, but it can't hurt to ask.
Wynn reportedly bought the pad from Guess jeans co-founder Maurice Marciano for a snip under $48 million (£37.9m) and has expanded the home dramatically during his ownership.
The casino mogul added about 8,000 square feet to the colossal compound, while transforming the living spaces into contemporary works of art.
For a while, the aptly named Billionaire estate in Bel Air, Los Angeles, was America’s priciest property ever. It went on sale in 2017 for a cool $250 million (£197m) and its price was justified by its endless extravagant amenities.
From its fully-stocked drinks cellar to its auto gallery with more than $30 million (£23.6m) worth of supercars, this luxurious crib was in a league of its own.
The pricey property was created by BAM Luxury Development, headed up by real estate developer Bruce Makowsky, a man with a reputation for building homes for billionaires.
Described as a 'playground for the super-rich', the house features a 38,000-square-foot interior, 12 bedrooms, 21 bathrooms and three gourmet kitchens – not to mention plenty of unique interior design details. Most notably, the main living room boasts light fixtures made from gold-encrusted Brut Champagne bottles.
The house was apparently inspired by the décor found on mega-yachts and every whim has been catered to. The games room features a candy wall for the kids, ping pong and Foosball tables, a four-lane bowling alley with gold pins and a 40-seat Dolby Atmos movie theatre.
There are over 100 art installations inside too, as well as Lamborghini wall clocks, Chanel bedding and fire extinguishers filled with Dom Pérignon.
The pinnacle of luxury, the house also comes equipped with dual master suites, 10 guest suites, five bars, a massage studio and a state-of-the-art fitness centre.
Of course, the home's exterior is just as incredible. There's an ornamental helicopter parked on the rooftop deck and an 85-foot-long infinity pool that includes a swim-up bar and a giant flat-screen TV, so you won't get bored while you bathe.
From the sunbathing terrace, you can take in views of the surrounding mountains, ocean and the incredible skyline of Los Angeles.
Despite its original asking price, Billionaire sold in 2019 for a reported $94 million (£74m) and the buyer also purchased most of the high-end furniture, spending a further $7 million (£5.5m). We're sure the owners want for nothing...
The Hamptons is overflowing with prestigious addresses, but none is quite as exclusive as Meadow Lane in Southampton. With the nickname 'Billionaire Lane', this five-mile strip of land is home to celebrities including Calvin Klein, as well as Wall Street tycoons escaping Manhattan for the weekend.
So, what can $112.5 million (£89.5m) buy you on this ultra-elite street? The answer is a 15,521-square-foot, modern Tudor-style mansion.
Mylestone at Meadow Lane is one of the area's most expensive homes, listed in April 2022 for $175 million (£139m) and eventually selling for $112.5 million (£89.5m) in October 2023. The property sits on a twin lot that spans eight acres, with direct access to the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and Shinnecock Bay.
The lucky new owner gained access to the ultimate means of escape too since Meadow Lane boasts its very own helipad.
Inside, the beautiful beach house offers a timeless aesthetic, with neutral ocean tones and contemporary coastal décor.
There are 11 bedrooms, 12 bathrooms, numerous living rooms, a breakfast room, a spacious farmhouse kitchen and a dining room. Every single space enjoys stunning landscape scenery and comes kitted out with what has been described as 'health-driven amenities'.
Blending both old and new, the home features elegant timber floors, custom millwork, cosy fireplaces, luxury grasscloth wallpaper and intricate tilework in the kitchen. The sunroom is the perfect spot for post-swim drinks, while the indoor gym and yoga studio are ideal for whiling away a few hours.
Elsewhere, there's a snug den for movie marathons, an observation deck where you can watch the sunset and a stunning master suite with a 660-square-foot oceanfront terrace, complete with a hot tub.
Designed for entertaining, the home sits mere steps away from a 500-foot-long beach, which can be accessed via a boardwalk that leads from the back door to the sand.
There's also an attached caretaker’s cottage, a heated outdoor pool, a deepwater dock and multiple alfresco dining spaces, as well as courts for both basketball and tennis.
A prized, trophy compound delighted discerning buyers when it cropped up on the market in May 2022, according to Coldwell Banker agent Jill Eber.
With only 60 homes on the exclusive La Gorce Island, this particular Miami Beach estate hit the market at the highest price reportedly ever sought across the whole of the Sunshine State, at a cool $170 million (£139m) in May 2022. It finally sold in April 2024 for $132 million (£105m).
The Floridian compound comprises four separate parcels and three homes that stretch out across three acres overlooking the ocean.
Alongside the alluring waterfront vistas, La Gorce Island is unsurprisingly popular among A-list residents thanks to the seclusion it offers, not to mention the enclave's 24-hour gated security.
During the 1980s, businessman and philanthropist Dr. M. Lee Pearce purchased the four adjoining properties on La Gorce Island for $3.1 million (that's almost $9m/£7.2m today).
Proceeds from the final sale are to go to his foundation and its support of medical research and the arts, according to The Wall Street Journal. Inside, each of the homes is decked out in the finest of materials and finishes.
Alongside a 5,000-bottle wine storage area, a conference centre and 600 feet of sparkling water frontage with space to host a yacht, the coveted Miami compound also features its own luxurious cinema, complete with red-curtained walls and red carpet.
According to the listing, the compound’s "crown jewel” is a private park named “Domaine de la Paix et de l’Amour”, which boasts its own marble gazebo, sprawling manicured gardens and ocean views.
We're sure owner Pearce is happy with the profit his foundation is set to make since the original sale in the 1980s.
In 2017, Chartwell became one of America's priciest listings of all time when it landed on the market for $350 million (£278m). It was, unsurprisingly, later reduced to a slightly more reasonable $245 million (£195m).
In 2019, the Wall Street Journal announced that Lachlan Murdoch, media mogul and son of Rupert Murdoch, had paid $150 million (£119m) for Chartwell, making it the second-priciest home ever to have traded in the United States.
Although the dramatic estate wouldn't look out of place among the historic fairytale châteaus of rural France, it can actually be found in the Bel Air neighbourhood of Los Angeles, California. The property is thought to have been named after the 14th-century estate in England, where Winston Churchill lived for more than four decades.
Refined and regal, Chartwell is considered to be one of LA's finest estates and TV fans may remember it from the credits of the iconic sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies.
Designed by architect Sumner Spaulding in the 1930s, the French Neoclassical-style mansion sits on 10 acres of land and boasts a 25,000-square-foot interior. The home's lavish, oversized rooms are decorated with the finest materials and furnishings.
There's a vaulted foyer, a stunning ballroom and numerous formal dining and living rooms with hand-painted ceilings or ornate timber panelling. All in all, the estate contains 18 bedrooms and 24 bathrooms.
Chartwell was bought by billionaire businessman Jerry Perenchio in 1986 for $14 million – that's almost $40 million (£32m) in today's money – and he spent years acquiring more land around the property.
Slowly, Perenchio grew the estate to what it is today, hiring designer Henri Samuel to restore the main residence. He also employed architect Pierre Barbe to create a 'Versailles-like palace' where he could house his art collection and one of California's largest private wine collections – the custom cellar can hold up to 12,000 bottles.
Chartwell's grounds are just as impressive and contain manicured gardens and elaborate fountains that are akin to those found in European palaces.
There's also a tennis court, a 75-foot swimming pool, a pool house, a subterranean garage for up to 40 vehicles and a separate guesthouse designed by Wallace Neff. If that wasn't enough, the home is also said to offer a secret tunnel that runs from the house to the swimming pool outside.
In 2019, The Manor – formerly known as Spelling Manor – set a new real estate record when it sold for just shy of $120 million (£95.5m) – the highest selling price ever in California at the time.
The property was off-loaded by owner Petra Ecclestone, the daughter of Formula One billionaire Bernie Ecclestone, who made a serious profit on her initial investment. She purchased the pad in 2011 for $85 million (£67.6m) and originally wanted $200 million (£159m) for the 123-room residence.
In February 2022, the iconic estate was back on the market for $165 million (£135m), before the price was cut to $155 million (£123m) in January 2024.
The 56,500-square-foot château can be found in the affluent Holmby Hills area of the city and was built in 1991 for TV producer Aaron Spelling – the man behind Dynasty, The Love Boat and Beverly Hills 90210. Yet it seems Ecclestone spent time (and money) updating the mansion during her ownership.
The home's contemporary interior now boasts a huge entrance foyer lined with black and white marble, as well as exquisite living rooms finished to the highest imaginable standards.
Of the home's 123 rooms, 14 are bedrooms and 27 are bathrooms. There's also a glamourous formal living room, a high-end projection room, a library, an office, a billiard room, a games room, a wine cellar and a gym.
The ultimate party pad, it's also equipped with staff quarters, a service wing and a catering kitchen, ideal for entertaining large groups of VIP guests.
The opulent estate is overflowing with jaw-dropping home features – there's a room dedicated to cutting flowers, a humidity-controlled room for storing silver and multiple gift-wrapping rooms, according to Architectural Digest.
Elsewhere you'll find a beauty salon, complete with a hairdresser's station, nail bar, massage rooms and a pedicure zone.
But, of course, that isn't even close to being all. The property even comes kitted out with a French wine and cheese room, while the luxurious two-lane bowling alley features its very own shoe closet.
Ecclestone also added a large aquarium to the study and a nightclub to the luxurious basement. If that wasn't enough, the home's five-acre grounds offer a tennis court, koi pond, citrus orchard, swimming pool, pool house and 100-vehicle motorcourt.
Taking third place in the list of America's most expensive homes, Casa Encantada is one seriously sophisticated pad. The masterpiece was constructed in 1937 and landed on the real estate market in October 2019 for a cool $225 million (£179m).
Despite a price cut to $195 million (£155m) in November 2023, the house remains on the market with Westside Estate Agency as of April 2024.
Casa Encantada can be found on an eight-acre plot in the sought-after neighbourhood of Bel Air, Los Angeles, and has had numerous high-profile owners over the years.
The estate is thought to have belonged to hotel magnate Conrad Hilton in the 1950s, as well as American billionaire businessman David Murdock and financier David Winnick, who bought the house in 2000 for $94 million (£75m). According to Business Insider, the last two times the house was on the market, it was the highest-priced property in America.
The Georgian-inspired mansion was designed by architect James Dolena and encompasses a H-shaped layout to provide city, ocean and garden views from all 60 of its luxurious rooms.
Located less than 10 minutes from Los Angeles' iconic Rodeo Drive, the property benefits from optimum privacy, surrounded by the fairways of the Bel Air Country Club golf course.
The home's interior spans a staggering 40,000 square feet and each room is decked out with the finest fixtures and fittings, setting a new standard for billionaire home design.
At the time of its construction in the 1930s, British designer T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings was called in to complete the interior flourishes, which reportedly cost over $2 million – or about $37.4 million (£29m) in today's money. In recent years the interior has been lovingly restored, resulting in breathtaking living spaces.
Casa Encantada comes complete with seven bedrooms, 20 bathrooms, a walnut-panelled library, a living room and a family room. There's also a garage with space for 15 cars, a guesthouse, a pool house and manager's quarters, as well as a basketball court, tennis court, greenhouses, rose garden and numerous koi ponds.
Other key details include the home's entrance hall, which boasts an 18-foot ceiling and a bar made entirely from sterling silver.
Breathtaking views abound from this incredible five-acre beachfront compound. Located on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California, the 16-bedroom home was most recently owned by Michael Eisner, who is the former chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company.
Listed in April 2022 for $225 million (£184m), the compound took a price cut to $195 million (£155m) in April 2023 and comprises nine stone-clad structures featuring antique terracotta roofs.
Designed by renowned architect Robert A.M. Stern, the estate takes inspiration from Europe's historic Mediterranean estates. Remarkably, the dreamy Malibu beach house took over 40 years to build.
With approximately 25,000 square feet of living space, each structure is connected by beautiful gardens and courtyards that overlook the Pacific Ocean.
Offering 16 bedrooms and 22 bathrooms, the compound also contains a handy gym, a beach cottage, multiple guest houses and an office for remote working.
Perhaps its most exciting feature, particularly for an owner working in the film and animation world, is an underground tunnel that leads to a large home cinema. Complete with plush, red velvet seats and footrests, we’re sure the Disney CEO enjoyed no end of movie marathons here.
The same tunnel leads out to the stunning outdoor pool, framed by sun loungers and parasols. What’s more, a secret elevator takes you straight to the beach should you need to make a quick getaway to the ocean.
We'd love to give that a try – but as the home was mysteriously removed from the market in December 2023, we'll have to wait for the next time it's put up for sale.
Last listed for $279 million (£222m), West Creek Ranch is one of America's all-time most expensive home listings – and, perhaps unsurprisingly, it also happens to be one of the largest.
Made up of four distinct parcels of land, which were all included in the sale price, the estate stretches 8,700 acres and is so expansive that it straddles two states, Colorado and Utah.
According to Realtor's records, the sprawling spread was first on the market in 2017 with an asking price of $149 million (£122m) but failed to sell. Then, in May 2019, the property's owner relisted the house with a cool $130 million (£106m) added to the price tag, for no obvious reason. Unsurprisingly, the estate once again failed to attract a buyer and we're sure it had everything to do with money.
The property belongs to Discovery Channel founder John Hendricks and the main structures date back to around 2001. The billionaire originally purchased the amazing American estate in the 1990s and accumulated more land in the years that followed. Now, the ranch comes complete with a 22,000-square-foot main home known as the West Creek Ranch Residence, as well as numerous separate resort-style guest lodges with a total of 72 rooms.
The West Creek Ranch Residence boasts a unique interior, where rustic touches blend with dramatic architectural flourishes. There are eight bedrooms and eight bathrooms across the home's four floors, as well as a two-storey circular stone library, a movie theatre, an art studio, a gym, a swimming pool and spa. The ranch is also said to include a bear and mountain lion habitat, real dinosaur footprints and the ruins of the historic Driggs Mansion. How's that for a billionaire backyard?
There are plenty more unique extras in this home, too. Alongside a 400-square-foot observatory, the property also boasts irrigated equestrian and bison pastures and a car museum, where Hendricks stored all of his favourite toys. According to Robb Report, all the vehicles were included in the sales price. The fly-in home also offers two helipads, a grass airstrip and a hangar. Doesn’t sound too shabby, does it?
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