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      in Luxury

      A Lavishly Customized South Florida Mansion With Broadway Ties Returns for an Encore

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      For a couple of years now, Al Tapper has been trying to find someone to assume the stewardship of his extravagant South Florida residence known as “Villa Museo” with no takers. Sited in the tony seaside city of Boca Raton, the 19th century-inspired spread took a brief absence from the open market but has now returned, this time with a reduced asking price of $7 million.

      That’s $2 million less than the noted Broadway playwright and composer originally wanted for the place. But it’s still lots more than the $1.5 million he paid for the property back in spring 2000, before he spent three years and millions of dollars customizing the premises. Currently chock full of about $1 million worth of distinctive antique furnishings procured by the avid art collector mostly from New York’s renowned Sotheby’s and Christie’s auction houses—all of which can be included in the sale for an additional cost—the ornate abode is being offered by Bonnie Heatzig of Douglas Elliman.

      A soundproof movie theater features stadium seating and recliners, as well as its own ticket booth and snack bar.

      Resting amid a double parcel of land spanning over two-thirds of an acre, within the Coventry subdivision of the exclusive gated Woodfield Country Club community, the waterfront property features a five-bedroom, seven-bath home with a little more than 6,500 square feet of single-level living space adorned throughout with high ceilings, museum-quality lighting, arched windows, carved columns, and walls lined with limestone, mahogany and pecky cypress. There’s also a gym, plus a detached building that houses an art deco-style movie theater sporting stadium seating, a ticket counter and concession stand.

      Other highlights include a formal living room displaying a massive fireplace topped with stone grills, along with a library, formal dining room, and family room and kitchen outfitted with floors culled from a 400-year-old French church. A sumptuous master retreat has “light oak floors that have been stenciled to replicate wood inlays of elaborate parquet floors that were the norm in the late 1800 European manors,” and a carved Louis XVI double bed that has been reconfigured into a king-sized bed.

      For the formal dining room, the owner wanted to recreate the feel of a “fantasy garden.”

      The amenities continue outdoors, where the grounds are laced with walking paths, fruit trees and tropical plants, and host an oversized freeform pool and spa, numerous spots ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining while overlooking a serene lake, and an attached three-car garage; and topping it all off is a transferrable golf membership at Woodfield Country Club, which includes access to an 18-hole championship golf course that was recently redesigned and renovated by architect Kipp Schulties to the tune of around $8 million.

      A longtime venture capitalist, as well as a film producer, Tapper also reportedly still maintains a New York City penthouse, and Cape Cod home and office in his native state of Massachusetts.

      Click here for more photos of Villa Museo. More

    • 175 Shares179 Views

      in Luxury

      Bret Baier Is Looking to Flip His Amenity-Packed Washington, D.C., Estate for $32 Million

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      Now that Bret Baier has upgraded into a new $37 million mansion in the Sunshine State’s affluent Palm Beach community, the chief political anchor of Fox News Channel, and anchor and executive producer of the network’s Special Report program, has decided to put his residence the upper northwest section of Washington, D.C., back on the market, as was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

      The asking price is a speck under $32 million—or $32.5 million more than the Baier and his longtime wife Amy forked over for the 1.5-acre property a little more than five years ago, back in September 2018, before they spent a reported three years and $25 million to completely rebuild every inch of the existing premises in collaboration with developer Michael Banks and architect David Jones.

      Should the house go for anywhere near the hefty list price, it would set a record for the city, topping the sale of a circa-1810 mansion that traded for $24.5 million back in 2007.

      The limestone-clad mansion is fronted by a cobblestone motorcourt boasting a central fountain.

      Studio Trejo/Mid-Atlantic Drones for TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

      Completed in April 2022, and Inspired by France’s Hotel Chateau du Grand-Lucé, the stately limestone and mansard-roof structure features five bedrooms and nine baths spread across 16,250 square feet of Thomas Pheasant-designed living space.

      A gated driveway empties out at a spacious cobblestone motorcourt bolstered by a marble fountain and flanked by a pair of three-car garages. Arched double doors beneath a portico entryway lead into the main level of the multi-level home, which greets with a soaring rotunda-topped foyer displaying a decorative Nero Marquina marble floor imported from Italy and curving floating staircase.

      A grand entry foyer is decked out with Nero Marquina marble flooring from Italy.

      Studio Trejo/Mid-Atlantic Drones for TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

      From there, the fireside living room has a temperature-controlled wine display, seated wet bar and French doors spilling out to a terrace, and a formal dining room flaunts another fireplace, plus a bespoke wood-and-glass table that seats 14. A gourmet kitchen is outfitted with an eat-in island, top-tier Miele, Wolf, and Sub-Zero appliances, and an adjoining breakfast nook that connects to a glass-lined family room.

      Upstairs, an opulent master retreat hosts a fireplace, sitting area, an expansive balcony, and dual walk-in closets and luxe baths. Additional en-suite bedrooms can be found on the third floor and lower level, which also has a wet bar-equipped lounge, game room with golf simulator, movie theater, gym, sauna and an indoor basketball court spanning two stories.

      A two-story indoor basketball court occupies the home’s lower level.

      Studio Trejo/Mid-Atlantic Drones for TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

      Outdoors, the tired grounds were crafted by landscape architect Richard Arentz, and hold a 56-foot pool and spa, chipping and putting green, and numerous spots ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining. There’s also a whole-home 72-kilowatt generator, as well as eight geothermal wells providing 20 tons of cooling capacity.

      Per WSJ, Baier visited Florida frequently during Covid and decided to move there full-time this past summer. He will continue to commute weekly to Washington, where he hosts his live shows, and look for a smaller place there. Baier—whose net worth is estimated at $72 million—also happens to own a second home in Palm Beach that he paid fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger $12 million for in 2022, according to the South Florida Business Journal.

      The listing is held by Daniel Heider and Jaclyn Mason of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty.

      Click here for more photos of Bret Baier’s Washington, D.C., house.

      Studio Trejo/Mid-Atlantic Drones for TTR Sotheby’s International Realty More

    • 138 Shares119 Views

      in Luxury

      Lionel Messi Just Scored a Chic Waterfront Mansion in South Florida

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      Lionel Messi continues to claim his South Florida turf! Not only does the professional footballer already own at least three multimillion-dollar condos in the Miami suburb of Sunny Isles Beach, but now he’s acquired a modern waterfront mansion in Fort Lauderdale’s affluent and guard-gated Bay Colony community.

      The latest splurge comes amid the signing of Messi’s new two-and-a-half-year, $150 million contract with MLS club Inter Miami CF, which is partly owned by David Beckham. The 36-year-old forward—a seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, a trophy given annually to the world’s best player—is coming off a stellar 17-year run with FC Barcelona and two-year stint with Paris Saint-Germaine FC, and he also led his native Argentina to an exciting 4-2 victory against France in the 2022 World Cup last December.

      As first reported by The Real Deal, the soccer star and his wife Antonela Roccuzzo doled out $10.75 million in an off-market deal for a luxe two-story home just minutes away from Inter Miami’s Drive Pink Stadium and the team’s adjacent training facility in Fort Lauderdale. Messi was repped in the deal by Samuel Simpkin and Donna Simpkin of Team Simpkin at Compass.

      Built in 1988, and last sold to John and Stacy Dickerson for $9 million in May 2022, the property features eight bedrooms and 10 baths in over 10,500 square feet of living space. Described in an older listing as a “carefully curated modern waterfront estate,” the two-story structure includes walls of glass that open to a sparkling pool with a waterfall, Baja shelf and spa, as well as a pair of docks resting along 170 feet of waterfront footage on the Intracoastal Waterway.

      The home’s Lori Morris-designed interiors are punctuated throughout with a classic black and white palette enhanced with pops of metal and jewel tones for warmth.

      Brandon Barre

      Nestled amid a cul-de-sac, on a nearly half-acre parcel laced with palms, the stucco and wood-trimmed structure greets with a spacious motorcourt flanked by an attached three-car garage. An entryway featuring double front doors opens into sleek Lori Morris-designed interiors punctuated throughout with a classic black and white palette flaunting porcelain tile floors, plus pops of metal and jewel tones to add warmth.

      Among the highlights: a striking foyer topped by a cascading Murano glass and gold light fixture, which flows to a sunken living area boasting black velvet channel wall panels. Adjacent is an Italian kitchen adorned with an eat-in island that seats six, top-tier appliances and an accompanying breakfast nook lined with windows.

      Elsewhere is a cozy family room with a custom built-in day bed and sofa with matching wall panels covered in charcoal velvet, fitness/spa room, and an executive office with walls bathed in black and brown striated wallpaper; and there’s also a 1,600-square-foot master retreat sporting “gold dripping wallpaper,” a sitting area, private balcony, and spa-inspired bath decked out with dual vanities, a makeup area and walk-in steam shower.

      As for Messi’s other Sunny Isles Beach properties, records show he owns at least two units valued at a combined $10.3 million within the 60-story Porsche Design Tower, along with a $7.4 million full-floor condo at the Regalia building. He also reportedly purchased a place in the Bentley Residences building, which is set to be completed in 2026.

      Click here for more photos of Lionel Messi’s South Florida house.

      Brandon Barre More

    • 113 Shares189 Views

      in Luxury

      Gisele Bündchen Just Picked up Another South Florida Home

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      She already owns a contemporary $11.5 million Miami Beach residence in the exclusive Indian Creek Country Club community known as “Billionaire Bunker”— just a short jaunt via boat across the waterway from ex-husband Tom Brady’s unfinished $27 million Miami Beach megamansion. But now Gisele Bündchen has added yet another home to her South Florida property portfolio.

      As first reported by The Wall Street Journal, an entity tied to the Brazilian supermodel has forked over $9.1 million for a roughly 7.5-acre spread in Broward County’s affluent Southwest Ranches neighborhood on the eastern edge of the Florida Everglades, just 15 miles southwest of Fort Lauderdale. According to the news outlet, she plans to convert the dwelling into an “animal-friendly property,” complete with horses, chickens and other farm critters

      Last sold to a Mexico-born family in November 2013 for $1.65 million, the home has been on and off the market for several years, and also was offered for rent—once for as much as $75,000 per month. After returning to the market this past August for $10.5 million, the house ultimately went to Bündchen at a significant discount.

      Built in 1976, Bündchen’s new digs have since been extensively renovated. Described in the listing as “a true gem,” the two-story structure features nine bedrooms and an equal number of baths in nearly 5,200 square feet of living space boasting high ceilings and open-concept interiors. There’s also a separate two-bedroom apartment.

      The open-concept main level contains a fireside living room, dining area and gourmet kitchen.

      Eric Igualada/ONE Sotheby’s International Realty

      Highlights include an expansive great room spotlighted by a floating staircase and fireside living area. A dining space connects to the gourmet kitchen, which is outfitted with Calacatta quartz countertops, an oversized eat-in island, an integrated refrigerator and oven, and a built-in bar. Elsewhere is a master on the main holding a sitting area, “fantastic” walk-in closet, and luxe bath with dual vanities, a soaking tub and glassy shower.

      Outdoors, the grounds host an infinity-edge pool and spa with fountains, a tennis court, full-size soccer pitch, sport court, two equestrian rings, a barn with 10 horse stalls, kitchen and barbecue setup, and a couple of pergolas ideal for lounging and entertaining. There’s also a two-car garage.

      Brady, and Bündchen were married in 2009 and share three children—a son Benjamin, and daughter Vivian, along with another son Jack from Brady’s previous relationship with Bridget Moynahan. Worth a combined fortune in the hundreds of millions of dollars, the couple’s property portfolio includes homes in the Bahamas and Montana, as well as a New York City apartment where Bündchen had been staying during their split. She also retains a Costa Rica vacation home.

      The listing was held by Chad Bishop and Saddy Abaunza Delgado of ONE Sotheby’s International Realty; Laura Valente with Global Luxury Realty LLC repped the buyer.

      Click here for more photos of Gisele Bündchen’s Florida house.

      Eric Igualada/ONE Sotheby’s International Realty More