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    The Creator of ‘Arthur’ Just Listed His Storybook Mansion in Martha’s Vineyard for $6.9 Million

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    If you grew up watching the animated sitcom Arthur or reading the beloved books, get ready to experience a little nostalgia in real estate form. The longtime Martha’s Vineyard home of Arthur creator Marc Brown and his wife, artist and author Laurene Krasny Brown, is up for grabs for the first time in 37 years. Asking price? $6.9 million.

    Tucked inside Pilot Hill Farm—a tightly held enclave known for its privacy, farm access, and walkable beach—the nearly eight-acre compound feels like something out of a picture book. Fitting, given who lived here.

    The heart of the property is a historic farmhouse that was built in 1730 but has been lovingly restored over the years. It showcases a myriad of delightful original features, such as hand-painted Siberian elm floors, cozy fireplaces, gunstock posts, and a classic Dutch door. There’s no shortage of modern touches, either: A sprawling great room, a screened-in porch overlooking a saltwater pool, and a bright, updated kitchen make the home as functional as it is charming.

    RELATED: A Dr. Seuss Collaborator’s Former N.Y.C. Townhouse Can Be Yours for $13.5 Million

    Wildflower meadows, stone walls, and a tranquil pond create an enchanting backyard.

    Marc Fairstein/ozoroco

    Spread out across the grounds are a handful of equally enchanting outbuildings: an artist’s studio, a three-car carriage house with a second studio upstairs, and a guesthouse with two more bedrooms and a soaring double-height living room.

    As both author and illustrator, Brown has long drawn inspiration from the world around him. The aardvark’s bedroom in Arthur was loosely based on his own son’s childhood room in Hingham, Massachusetts, The Wall Street Journal reported. And in his most recent animated series Hop on HBO Max, a moss-covered stone bridge on this very Vineyard property sparked the idea for a hidden troll’s home, tucked away in the woods. Outside, it’s all wildflower meadows, stone walls, and shady trees—plus a pond, a babbling brook, and gardens that feel more like a private arboretum than a backyard. Like much of Brown’s storytelling, the landscape here lives somewhere between reality and imagination.

    RELATED: Former Celtics Co-Owner Jim Pallotta Lists His Sprawling Massachusetts Estate for $38 Million

    The property has not one but two artist studios.

    Danielle Mulcahy/Tea Lane Associates

    “This is a natural haven in a magical setting,” notes the listing, which is represented by Alexis Holden and Elle Lash of Tea Lane Associates/Forbes Global Properties. For fans of Arthur—or anyone craving an island retreat with history, heart, and serious creative pedigree—this storybook sanctuary might just be the perfect next chapter.

    That said, it arrives amid a wave of high-profile activity on the Vineyard. In May, the Obamas’ former summer rental—now owned by famed architect Norman Foster—returned to the market with a $39 million price tag. Set on 30 acres in Chilmark, the estate blends presidential history with contemporary design, having undergone an extensive renovation after Foster purchased it in 2011. And last year, Diane Sawyer’s waterfront compound in nearby Tisbury sold for $23.9 million after just two months on the market. Best get in quick if you want Brown’s pad.

    Click here to see more photos of Marc Brown’s Martha’s Vineyard home.

    Marc Fairstein/ozoroco

    Authors

    Abby Montanez

    Abigail Montanez is a staff writer at Robb Report. She has worked in both print and digital publishing for over half a decade, covering everything from real estate, entertainment, dining, travel to…

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      Former Celtics Co-Owner Jim Pallotta Lists His Sprawling Massachusetts Estate for $38 Million

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      When you’ve spent nearly two decades building the perfect family sanctuary—one that doubles as the private playground for a former NBA team co-owner—it’s not easy to say goodbye. 

      But that’s exactly what Jim Pallotta and his wife, Kim, are doing. Their nearly 20-acre estate and its sprawling 21,000-square-foot mansion in Weston, Massachusetts, a masterpiece of modern grandeur with a dash of English country charm, just hit the market for a whopping $38 million with Mark Doherty of The Sarkis Team at Douglas Elliman and Maggie Gold Seelig of MGS Group Real Estate. 

      Jim, a co-owner and executive board member of the Boston Celtics from 2002 to 2020, and Kim have called their Ash Street spread home since 2006. But now that their two sons have flown the coop, the couple admits the custom-built abode is simply “too big” for just the two of them, they told The Wall Street Journal. Their plan? To live a tri-coastal lifestyle, splitting time between their other homes in Nantucket, Miami, and Charleston, South Carolina. 

      RELATED: Red Sox Legend David Ortiz’s Former Miami Mansion Lists for $11.5 Million

      The home pairs high ceilings, wide-plank wood floorboards, and intricate moldings with bright, sunlit interiors.

      Eytan Stern Weber/Evan Joseph Studio

      The Pallottas’ compound is a rare gem in this prestigious Boston suburb. Designed by Connecticut’s Shope Reno Wharton to evoke an English country estate, the home blends classic architectural details with a ton of modern amenities. Think soaring ceilings, intricate moldings, and sun-drenched rooms. 

      At the heart of the main floor is a chef’s dream kitchen featuring two large islands, a pizza oven, and a cozy fireplace. The expansive layout also includes multiple formal and informal entertaining spaces, two offices, a guest suite, and a screened porch with a fireplace and built-in grill. 

      RELATED: The Obamas’ Former Martha’s Vineyard Getaway Hits the Market for $39 Million

      The music-listening room has been soundproofed.

      Eytan Stern Weber/Evan Joseph Studio

      Upstairs, the palatial primary suite is a retreat within a retreat, sporting dual dressing rooms, a spa-like bathroom, a private sitting area, and an upstairs office. Four additional bedroom suites and a second-floor family room provide plenty of space for guests and kids coming home to visit. Meanwhile, the walk-out lower level is a bona fide entertainment hub, complete with a theater, gym, billiards room, gaming lounge, bar, and wine cellar. 

      Outside, the resort-style grounds reveal why this estate is truly one of a kind. A sparkling pool with a pool house (full kitchen and bath included), a basketball court, and an oversized four-car garage complete the picture. But perhaps the most delightfully unique feature is the room dedicated to Kim’s extensive collection of antique Santa Claus figurines—an homage to holiday cheer that transforms the house into a winter wonderland each year, The Journal reported.

      While the $38 million price tag narrows the field of potential buyers, this estate is poised to set a new record as the most expensive home ever sold in Weston. 

      Click here to see more photos of the Weston estate.

      Eytan Stern Weber/Evan Joseph Studio

      Authors

      Abby Montanez

      Abigail Montanez is a staff writer at Robb Report. She has worked in both print and digital publishing for over half a decade, covering everything from real estate, entertainment, dining, travel to…

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      in Luxury

      $49.5 Million Modern Penthouse In Boston (PHOTOS)

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      Listed with The Sarkis Team of Douglas Elliman Real Estate LOCATION: Boston, Massachusetts SQUARE FOOTAGE: 10,000 BEDROOMS & BATHROOMS: 6 bedrooms & 10 bathrooms PRICE: $49,500,000 This modern 2-level penthouse sits atop the The St. Regis Residences building located at Boston, Massachusetts.  It features 10,000 square feet of living space with 6 bedrooms, 8 full […] More

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      in Luxury

      The Obamas’ Former Martha’s Vineyard Getaway Hits the Market for $39 Million

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      This iconic Martha’s Vineyard estate—once the Obamas’ go-to summer sanctuary—is back on the market, asking $39 million. Represented by Maggie Gold Seelig of MGS Group Real Estate and Brian Dougherty of Corcoran Property Advisors, the listing has both an architectural pedigree and presidential provenance. 

      Set on nearly 30 private acres in Chilmark, the estate hugs the shoreline of Tisbury Great Pond and delivers serious Vineyard magic: rolling lawns, meadows, and waterfront views. The Obama family rented the home for their summer getaways between 2009 and 2011, reportedly paying $50,000 a week, according to The Wall Street Journal. It’s also where President Barack Obama addressed the nation after Hurricane Irene and honored the late Senator Ted Kennedy, Architectural Digest reported. Years later, the former first family would return to the island to put down more permanent roots, purchasing a $14.85 million estate in nearby Edgartown in 2019.

      At the heart of the property is a gracious 7,000-square-foot main house—classic New England on the outside, tailored luxury inside. Think vaulted ceilings, stone fireplaces, wraparound porches, and a dining room with knockout water views. Arrive via a gated drive, passing a 150-year-old Pennsylvania barn clad in cedar shingles, and it’s hard not to feel like you’ve stumbled into an East Coast fairytale. 

      RELATED: Al Pacino’s Former Beverly Hills Rental Home Is Up for Grabs at $16 Million

      Foster has renovated the property, including the main house, since he bought it over a decade ago.

      Evan Joseph Photography

      But here’s where it gets really interesting: the estate’s current owner is none other than vaunted British architect Norman Foster, the mind behind London’s Gherkin and Wembley Stadium. Foster was struck by the estate’s pastoral approach and the authenticity of its architecture, describing it as a “classic New England house that had grown from historic farming roots,” The WSJ reported. What made it special, he added, was its ability to feel remote and expansive while still sitting in the heart of Martha’s Vineyard. 

      Since acquiring the property in 2011 for $22.4 million, Foster, the founder and chairman of Foster + Partners, has injected his signature style into the compound, most notably with the sleek, contemporary pool and poolhouse he designed to contrast the classic clapboard main home. Modernism meets Martha’s Vineyard? Yes, indeed, and somehow, it works. 

      RELATED: Bill Gates’s Former Waterfront Mansion in Florida Can Be Yours for $23.5 Million

      Vast walls of glass bring the outside to the inside of the Foster-designed poolside pavilion.

      Evan Joseph Photography

      Scattered across the grounds are a five-bedroom guesthouse, a boathouse with a private dock, a design studio, a gym, tennis and basketball courts, an apple orchard, equestrian paddocks, and staff housing. It’s a compound built for both deep relaxation and active living—with just enough gravitas to host a head of state. 

      While Martha’s Vineyard’s luxury market has cooled since the pandemic peak, properties with notable provenance continue to draw interest. Case in point: Diane Sawyer’s waterfront retreat sold for $23.9 million in late 2023 after just two months on the market and for just shy of its $24 million ask. Meanwhile, the island’s median home price dipped to $1.1 million in April, down more than 30 percent from the previous year. 

      Click here to see more photos of Blue Heron Farm.  

      Evan Joseph Photography

      Authors

      Abby Montanez

      Abigail Montanez is a staff writer at Robb Report. She has worked in both print and digital publishing for over half a decade, covering everything from real estate, entertainment, dining, travel to…

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      in Luxury

      This $2.2 Million Massachusetts Home Is Where Walt Disney Reportedly Wrote ‘Fantasia’

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      Walt Disney may have settled down in Southern California, but he wrote his hit musical Fantasia at this magical home in Massachusetts. 

      Located in Centerville, a historic village on Cape Cod, the shingled abode is on the market for just shy of $2.2 million. According to the listing, the property originally belonged to a larger estate known as Fernbrook, which dates back to 1881. In its 143-year lifespan, the inn has hosted famous visitors from Audrey Hepburn to the Kennedys and counts Herbert T. Kalmus, the inventor of the Technicolor motion picture process, as its former owner. 

      During Kalmus’s time at Fernbrook, he invited Disney to stay at the estate. The movie and TV producer is believed to have penned the 1940s animated film while holed up in the abode’s water tower, which the house on offer is built around. “The base of the tower is now the primary bedroom,” Gene Orloff of Sotheby’s International Realty—Cape Cod, Osterville Brokerage, told Mansion Global. “The top of the water tower is a wonderful room with a bar and original huge windows that drop into the sills for air and an almost 360-degree view of Centerville and peaks of Nantucket Sound. 

      RELATED: A $14 Million Cape Cod Home Packed With the Charm of a Bygone Era Is Listed for the First Time in 50 Years

      The octagonal water tower where Walt Disney is said to have wrote Fantasia.

      Nauset Media for Sotheby’s International Realty

      The current residence, which was constructed in 1995, last sold in 2017 for a cool $1.13 million. Altogether, the dwelling measures 5,050 square feet and features six bedrooms and four full bathrooms. Another cool feature: legendary landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead, best known for designing several public parks, starting with Central Park in New York City and Harvard University’s Arnold Arboretum, was tapped to spruce up the roughly one-acre grounds, which include a lily pond and lush gardens. 

      The home features refinished wood floors and a vaulted, wood-clad ceilings.

      Nauset Media for Sotheby’s International Realty

      Set across three floors, the home is decked out with exposed beams and oversized windows that overlook the bucolic landscape. On the first level, you’ll also find the primary suite, a renovated chef’s kitchen, a guest room, and a dining area. Elsewhere, surrounding porches and decks are perfect for soaking in the sun and provide easy access to the heated swimming pool.  

      RELATED: Harry Connick Jr. Is Asking $12.5 Million for His Coastal New England Retreat

      Nestled on Centerville’s Main Street—recognized by the National Register of Historic Places—the house itself is a stone’s throw from Craigville Beach and the beloved Four Seas Ice Cream. Taylor Swift and Adam Sandler have visited the latter. The shop was reportedly put up for sale in February.  

      Click here to see more photos of 489 Main Street.  

      Nauset Media for Sotheby’s International Realty

      Authors

      Abby Montanez

      Abigail Montanez is a staff writer at Robb Report. She has worked in both print and digital publishing for over half a decade, covering everything from real estate, entertainment, dining, travel to…

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      in Luxury

      Celtics Star Jaylen Brown Hopes to Hook a Buyer for His Boston Penthouse

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      Always wanted to sit back and relax in a lofty abode offering picturesque views of South Boston‘s Seaport area—one with an expansive roof deck and easy access to an acclaimed steakhouse, for instance? Well, if you’ve got an extra $4.75 million lying around and are eager to spend it, this industrial-style residence in the Fort Point neighborhood might be the ideal spot to settle down in unique style.

      Records show the condo was last purchased for $5.5 million in October 2021. Its current owner is Celtics star Jaylen Brown, who was named NBA Finals MVP in June after the team snagged its league-record 18th championship. Tailored to suit his personal needs, the corner unit lies on the top floor of the five-story Necco Landing building, which once served as a textile factory.

      The kitchen features an eat-in island and high-end stainless appliances.

      Surette Media Group

      RELATED: Celtics Star Al Horford’s Boston-Area Home Bounces on the Market for $9 Million

      Billed in the listing as a “home for champions,” Brown’s loft features three bedrooms and a matching number of baths in nearly 3,000 square feet of living space adorned throughout with the original exposed brick walls, 12-foot-high wood-beam ceilings, and oversized teal-framed windows providing abundant natural light.

      An open-plan great room holds a living and dining area displaying basketball memorabilia, a wine fridge, a billiard table, and arcade machines, while a sleekly designed kitchen is outfitted with open shelving, an eat-in island, and top-tier stainless appliances. A spacious primary suite boasts two walk-in closets and a bath equipped with dual vanities and a large shower, and elsewhere is an elevator-accessible entry foyer that has a spiral staircase leading up to a 400-square-foot roof deck sporting a fire pit.

      The spacious roof deck comes complete with a fire-pit and city views.

      Surette Media Group

      RELATED: Vladimir Tarasenko Snags Miami Condo, Chris Paul Lists in L.A., and More Sports Celebrity Deals

      The new owner will be required to pay a $1,842 monthly maintenance charge, which includes heat and air-conditioning, water, sewer, master insurance, and trash removal. There’s also a private resident’s entrance to the ground-floor Mooo…. Seaport restaurant.

      Brown, who was drafted as the third overall pick by the Boston Celtics in 2016, agreed to a five-year, $304 million supermax contract extension in 2023, which ranks as the richest contract in NBA history. That means the three-time All-Star will earn an estimated average of $60.8 million per year during the life of the contract.

      The listing is held by George Sarkis and Manny Sarkis of The Sarkis Team at Douglas Elliman.

      Click here for more photos of Jaylen Brown’s Boston penthouse.

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      in Luxury

      Harry Connick Jr. Is Asking $12.5 Million for His Coastal New England Retreat

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      You’ll need more than a wink and a smile to pick up this Massachusetts estate! As first reported by The Wall Street Journal, the coastal 1.3-acre spread long owned by award-winning singer, pianist, and actor Harry Connick Jr. has just popped up for sale in the Lower Cape Cod enclave of Chatham, asking $12.5 million. The listing is held by Paul Grover and Matthew de Groot of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Robert Paul Properties.

      Records show the New Orleans-born crooner and his wife, former Victoria’s Secret model Jill Goodacre, paid $5.3 million back in early 2006 for the Oyster Pond Lane property. Tucked away behind tall hedges and a lengthy tree-lined driveway, the charming wood-shingled structure boasts five bedrooms and six bathrooms in a tad over 5,300 square feet of two-level living space, all of it accented throughout with the original pine floors, reclaimed wood, and numerous fireplaces.

      The backyard has an inviting freeform pool, an expansive terrace, and a fire-pit conversation area.

      Jack Vatcher Photography

      Built back in the 1960s but extensively renovated during the couple’s tenure, the blufftop structure overlooks Chatham Village and Oyster Pond, a saltwater basin that flows to Nantucket Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. There’s also a staircase and a raised walkway leading down to a boathouse and a private dock, plus an attached two-car garage.

      Other highlights include an entrance hallway displaying a traditional staircase, along with a cozy family room sporting built-in bookcases flanking a wood-burning fireplace. A gourmet kitchen is outfitted with a built-in buffet, an eat-in island, top-tier stainless appliances, and a dining area flaunting two sets of French doors spilling out to the backyard.

      A private balcony in the primary bedroom overlooks picturesque water vistas.

      Jack Vatcher Photography

      Accessed via a private staircase is an upstairs primary suite, which comes complete with a water-view balcony, a walk-in closet, and a luxe bath equipped with dual vanities, a soaking tub, and a glass-encased shower, as well as a study where Connick worked on his tunes. Outdoors, the park-like grounds are dotted with manicured gardens and mature trees and host a fire pit and a freeform swimming pool surrounded by a brick-clad terrace.

      According to WSJ, Connick and Goodacre have decided to let go of the house, which is being sold fully furnished, because they are spending less time on the Cape now that their children are grown.

      In other musician-related real estate news, Kendrick Lamar reportedly just dropped $40 million on a nine-bedroom estate in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Brentwood, while his current arch nemesis Drake wrangled a sprawling Texas ranch for $15 million. Meghan Trainor also scooped up DJ Zedd’s rockstar-worthy mansion in L.A. for $17 million.

      Click here for more photos of Harry Connick Jr.’s Cape Cod house.

      Jack Vatcher Photography More

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      Celtics Star Al Horford’s Boston-Area Home Bounces on the Market for $9 Million

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      After almost three years of ownership, Al Horford is moving on from his Massachusetts estate. The acre-plus spread, tucked away just minutes from downtown Boston in the suburban community of Brookline, is back on the market for a smidge under $9 million. The five-time NBA All-Star and highest-paid Latin American player—who is currently competing in the Eastern Conference Finals with the Boston Celtics—acquired the classic Colonial-inspired home for $7.5 million back in fall 2021, shortly after it was newly built.

      Resting behind wrought-iron gates and fully fenced, the three-level structure is fronted by a spacious motorcourt flanked by an attached three-car garage. Once inside, six bedrooms and eight baths are filtered across a little more than 9,300 square feet of living space that’s been virtually staged by Spotless Agency and boasts caramel-hued hardwood floors, high ceilings, and designer lighting throughout.

      The formal window-lined living room has enough space for a grand piano.

      Surette Media Group

      Glass doors open into a soaring tiled entry foyer displaying a stylish glass-railed staircase and large Pella-brand windows. To one side is the living room, with a dining room on the other. Cloistered in the back of the house is a gourmet kitchen outfitted with sleek white cabinetry, an eat-in island that seats four, a walk-in pantry, and top-tier Miele, Wolf, and Sub-Zero appliances. An adjacent breakfast nook is flanked by a climate-controlled wine cabinet and a family room sporting a chic linear fireplace built into a decorative accent wall, and other main-level highlights include a junior primary suite with its own balcony.

      Elsewhere is an opulent upstairs primary retreat featuring a sitting area warmed by a fireplace, a walk-in closet, a dressing room, and a spa-like bath equipped with dual vanities, a freestanding soaking tub, and a glass-encased shower for two. Four additional en-suite bedrooms and a laundry room can also be found on this floor, while the bottom-most level features a partially finished basement holding a media room, and the woodsy grounds host an expansive rear deck that’s ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining.

      A fireside family room overlooks the backyard.

      Surette Media Group

      In addition to the for-sale Brookline home, which Horford shares with his longtime actress and former Miss Universe wife Amelia Vega, the 37-year-old Dominican basketball player known to his fans as “Big Al” reportedly still maintains a mansion in the Sandy Springs neighborhood of Atlanta.

      The listing at 100 Cottage St. is held by the Sarkis Team at Douglas Elliman.

      Click here for more photos of Al Horford’s house.

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      in Vacation Homes

      Inside the Most Expensive Summer Rental on Martha’s Vineyard

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      Martha’s Vineyard has long been a popular summer getaway for high-profile vacationers, including Oprah Winfrey, the Obamas, Larry David, and Bill Gates. This year, the most expensive rental to ever hit the island will cost you an eye-watering $1 million per month. 

      Located at 18 Point Inner Way, overlooking the picturesque Menemsha Pond, the roughly five-acre waterfront compound is available to rent for four consecutive weeks between May and July and September and October. Nestled within the pastoral town of Chilmark, one of New England’s priciest ZIP codes, the sprawling contemporary compound has a whopping 11 bedrooms and 13 bathrooms split between the main house and two additional residences, including a writer’s cottage.

      Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the main house with natural light.

      Bob Gothard/ Wallace & Co. Sotheby’s International Realty

      “The lush green surroundings, invigorating coastal breezes, and overall sense of serenity make it an attractive destination for those in search of an escape,” notes the listing, which is held by Tom Wallace of Wallace & Co. Sotheby’s International Realty.

      To justify the hefty price tag, the coastal estate offers a slew of amenities. Inside the main house, which was originally built in 2012, you’ll find two top-of-the-line chef’s kitchens, a home theater with massaging recliners, a sauna and steam room, and a 30-foot indoor pool. There’s also a large water-facing deck with a built-in grill, a pizza oven, a fire pit, a wooden bar, and an outdoor dining area for up to 24 guests. Of course, sweeping views are a given.

      The five-acre compound can be rented for $1 million a month.

      Bob Gothard/ Wallace & Co. Sotheby’s International Realty

      In addition to the residence, the grounds also include an entertainment building, which holds an indoor basketball court with a professional shooting machine as well as a large fitness studio with Technogym and Peloton equipment. Down below, there’s a six-car garage equipped with Porsche and Tesla charging stations.

      Outside, there are plenty of recreational activities to keep everyone busy. The tennis court can also be used for pickleball; there’s a cedar jungle gym for the kids; and seafarers will appreciate the home’s 115-foot private deep-water dock that’s nicely stocked with paddle boards and kayaks. Even better, guests can choose between three boats to cruise around on the pond, including a swanky 55-foot Novamarine BS160 that was custom-made in Italy. Also in the fleet are a Mastercraft X26 ideal for water skiing or wakeboarding and a 26-foot Zodiac Open 7.0 speed boat if you’re in the mood for something quicker to zip around in.

      Click here to see more photos of 18 Point Inner Way.

      Andrew Azoulay/ Wallace & Co. Sotheby’s International Realty

      Authors

      Abby Montanez

      Abigail Montanez is a staff writer at Robb Report. She has worked in both print and digital publishing for over half a decade, covering everything from real estate, dining, travel and topics…

      Read More More