Top 12 Most Expensive Homes in the US So Far

Over the years, the real estate market has grown into a medium the wealthy use to show off their wealth. Due to the high demand for luxurious houses and only a few of them being available, the prices have been skyrocketing. 

Homes listings above the $100 million mark are gradually becoming a norm in places like the Hamptons, Palm Beach, Bel Air, and Malibu. While the average cost of a home in the US currently stands at $453,700, multi-million home deals are going down in the big cities. Realtors and analysts believe it’s just the beginning, they are expecting bigger deals to come in the luxury real estate market.

Truth be told, we’ve all had fantasies of living in big houses with jaw-dropping architectural schemes, stunning furniture, swimming pools, and acres of space. You might have even scrolled through Zillow, looking at multi-million dollar homes you probably could never buy. 

Luckily for you, we’ve compiled a list of the most expensive and luxurious homes in the US. Feast your eyes on these exhilarating mega-mansions and their mind-blowing prices as we look to answer the biggest question in America’s real estate: what is the most expensive house in the United States?

The 12 Most Expensive Homes in the US

These are some of the most expensive homes in the US in the past years. They’re not listed in any particular order.

1. The One, Bel Air

After leaving Hollywood film production, Nile Niami decided to venture into the real estate industry. His contacts and visionary ideas found him almost immediate success in the field. 

The American realtor went on to build a home for singer Sean Combs and the Winklevoss twins just years after his Hollywood exit. He dreamt bigger and hired popular architect Paul McClean to design what was dubbed the most expensive house in America. He called it “The One.”

The project took eight years to complete and was said to be worth half a billion dollars. Due to debt and developmental problems, the 105,000 square feet mansion was listed for sale with an asking price of US$295 million in January 2022. 

An auction for the house took place in March 2022, and the mansion was eventually sold for US$127 million. Though it was far from the initial asking price, The One is still the most expensive American house ever sold in an auction.

The mansion features multiple kitchens, nine bedrooms, a four-lane bowling alley, an art studio, a nightclub, gym, 50-seat home theater, salon, a 50-car underground garage, internal and external pools, a running track, and a moat.

2. The Billionaire, Bel-Air

Bruce Makowsky is one of the most popular real estate developers in the US. He’s been credited with redeveloping a range of luxury houses and has sold them to several high-profile buyers. But amongst his many iconic works, none comes close to Billionaire. 

In January 2017, Billionaire became the most expensive house ever listed in America. Located at 924 Bel Air Road, Downtown Los Angeles, California, the house possesses roughly 38,000 square feet of living space on four different levels. It also has multiple living rooms and 12 bedrooms: ten guest suites and two master suites. 

The mansion’s interior contains:

• 21 bathrooms
• Three dining areas and kitchens
• A fitness and gym center
• A spa
• A four-lane bowling alley
• A glass pool table worth $12,000 and more.

There’s also a 40-seater James Bond theme cinema with 57 speakers and a 22-foot screen. The home cinema also contains 7,000 preloaded movies and is worth $2 million. Besides the cinema screens, the mansion’s 360-inch TV is rumored to be the largest residential television set in the world. The TV set is worth $1.7 million.

After failing to attract buyers, Bruce Makowsky relisted the house for $188 million in April 2018. It was reduced to $150 million in January before selling for $94 million in October 2019. With over 100 iconic works of art and a luxurious auto gallery worth $30 million, the Billionaire is still the most expensive real estate in the US.

3. Palazzo di Amore, Beverly Hills

It’s almost impossible to make a list of expensive houses in the US without a Beverly Hills mansion. It is one of the most expensive cities to live in, and the average Beverly Hills estate costs $3,788,000, a wide gap from the American average of $453,700. But of the many mansions that Beverly Hills boasts of, only a few can compare with the Palazzo di Amore.

Real estate mogul Jeff Greene bought the house for $35 million in 2007 from a bankruptcy agreement auction and spent several years renovating the mansion. In 2014, Greene’s Palazzo di Amore became the most expensive house for sale in the US after it listed for $195 million.

Greene’s mansion failed to attract buyers leading to him relisting the property for $149 million.  The luxurious mansion has 12 richly styled bedrooms, 23 bathrooms, a 50-seater movie home theater, a tennis court, a wine-producing vineyard, and a 150 car parking space.

4. Xanadu 2.0, Medina

Located in the nation’s capital, Xanadu 2.0 is a beauty to behold. Unlike its counterparts in Beverly Hills and LA, Xanadu maintains a level of maturity and class. Bill Gates owns the house, and it’s only fair that one of the world’s richest people owns one of the world’s most expensive houses.

After the home’s purchase, Gate and his team spent seven years and $63 million to renovate it. The house now contains a 2100-square-foot library; one of the biggest residential libraries in the world, a 60-foot swimming pool, and an underwater sound system. 

The 66,000 square feet mansion is unique because it is designed and built with futuristic technology—the kind of things you see in movies and get amazed by. There are sensors and modern technology that allow guests to change the room’s music, temperature, and lighting. 

In 2009, the IRS reported that the house taxes were $1.06 million, and the house was valued at $147.5 million, making it one of the most expensive homes in the US.

5. Four Fairfield Pond, The Hamptons

The rich are only getting richer, and if you’re looking for proof, real estate is your answer. When Ira Renner started work on his 63-acre estate in East Hampton, New York, he was met with severe backlash and criticism from his neighbors. 

Lawsuits were filed, but unfortunately for Renner’s soon-to-be neighbors, he won and moved into the mansion in 2004.

To date, the Four Fairfield Pond is still one of the biggest houses in America with 29 bedrooms, three light-up swimming pools, and 39 bedrooms. The rooms are adorned with expensive Italian marble, a breakfast room, a basketball and tennis court, an exercise room, a family room, a church, and a 162-seat movie cinema. 

Not to mention that the house also has its own power plant and generates electricity and power. The mansion has been described as a world of its own and is reportedly worth $248 million. According to the Fiscal Times, if it were to be listed today, it’d be for $500 million.

The Four Fairfield Pond has three swimming pools, and a hot tub reported to be worth $168,000. This is equivalent to the cost of an average home in Kentucky.

6. La Follia, Palm Beach

Palm Beach already has a reputation for being a wealthy town. In 2017, Forbes reported that there were over 30 billionaires living there. 

One of the fastest and easiest ways to identify a rich settlement is through their real estate property and luckily, Palm Beach doesn’t disappoint. Interestingly, the La Follia is solid proof.

The home was built to give its owners a full sense of relaxation and the interior designs are mind-blowing. There’s a private beach as big as 210 feet, and the entire building is built 24 feet above sea level. 

It also possesses a South Ocean Boulevard leading to a large private boat dock and in 2019, it became the most expensive house in Palm Beach. 

Buyers of the 37,500 square foot mansion were also presented with the opportunity to all former President Donald Trump, their neighbor. In 2019, Forbes reported that the house had been sold for $105 million, a Palm Beach record.

7. The Beverly House, Beverly Hills

Since it was opened in 1926, The Beverly House has been home to some of the world’s biggest stars. Located in the prime area of Los Angeles, the 29,000-square-foot mansion is one of the most popular houses in America. 

It was initially built for local banker Milton Getz but didn’t attain its star status until it became the home of popular newspapers mogul William Randolph Hearst and his actress wife, Marion Davies. 

Since then, the mansion has gone on to host several American dignitaries. The Beverly was the home where John F. and Jacqueline Kennedy had their honeymoon in 1953. The mansion also appeared in classic Hollywood movies like The Bodyguard and The Godfather.

The Beverly has 18 bedrooms and 25 bathrooms, a hand-carved fireplace, an Olympic standard swimming pool, a basketball and tennis court, two home theaters, a game room and a two-storey library. 

The mansion was listed for $165 million in 2007 and could be rented for a month with a $600,000 price tag. After failing to attract permanent residents, it was relisted for $125 million in 2020 and was later sold for $63.1 million to Berggruen Institute founder, Nicolas Berggruen.

8. The Manor, Los Angeles

Even the name should tell you all you need to know about its beauty. In 2019, The Manor broke records as it became the most expensive home ever sold in California. Even for a fee as high as $120 million, many real estate agents worldwide still believe the property should have been sold for more. 

But can we blame them? The building has 123 rooms, a fully furnished and formal dining room, indoor and outdoor pools, two standard bowling alleys with shoe collections, a nightclub, a beauty salon, and an aquarium. 

The 56,500 square feet masterpiece was built in 1991 for US TV producer Aaron Spelling but was later bought for $85 million by Petra Ecclestone, the daughter of Bernie Ecclestone, a retired Formula One billionaire. Petra spent years modernizing the mansion, and it was finally listed for $200 million in 2017. It was sold for $120 million in 2019, becoming the most expensive home sold California home at the time.

9. Chartwell, Beverly Hills

In the 60s, Chartwell was arguably one of the most popular homes in the US. Thanks to its appearance in the 1960 hit Television sitcom, The Beverly Hillbillies, where it was used as the home of the Clampett family, Chartwell became an American real estate sensation.

It was the work of Sumner Spaulding, who designed the building in a French chateau-style. Completed in 1933, the mansion was named after Sir Winston Churchill’s longtime home in Westerham, UK. 

Spaulding designed the building for Lynn Atkinson, who planned on gifting the property to his wife. Mrs Atkinson found the house ‘pretentious’ and decided against moving in, leading them to put it up for sale.

Chartwell houses 18 rooms and 24 bathrooms that are decorated with a neoclassical style of furnishing and designs. There’s also a stunning ballroom and numerous formal living and dining rooms. 

Already an expensive mansion on its own, it became more valuable after American billionaire Jerry Perenchio purchased it in 1986 for $14 million. The former Univision CEO spent years developing the property. When Perenchio died in 2017, the house had a 75-foot swimming pool, a wine cellar that could hold 12,000 bottles and a specially designed palace to show his many artworks. 

After his death, the house was listed for $350 million, a California record. It was reduced to $245 million the following year, and in 2019, The Wall Street Journal reported that American billionaire and news mogul Lachlan Murdoch had bought the mansion for $150 million.

10. Mylestone, Meadow Lane

In August 2021, multiple sources reported that the Mylestone at Meadow Lane was the most expensive listing in the country. Generally, The Hamptons is known for its expensive and luxurious houses, but inside the Hamptons, there’s a five-mile strip of land with a higher level of exclusivity and class called Meadow Lane. Nicknamed Billionaire Lane, it is home to billionaires like Ken Griffin and Daniel Och.

In 2021, The Mylestone was listed, and billionaires were allowed to purchase the 15,521-square-foot modern-style mansion. The house is spacious, with 11 bedrooms, 20 bathrooms, and a couple of richly furnished living rooms. This Tudor-style mansion is a blend of old and new designs with timeless aesthetics, modern wallpapers, stunning timber floors, and kitchens adorned with beautiful tiles.

Like the other houses in its luxurious category, there’s a standard gym and yoga house, a classical-themed cinema for movie runs, and a hot tub.  

There’s also an outdoor heated pool, a basketball and tennis court, an outdoor dining space, and to cap it all off, the house has a helipad for a quick escape and a deep water dock if you feel like using the water. For $175 million, you can own this beauty and a prestigious spot in billionaire lane.

11. Casa Encantada, Bel Air

The Casa Encantada is one of the most expensive homes in the US as of 2022. The 85-year-old masterpiece was initially designed and built for Hilda Olsen Boldt Weber, who wanted to make a statement in Los Angeles high society. Building the Casa Encantada cost Weber her entire worth. She failed to gain the recognition she craved but managed to build one of the country’s most admired houses to date.

James Dolena was the lead designer and styled the house as a modern Georgian with Grecian influences. The house has an H-shape allowing first-class garden and ocean views from its 60 rooms. Its interior is roughly 40,000 square feet, with the rooms adorned with neo-classical themed floorboards, wallpapers, and furniture.

Unlike most wealthy homeowners who purchased furniture from department stores at a mostly high rate, Weber commissioned the furniture making to British designer T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings. The furniture used in Casa Encantada interiors is valued at $35 million. It’s currently home to some of the most expensive furniture in the world.

12. West Creek Ranch, Mesa County

West Creek Ranch is one of the most expensive and biggest houses in the US. This estate covers 8,700 acres of land and is so big that it sits across two states: Utah and Colorado.

John Hendricks, the founder of the Discovery Channel, bought the land in the 90s and began renovations in early 2001. He bought areas around it and transformed the property into the mega-mansion it is today. 

The main home, which is called the West Creek Ranch Residence, is 22,000-square-feet, and in addition, there are several guesthouses and a caretaker’s house, all amounting to a total of 72 rooms. 

Being a fan of the wildlife, Hendricks made sure he included it in the design of his home. The house contains a mountain bear and lion habitat, hard-to-find ruins of the legendary Driggs Mansion, and real-life Dinosaur footprints. All these are located in the backyard. It’s almost unbelievable! It’s like a private island!

There’s no doubt why it’s amongst the most expensive US houses, from its two-story stone library to its state-of-the-art movie theater, gym, art studio, and its pool house.

It was listed for $149 million in 2017, but John Hendricks probably walked through his mansion and felt the price wasn’t enough because in 2019, it was relisted at $279 million, making it one of the most expensive homes in America.

The house comes with two helipads and a car museum with some of Hendricks’s best cars which were all included in the sale. With all this, the price tag doesn’t sound so ridiculous anymore.

The Bottom Line

Twenty years ago, it would have been absolutely insane to list a house for $50 million but real estate has evolved and houses are now being listed for $100+ million. 

Realtors are already projecting that houses will be worth over half a billion dollars in the near future. But till then, these are some of the most expensive houses in the US.

Are you thinking of buying or selling a home? Whether you prefer a luxury home or an average residential property, the Ardor Homes Massachusetts real estate team are available to help you find what you need.

Besides helping you find your dream home, we will work with you according to your budget and preferences. Contact us today to get started on helping you become the latest homeowner.  

Steph Wilkinson

In her 25-year career, Steph Wilkinson has been involved in the acquisition, marketing and sales of over $3 Billion dollars of residential real estate. A number of years ago, Steph transitioned into Brokerage Leadership for National real estate brands and tech start-ups. She has served as a Business Strategist for real estate agents and brokerages alike and is also a real estate coach and trainer. In her new role with the Iconic Team, Steph will be responsible for the growth of the team and will be working with all of our agents to increase their productivity and bottom line.