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      in Vacation Homes

      How a Man-Made Lake in Alabama Became a Hotspot for Luxury Homebuyers

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      When dreaming of owning a waterfront home or weekend getaway, it’s typically the West Coast and the Eastern Seaboard that come to mind. But it turns out there’s a new shoreline that homebuyers are flocking to, and it’s in Alabama.  

      Lake Martin, a 40,000-acre man-made body of water about an hour’s drive east of Montgomery, has long generated interest from high-net-worth buyers. However, over the last handful of years, the quaint towns and planned developments surrounding the lake have seen an influx of out-of-town buyers swooping in to scoop up what’s now considered some of the most sought-after real estate on the Gulf Coast, The Wall Street Journal reported.

      Steve Arnberg, vice president of real estate sales at Russell Lands, reported a significant increase in home prices in just the last five years. Specifically in Alexander City, Dadeville, and Tallassee, in addition to residential neighborhoods like The Ridge, Willow Point, The Heritage, and StillWaters. A new Russell Lands development dubbed Wicker Point Golf Club is set to open in September, with lots seeing bids in excess of $1 million. 

      In July, the annual average sales price for a single-family home clocked in at roughly $1.3 million. To put things into perspective, that’s around a 95 percent spike from just four years prior, when residences along Lake Martin’s 800-mile shoreline were going for $668,000. 

      Among the area’s recent buyers is Bruce Pearl, head coach of Auburn University’s men’s basketball team, who picked up a property in an upscale resort-style development known as The Ridge in 2019. Pearl shelled out a cool $900,000 for his waterfront lot and estimated he put in about $3 million into building his 8,000-square-foot lakeside mansion. “There’s just no way you’d expect, in the middle of Alabama, to have this amazing lake, these incredible golf courses, and these multimillion-dollar homes,” Pearl told the WSJ.

      One of the most expensive pads currently on the Lake Martin market, listed for just shy of $6 million, is a six-bedroom, seven-bath home in Alexander City. Built in 2016, the home sits on over an acre of land in the North Ridge neighborhood and comes with a pier that juts out into the lake, a boat slip and lift, and a three-car garage. You’ll also find a massive outdoor pavilion with a kitchen, a state-of-the-art wine cellar, and three fireplaces.  

      “You just can’t help but enjoy yourself here,” remarked Robert Cobb, a member of the Willow Point community. “It’s so peaceful and serene.” For vacationers who want to make Lake Martin their next home away from home, its central location provides access to many of the area’s popular attractions. Come summertime, jet skiing, cliff jumping, horseback riding, and pulling off at dock-and-dine restaurants are a few ways residents like to spend their days.  More

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      in Vacation Homes

      This Modern Villa on a Private Island in Fiji Runs $7,800 Per Night

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      The hardest part of planning a vacation can be deciding where to stay. But when you’ve rented your own full-service villa in the South Pacific, all you need to choose is who you’re gonna bring. 

      Reef House, on privately owned Vomo Island in Fiji, is available to rent out for up to 10 of your closest friends and fam. The secluded pad, which sits on roughly 330 feet of powdery beachfront, has five bedrooms and just about every creature comfort you can imagine, from an 80-foot infinity pool to a personal butler.  

      The Reef House on Fiji’s Vomo Island is available for rent for up to 10 people.

      Mark Snyder/VOMO Island Fiji

      Overlooking the Yasawa Islands, Vomo Island has just 34 residences spread across its 225 acres. Reef House just so happens to be the biggest and the newest. For $7,862 a night, you and your guests will have all your meals and non-alcoholic bevvies covered, plus complimentary Wi-Fi and laundry service, access to non-motorized water sports, and use of the island resort’s tennis court, gym, and golf course. Did we mention the property is only accessible via helicopter or seaplane? 

      The five-bedroom home is the biggest residence on the resort.

      Mark Snyder/VOMO Island Fiji

      Nestled on just shy of two acres and designed by Mark Richi, managing director of the award-winning firm Architecture Building Culture, the home has a contemporary vibe to it. Internally, the abode feels casual and serene thanks to an abundance of neutral tones and natural materials, like the off-white limestone that was imported from Portugal. There’s also blonde Victorian ash wood paneling, and off-white painted plaster walls. Dark-tinted windows help mitigate the sun’s heat and glare.  

      The heart of the dwelling comprises one long, low-slung structure that houses the living room, dining area, and open-plan kitchen. Full-height glass walls in the living room and dining spaces slide open to a spacious loggia, creating a continuous space that serves as a single alfresco poolside hangout.

      The primary suite has its own wing with an outdoor terrace and hot tub.

      Mark Snyder/VOMO Island Fiji

      At one end of the great room, you’ll find two pavilions that hold four suites, each with separate entries, ensuite bathrooms, and walk-in closets. And over on the eastern side, the primary suite is a free-standing pavilion complete with an ensuite bath and an outdoor lounge. Another of the estate’s more notable features is the hot tub, which is equipped with a system that makes the water cooler if it’s too sweltering to soak comfortably.

      If and when you do decide to rejoin the group, kick back on any of the many sundecks or take a dip in the charcoal-tiled pool.  

      Click here to see all the photos of the Reef House.  

      Mark Snyder/VOMO Island Fiji More

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      in Luxury

      For $4.2 Million, You Can Step Into a Footwear Mogul’s Idyllic Costa Rica Retreat

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      Always wanted to experience a privileged coastal lifestyle rarely afforded to anyone other than perhaps a multimillionaire footwear mogul—one where you can easily walk to a famed surf break on the Pacific or seamlessly commune with nature amid your very own rainforest-encased haven, for instance?

      Well, if you have an extra $4 million and change burning a hole in your proverbial pocket, this idyllic Costa Rica estate owned by Toms Shoes founder Blake Mycoskie just might be the perfect spot to put down some roots…or should we say soles?

      Nestled amid a forested parcel of land on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, in the affluent Playa Hermosa neighborhood of Santa Teresa, the modern residence was designed by architect Benjamin Garcia Saxe of Studio Saxe and completed in 2020, and features two distinct side-by-side homes in a serene abode collectively known as “Naia.”

      The Costa Rica estate is made up of two separate homes known collectively as “Naia.”

      Andres Garcia Lachner/Studio Saxe

      Fronting the complex is a single-level residence that opens to an interior garden and pool, and sitting adjacent is a larger two-story house hosting another pool. Both have been crafted with central walkways that separate the open-concept common areas on one side from the more self-contained bedrooms on the other, with the al fresco living and dining area in the main structure holding court beneath a striking double-height atrium.

      Overall, there is a combined total of six bedrooms and eight baths in a little more than 6,400 square feet of minimalist living space boasting polished floors, concrete walls and striking teak screens throughout; and the place also comes with plenty of sustainable features, including naturally lit and ventilated rooms, solar panels to provide hot water and roof-collected rainwater for irrigating the grounds.

      A striking double-height atrium tops the open-concept living and dining portion of the main two-story home, sheltering residents from the elements.

      Andres Garcia Lachner/Studio Saxe

      MyCoskie, who is newly married to former model Molly Holm, launched Toms after a 2006 trip to Argentina where he saw kids with no shoes and decided to donate a pair for each one sold. Most recently, he’s been in the news for contributing $100 million (reportedly a quarter of his net worth) to support research into the medical and mental health benefits of psychedelics.

      The listing is held by Andrea Bissinger and Reese Langston of 2Costa Rica Real Estate.

      Click here for more photos of Blake Mycoskie’s Costa Rica estate. More

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      in Luxury

      Halsey Buys the Beatles Sound Engineer’s Magical Los Angeles Hideaway

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      Halsey recently put her extravagant estate near Calabasas up for sale, asking $12 million. Previously owned by One Direction’s Liam Payne and sprawling across some five contiguous acres, that property has since sold for $11.6 million to an anonymous buyer.

      The “Without Me” singer appears to have radically altered her living situation; records confirm she’s paid $2.5 million to buy a small but stunning bungalow in L.A.’s musician-loved Laurel Canyon neighborhood. Nestled into the base of a rugged hill, the 1929 cottage was recently updated and heavily revised by Lauren Caris Cohan, a filmmaker and chief creative officer for the fashion brand Reformation. Before that, the 1,117-square-foot residence was long owned by music industry legend Geoff Emerick.

      Emerick, best known as an audio engineer for The Beatles, helped produce some of the most iconic albums in rock history — “Revolver,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and “Abbey Road.” And Emerick’s talents proved immensely popular with other industry folk, as he later worked with Elvis Costello, Kate Bush, The Zombies, and Paul McCartney’s post-Beatles group Wings.

      Walled, gated and set high above the street, the Laurel Canyon home is admirably private. A quaint stone-and-brick staircase leads to a hand-carved front door; inside, the two-bedroom structure includes a surprisingly large living room with a soaring ceiling, original oak hardwood floors, intricate iron detailing and an original wood-burning fireplace.

      Mixed in with all those vintage features are plenty of modern amenities, too. Most notably, the kitchen offers new Italian terracotta floors, top-of-the-line Bertazzoni appliances and brass fixtures. Elsewhere are two bathrooms, both slathered in Japanese ceramic tile, and a spacious rooftop deck with built-in seating and a gas fireplace.

      Out back, the half-acre lot is shaded by mature trees and is visually spruced up by a Mediterranean-style garden awash in lavender and bougainvillea. Those lush pantings surround multiple terraced patios ideal for al fresco entertaining, a petite plunge pool and even an outdoor shower.

      Halsey, 28, is new to the Laurel Canyon area but not to the Hollywood Hills. From 2017-2020, she lived in the nearby Beachwood Canyon neighborhood, where she owned an updated midcentury home situated almost directly below the famed Hollywood Sign. More

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      in Vacation Homes

      Forget Florida. Retirees Are Moving Overseas and Settling Down in Dubai.

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      When many people in the U.S. think of retirement, they often imagine the wide beaches and crystalline waters of Florida. However, more and more retirees are being lured by more far-flung locales, such as the ritzy city of Dubai.

      The UAE metropolis has had a surge in pensioners looking to relocate abroad, and for some pretty compelling reasons, too. Aside from year-round sunshine, the gleaming urban desert paradise is known for its dazzling skyline, beautiful beaches, internationally acclaimed golf courses, and bustling arts and culture scene. Another chief attraction is the country’s citizenship programs, which make securing long-term residency available through investing in real estate.  

      “Although Dubai is not a typical retirement destination like Greece and Spain, we are seeing an increasing number of retirees settling in Dubai,” Maximilian Stamm, head of Engel & Völkers Private Office EMEA, tells Mansion Global. “Recent changes in government regulations have enabled residents to secure long-term golden visas and residencies, making it easier for retirees to stay in the city.” 

      Full-time and part-time retirees have a variety of housing options, from amenity-rich high-rise condos to swanky beachfront villas and epic mega-mansions. Prices range from $800,000 to more than $10 million, depending on the home’s size and the neighborhood. “Retirees seeking opulent living experiences usually live in Palm Jumeirah, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai Marina, Dubai Hills Estates, and Downtown Dubai,” Stamm adds. “These locations offer breathtaking views, accessibility to world-class amenities, and various leisure activities.” 

      More retirees are moving overseas and buying property in Dubai.

      David Cannon/Getty Images

      According to Honey Deylami, executive partner at Luxhabitat Sotheby’s International Realty in Dubai, branded residences are especially popular among retirees because of their five-star hotel-like offerings. Think on-site wellness facilities, Olympic-sized swimming pools, tennis courts, and lavish spas. Recently, a not-yet-built penthouse sold for a record-breaking $115 million. The unit is located within the Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab resort, which will feature a 387-room hotel, 82 residences, and a superyacht marina when it’s complete. 

      For active types, the Arabian city has no shortage of recreational options, including horseback riding, golf, indoor skiing, padel tennis, and kayaking. And if your goal is to simply relax and enjoy your golden years, you’ve got one of the world’s most glamorous cities at your fingertips. “From swanky rooftop bars to trendy Michelin-starred restaurants, the city truly offers a vibrant social scene that caters to all tastes,” notes Stamm.   More

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      in Luxury

      Reclusive French Entertainer Claudine Longet Lists $60 Million Aspen Estate

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      Over the summer, a 5.4-acre estate within the private Red Mountain Ranch enclave just north of downtown Aspen, Colo., came to market with an $80 million price tag. Had it sold for anywhere near the sky-high asking price, it would have easily surpassed the current record—$72.5 million—for the most expensive home ever sold in the wealthy and notoriously pricy Rocky Mountain retreat. Alas, with no takers ready to break that real estate record, the price has since tumbled by about 25% to its current (and still eye-popping!) $59.5 million. 

      Described in marketing material as “Aspen’s last great property,” the unpretentious estate “offers privacy, luxury, and stunning views from Aspen Mountain to Mount Sopris.” In addition to the main house, which disperses three bedrooms and three bathrooms over about 3,500 square feet, there’s an almost 1,400-square-foot studio/guesthouse with another bedroom and bath, plus a detached two-car garage.

      The main house sits just above a small private pond.

      Mountain Home Photo/Sotheby’s International Realty

      Capped by a green metal roof, the wood-clad two-story main house spills out to a huge deck and a flagstone patio perched above a boulder-strewn lawn that rolls down to and surrounds a postcard-ready private pond with the Rocky Mountains as its dramatic backdrop. The guesthouse, which also has a deck with stunning mountain views, is privately squirreled away from the main house amid a forest of mature cottonwood and aspen trees. 

      Gorgeous and alluring at every time of year, with a slender stream that meanders through it, the picturesque property has the potential to be split into several lots, according to listings held by Lex Tarumianz of Aspen Snowmass Sotheby’s International Realty and Brian Hazen at Coldwell Banker Mason Morse.

      A stream meanders through the estate’s rolling landscape.

      Mountain Home Photo/Sotheby’s International Realty

      Tax records show the property is owned by French entertainer Claudine Longet, now in her 80s. Longet skyrocketed to showbiz stardom in the early 1960s when she married crooner Andy “Mr. Christmas” Williams. During her time in the showbiz limelight, she released numerous albums and appeared in many TV programs and movies, including opposite Peter Sellers in Blake Edwards’s 1968 box-office hit The Party. (She also sang the dreamy song Nothing to Lose in the film.)

      Sometime after she and Williams split up in 1970, Longet moved to Aspen, where she’s lived a quiet life among the world’s snow skiing glitterati since she was convicted in 1977 on a negligent homicide charge in connection to the accidental shooting death of her then boyfriend, former Olympic skier Spider Sabich. She later married local Aspen attorney Ron Austin, who represented her at her trial. The couple has long maintained a home in Hawaii as well.

      Click here for all the photos of 209 East Reds Road.

      Mountain Home Photo/Sotheby’s International Realty More

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      in Luxury

      A Pizza Mogul’s $34 Million Beverly Park Mansion Sells to a Prominent Surgeon

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      After first putting his Beverly Hills-adjacent home up for sale at the beginning of this year, pizza pie tycoon Larry Flax and his wife Joni have successfully unloaded the elaborate spread, complete with its healthy extra helping of custom ingredients, for $34.4 million. While that’s significantly less than the California Pizza Kitchen cofounder’s original $48.5 million asking price, it’s still a very impressive number for the guarded Beverly Park enclave, arguably the most desirable gated community in Los Angeles.

      Records confirm the spendy buyer is an entity tied to Dr. Bardia Anvar, a Beverly Hills-based general surgeon and founder of the national surgical-based Skilled Wound Care chain, and his wife Tania Pourat, a dentist. Anvar and Pourat, who also own a custom-built home in the Beverly Hills Flats neighborhood, now hold title to a 14,000-square-foot Beverly Park manor sporting seven bedrooms and some 12 bathrooms.

      Completed in 1994, and tucked away behind gates and a circular motorcourt embellished with a tiered fountain, the property includes a French chateau-inspired main house and detached guesthouse spread across a 2.8-acre parcel of lushly landscaped land.

      Wrought-iron and wood-trimmed doors open into a limestone-clad foyer, which displays a sweeping staircase and gold-leaf dome boasting a marbled alabaster skylight. From there, the formal living room has a glass-encased entertaining area and floor-to-ceiling French doors spilling out to a covered loggia with a fireplace, plus a 20-seat dining room adorned with a coved ceiling and hand-painted wall paneling flanked by a china room with plenty of felt-lined storage space.

      The house offers walls of glass overlooking the lush grounds.

      Adrian Van Anz

      And that’s not even the topping on this proverbial real estate pizza! There’s also a limestone-bathed family room with its own marble fireplace and wet bar, connecting via pocket doors to a gourmet kitchen outfitted with a wraparound granite island, commercial-grade appliances, a butler’s pantry and fireside dining area overlooking an 1,800-bottle wine cellar.

      Other highlights include a wood-paneled library and glass conservatory topped by a Murano glass chandelier, along with a sumptuous upstairs master retreat that comes complete with a separate seating area with fireplace, kitchenette and private balcony, as well as dual bathroom suites equipped with walk-in closets, a soaking tub, fireplace and an office. Also on tap is a movie theater with a velvet stage curtain.

      Outside, the rigidly manicured grounds feature rose gardens, a big grassy lawn, a full-size tennis court and meandering pathways. Spacious patios provide plenty of opportunities for al fresco lounging and entertaining, and there’s a 70-foot swimmer’s pool with a spa serviced by an outdoor kitchen and built-in BBQ.

      Rounding it all out is garaging for five cars, and monthly HOA dues of nearly $5,200 just for the privilege of calling the exclusive community home. Some of the nearest neighbors include Adele, Denzel Washington, Sofia Vergara, Rod Stewart and Eddie Murphy.

      This is hardly Dr. Anvar’s first brush with celebrity. Less than two years ago, he paid $10.3 million for the oceanfront Malibu home of actor Leo DiCaprio. As for Flax, he’s moved on to a $12.5 million condo at the Century, one of L.A.’s most prestigious residential skyscrapers.

      Jade Mills of Coldwell Banker and Linda May of Carolwood Estates repped both Flax and Anvar in the Beverly Park transaction.

      Click here to see more photos of the Beverly Park mansion that pizza built. More

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      in Luxury

      An Apple Cofounder’s Sprawling Central California Ranch Sells to The Wildlands Conservancy

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      After first popping up for sale back in 2013 for nearly $60 million, and then undergoing several price chops through the years, a 14,100-acre Central California ranch long owned by Apple cofounder and former CEO Mike Markkula and his wife Linda has finally been snapped up by The Wildlands Conservancy.

      One of the largest historic landholdings in Monterey County—stretching a lengthy eight miles through the Upper Carmel Valley—the massive spread was acquired by the San Bernardino County-based nonprofit in late July for a still hefty $35 million. Funding was provided via a mix of public and private financing, with the largest $24 million chunk coming from the California Wildlife Conservation Board.

      The traditional homeland of the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County, the conservancy plans to partner with the tribe to help steward the land, restore its fish and wildlife, and provide free recreational opportunities to the public. The group currently operates more than 20 other nature preserves on the West Coast.

      The 14,100-acre property includes a main home, guesthouse, conference center, private lake, riding arena, two barns and a 2,900-foot airstrip.

      Hall and Hall

      The Markkulas purchased the original 9,000-acre ranch back in early 1982 for just over $8 million, and subsequently tacked on numerous adjoining properties to expand the acreage. Nestled between the Salinas Valley and Santa Lucia Range, the working cattle ranch/owner’s retreat is showcased by a 5,413-square-foot, one-bedroom main house with a Western-themed bar and swimming pool, plus an attached two-bedroom guest wing accessible via a covered walkway.

      Additional buildings include a separate two-bedroom guesthouse with its own four-car garage, multiple offices and staff quarters, and a two-story conference center. There’s also a private lake, riding arena, two barns, a 2,900-foot airstrip and helipad.

      In the late 1970s, after retiring from Intel, Markkula gave then-unknown computer programmers Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak $250,000 to help form Apple. He became the third employee, served as chairman and CEO, and at one time owned 26 percent of the company. Markkula, who has an estimated net worth of around $1.2 billion, also owns homes in Woodside, Calif., and Hawaii.

      Bill McDavid of Hall and Hall repped both sides of the deal.

      Click here for more photos of Rana Creek Ranch.

      Hall and Hall More