$36.9 M-Manalapan Beach, Fla

$36.9 millionManalapan Beach, Fla.$36.9 million
Manalapan Beach, Fla.

Spanning a narrow strip of land on the Gold Coast, this 23,500-square-foot home boasts waterfront on both the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway. The eight-bedroom, 11-bathroom property has a swimming pool, tennis court, a yacht dock and club privileges at the nearby Ritz-Carlton Hotel.

For more information, contact Premier Estate Properties.

Palm Beach, Fla.

$47 million

Palm Beach, Fla.
A direct oceanfront property, this Palm Beach Mediterranean style estate rests on an acre-and-a-half of land. The house has 24,000 square feet of interior space, which includes a second-story garden atrium, screening room and several ocean front balconies. There are 10 bedrooms in total, including four guest suites, 11 bathrooms and a five car garage.

For more information, contact Jim McCann at Corcoran

Maison de L'Amitie

$125 million Maison de L'AmitiePalm Beach, Fla.

In 2004, Donald Trump bought former health care executive Abe Gosman's palace, Maison de L'Amitie, pictured here, at a bankruptcy auction for $41.25 million. The refurbished version comes complete with a ballroom, conservatory, 100-foot-long ballroom and 475 feet of oceanfront.

For more information, contact Cristina Condon at Sotheby’s International Realty or Dolly Lenz at Prudential Douglas Elliman.

Celeb-Worthy Cannes Hideaway

This week, cameras will be trained on the stars walking Cannes' red carpet.
Just as film-worthy: this five-story, $6.7 million (5 million euros) hillside villa overlooking the Bay of Cannes. Own it and it will make you the envy of every A-lister.

Just as film-worthy: this five-story, $6.7 million (5 million euros) hillside villa overlooking the Bay of Cannes. Own it and it will make you the envy of every A-lister.

How so? Well, for starters, much of the four-bedroom, five-bathroom home's 4,600 square feet of interior space is covered with wood and marble flooring. An open, light-flushed living room provides ample room for entertaining. The kitchen comes fully furnished and equipped with all necessary appliances, should dinner be taken overlooking the bay, instead of at a crowded restaurant. Each floor opens to a columned balcony or arched terrace, finishing finally to a top floor sun deck, which is half-shaded by the red tile, steeple-like roof.

Lush Landscaping
Trees and gardens rise around the periphery, providing the 21,000-square-foot property with shade and privacy. A free-form pool lies fixed in a patio at the foot of the house's terraces and gardens. From the lounging chairs covered by umbrellas, there are views of the city and bay

Living Room
Wood and marble floors cover the 4,600-square-feet of interior space, which includes four bedrooms, four bathrooms and an open, light-flushed living room. The kitchen comes fully furnished and equipped with all necessary appliances.

Riviera Riches Cannes orients around a crescent-shaped, seven-and-a-half-mile seafront, bracketed on the west by the hills of Le Suquet and to the east by Pointe Croisette and the Palm Beach Casino. Between them runs the Promenade de la Croisette, filled with luxury hotels, outdoor markets and high fashion on the city side, and private beach clubs to its sandy south.

From the flat beachfront, the landscape climbs into the hills of La Californie and to the observation tower at Super-Cannes, at the city's high altitude point of 1,067 feet. Picasso made his home in La Californie during the 1950s, and the area is often used as a location for films, most recently director Jacques Fieschi's 2006 festival entry La Californie. Palms, white facades and red-tile-roof Mediterranean architecture combined with the district's name create synergy with Cannes' cinematic cousin in Southern California.

source : forbes.com

Mansion-By-The-Sea

Seahome's grounds include a greenhouse and topiary garden.

Welcome to the other cape.

Manchester-by-the-Sea is tucked at the bottom of Cape Ann, the northerly cousin of Cape Cod, which juts out into the Atlantic Ocean.

The village measures less than eight square miles and lies on rocky shores about 30 minutes north of Boston. Though today Manchester-by-the-Sea is partly a bedroom community, it retains the flavor of a New England fishing village--as well as its grand and historic coastal estates, bordered by patinaed stone walls.

King Charles I of England granted the town to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1629, according to the Manchester Historical Society. Settlers began arriving that same year, bringing with them the plague that all but wiped out the native Algonquin tribe. By 1700, the Europeans had purchased or taken all the land in the area, and in the following century the area developed into what would be for a time the world's largest fishing port.

In the mid-19th century, the town grew into a summer resort for wealthy Northeasterners. To distinguish it from the many other Manchesters in New England, locals started calling it Manchester-by-the-Sea, a practice that led writer Oliver Wendell Holmes to bitingly address his letters to Manchester friends from "Boston-by-the-Charles."

A turning point came when Thomas Jefferson Coolidge, a Boston banker and great-grandson of Thomas Jefferson, arrived in Manchester in 1871. He built a summer estate on land now known as Coolidge Point and was active in promoting local development.

Coolidge's son later built an estate called the Marble Palace, where guests included Presidents William Taft, Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt.

The area did not limit itself to political notables. The scenery attracted such artists as Winslow Homer, Childe Hassam and Edward Hopper. Today, novelist John Updike makes his home in Manchester-by-the-Sea. And industry leaders listed as having homes in Manchester include Chad Gifford, chairman of Bank of America (nyse: BAC - news - people ); John Cabot, a philanthropist and former chief financial officer for Cabot (nyse: CBT - news - people ); and Steve B. Dodge, retired chief executive of American Tower (nyse: AMT - news - people ).

Buyers who are compelled by the New England coastline might consider Seahome, a historic estate on a private, eight-acre peninsula.

Seahome was built in the 1880s as a summer home for Robert C. Hooper, a Bostonian who established the dog breed known as the Boston terrier. The grand oceanfront house has been restored and updated, and comes with views of Chubb Island, Misery Island and Marblehead from its broad windows. The main house, a brick Georgian, has six-plus bedrooms, six full baths, a limestone kitchen and an oval entrance hall. With more than four acres of land, it is priced at $13 million.

This peninsular estate on the rocky shores of Massachusetts is on the market for $13 million--and up.

In 1925, Boston attorney Albert Burrage added to the property a waterfront teahouse, which can be had for an additional $4.75 million. With nearly four acres of land, the parcel comes with a deep-water dock, swimming pool and small beach. It cannot be bought without the main house. Both are listed with Lanse Robb at LandVest.

The Most Expensive Home In New Jersey

A New Jersey mansion that has hit the market at a stunning $40 million may be the most expensive in the state's history.

The seven-and-a-half-acre estate lies in the borough of Alpine, just over the Hudson River from Manhattan. At 60,000 square feet, the spread is said to be the largest in an area known for its wealth--and its grand homes.

The property was built and is owned by a high-profile businessman who does not want to be named. As one might expect for the price, his house practically spills over with sumptuous amenities. It has 13 bedrooms, 23 bathrooms, a guesthouse and outdoor and indoor pools--the latter separated from the family room by a 2,000-gallon aquarium, says listing broker Dennis McCormack of Prominent Properties Sotheby's International Realty.

The Palm Beach-style facade is done in concrete stucco. Behind the house, pathways meander through the property, leading to gazebos and manmade ponds.

For entertainment, there is an arcade, an ice cream parlor and a two-lane bowling alley. The 1,000-square-foot steel-and-glass conservatory was disassembled in England and shipped over the Atlantic.

Alpine is one of the richest towns in the country. It has just one school and no commercial area, but it abounds with spanking-new mansions. The residents so value their privacy that there are no mailboxes on the homes--all letters must be picked up at the post office. But a source says that Stevie Wonder has lived in Alpine for many years. Other celebrity home owners, according to public records, are Yankees outfielder Gary Sheffield and his wife, DeLeon Richards; actor/comedian Chris Rock and his wife, Malaak; and hip-hop mogul Sean Combs, who reportedly paid more than $10 million for a 21-room mansion last year.

The owners built this house in the mid-1990s, McCormack says.
"Nothing's sold for that kind of money in New Jersey," says Jack Turpin, owner of Turpin Realtors, another high-end New Jersey real estate firm. The record, he believes, was set by a $37.7 million property his company sold in Bedminster.

The asking price for the Alpine estate bests that for Eddie Murphy's 25,000-square-foot mansion in Englewood, which hit the market in December for $30 million. But it isn't even close to what is thought to be the most expensive home sale in U.S. history. The $70 million deal for Ron Perelman's oceanfront property in Palm Beach, Fla., topped off our list of the Most Expensive Home Sales in America 2004. Perhaps Alpine will make the 2005 roster.

Source : Forbes.com

Speculation Property

The history of this Palm Beach mansion is fairly short--because it doesn't really have a history. Thought to be the highest-priced speculation property in Palm Beach, the Mediterranean-style estate was built by Addison Development and is listed for $38 million. The house has nine bedrooms, 12 baths, a guest house, six-car garage, a private dock, 274 feet of ocean-to-lake frontage and deeded beach rights. The property is represented by Cristina Condon of Sotheby's International Realty.

Cima del Mundo-Montecito

This Montecito mansion, Cima del Mundo (Top of the World), is owned by Mark Cerami, founder of M.S.C. Music & Entertainment and co-founder of Priority Records, which was sold to EMI. The home is 22,000 square feet and was built in 1924. It has an authentic bowling alley with a circa-1924 ball return, automatic pin setup and computerized scoring. There is also a professionally equipped bar, a billiards room with a 950-gallon tropical saltwater aquarium and a 15-seat mini-theater with an adjoining lobby. Rebecca Riskin of Village Properties Realtors has the listing.

Marden Estate-Palm Beach

This mansion, owned by investment banker Bernard Marden, was listed at $45 million in December 2002, but the price was brought down to $40 million. Marden sold off his East Hampton oceanfront house for $23 million to money manager Ron Baron last year. In 1997, he bought this Georgian-style Palm Beach house for $16.5 million, and last year he decided to sell the mansion in an effort to simplify. The main residence is 18,000 square feet. The property has 295 feet of oceanfront land and covers 3.4 acres. Nadine House of Nadine House Realty is the listing agent.

Ritz-Carlton Penthouse

The condo is a triplex that spans the 33rd, 34th and 35th floors, and the hotel services--such as maid's service, room service, Mercedes-Benz and Bentley Car services and La Prairie Spa services--are optional. The penthouse has "nine plus" bedrooms, nine and a half baths, a 400-square-foot terrace, three wood-burning fireplaces, a glass atrium and 360-degree views of Central Park. The property is listed with Elizabeth Sample and Brenda Powers of Brown Harris Stevens.

Champ d'Or-Denton,Tex

This Denton County, Tex., mansion is owned by Alan Goldfield, retired chairman and chief executive of CellStar, and his wife, Shirley Goldfield. Champ d'Or, as it is called, is 48,000 square feet and has a tearoom, garden room, ballroom and mini-theater. Rumor has it that the Goldfields decided to sell after a fight over who would get up from bed and trek to the kitchen to get some ice cream. (Shirley reportedly disputes that, saying instead they didn't need a showcase mansion for entertaining any longer.) The property is listed with Sotheby's International Realty and Briggs-Freeman Real Estate Brokerage.

Maison de l'Amitié-Palm Beach

Owned by health care magnate Abe Gosman, Maison de l'Amitié (House of Friendship) has 43,000 square feet of living space, 475 feet of ocean frontage and extravagant amenities, including a rose garden with 120 indigenous species and a freshwater pool and sculpture garden. According to a Palm Beach Post report, Gosman was also selling off parts of his art collection, including Fernando Botero sculptures of Adam and Eve (priced at $800,000). Baylie Rosenberg of Sotheby's International Realty represents the property.

Burnt Point-Wainscott Long Island

Yet another property that's made it onto our list for two consecutive years, Burnt Point hasn't seen the asking price drop one cent. Owned by commodities trader David Campbell, the land was bought for upwards of $10 million in 1996. Campbell's Georgica Pond mansion has 2,024 feet of direct water frontage, a private dock, an 18,000-square-foot house, a guest house, a tennis court with a viewing pavilion, a professional greenhouse, a waterfall and a boathouse and waterside pool. The property is listed with Sotheby's, Dunemere Real Estate and Allan M. Schneider & Associates.

Eothen-Montauk,Long Island

Returning for the third year, Eothen (Greek for "toward the East") was first bought by filmmaker Paul Morrissey and Andy Warhol in the 1970s for a reported $220,000. The price is attributed to its 600 feet of ocean frontage, the hundreds of acres of protected wetlands that surround the estate and the fact that over the years it has welcomed such celebrities as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor and Liza Minnelli. The property is represented by agents Jay Flagg of Prudential Douglas Elliman and Linda Stein of Douglas Elliman.

Mandalay Ranch-Aspen

Owned by Hollywood producer Peter Guber, this 650-acre ranch includes wildflower meadows, ponds, a 15,000-square-foot main home and guest and caretaker cabins totaling 8,000 square feet. According to listing agent Bob Ritchie, initially Guber planned to sell only the land, but because there was so much interest in the house, he decided to throw that in too. Assuming the buyer puts a $12 million down payment on the property and obtains a 30-year loan with 5.97% interest, the monthly payments would be roughly $301,000.

Bridgehampton,Long Island,N.Y

Despite its high price tag, this property isn't even on the ocean. It does, however, have three very large ponds, a U.S.G.A.-rated golf course, a grass tennis court--thought to be the only one built on the south end of Long Island since the 1930s, a 25,000-square-foot main house, a guest cottage, a 3,000-bottle wine cellar, barns, pro shop, a traditional English cottage garden, a lily walk, a vegetable garden and hydrangea, rose and butterfly gardens. The listing agent is Susan Breitenbach of Allan M. Schneider and Associates.

The Most Expensive House In California

In Italian, Belvedere means "beautiful view." The question for a wealthy California enclave is, does that refer to the vista looking out--or the impressive sights within?

Belvedere Island, in San Francisco Bay, was once connected to mainland Marin County by two roads built on sand bars that could only be seen at low tide. Incorporated in 1896, the hilly island was where well-to-do city residents built country estates in the late-19th and early-20th centuries.

Today the thoroughfares are far more substantial, bearing the cars of residents who commute to high-power jobs across the Bay. There is still no downtown in Belvedere, though it is still home to the San Francisco Yacht Club. Measuring just one square mile, it is one of the wealthiest towns in the area--don't bother looking for a house under $1 million.

Little surprise, then, that Belvedere is home to the most expensive residence on the market in California--and one of the priciest in the country. Locksley Hall, a 10,000-square-foot house that sits at the tip of Belvedere Island, can be yours for $65 million.

Locksley Hall was rebuilt on the footprint of the massive estate San Francisco lawyer Gordon Blanding commissioned at the turn of the 19th century. Construction started in 1998 and took six years to replicate the original design--with modern amenities, of course.

"It's a brand-new home designed to look like a home that was built at the turn of the century," says broker Olivia Hsu Decker, of Decker Bullock. "Not a flashy, dramatic house, but very high-quality and understated."

The seller is Singapore-based mining mogul Robert Friedland, who owns so many properties he only spends a couple of weeks at Locksley Hall each year, Decker says. The 54-year-old made the 2004 Forbes list of the 400 Richest Americans, with a net worth pegged at $800 million.

The entrance to his property is guarded by gates designed by Hearst Castle architect Julia Morgan. The porte-cochere, with 15-foot-high ceilings, opens into a foyer with a bronze-balustraded staircase. The dining room has mahogany wainscoting and hand-glazed walls, as do many of the main rooms. On the lower level, the great room features herringbone floors, alabaster pendant lamps and coffered ceilings. Upstairs, the master suite has a spa tub. There are mahogany doors and marble baths throughout, and an elevator serves each floor.

The simple-yet-elegant interiors were designed by Suzanne Tucker, whose other clients include Les Vadasz, a co-founder of Intel (nyse: INTC - news - people ), and Isaac Stein, chairman of Stanford University's board of trustees.

The six-bedroom house has 360-degree views that encompass San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, Angel Island and the Bay. The view is framed by a wraparound veranda adorned with Corinthian columns, teak decking and bronze sconces.

In back, the property slopes down to the Bay, with antique Chinese paving stones leading through the rose garden and bronze fountains to a teak-beamed pergola. The pool house has a sauna, steam bath/shower with fossil stone coping, and mosaic walls and floors. The pool is lined with exotic stone, while the hot tub has views of the city.

Should $65 million seem too steep, venture capitalist Thomas J. Perkins, a founder of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, has his Belvedere mansion on the market for just $20.5 million. He's selling because he plans to move onto a new mega-yacht, and might even throw in the millions of dollars worth of antiques that grace the French Normandy-style estate. That's also listed with Decker Bullock.

THE £70-MILLION MANSION

Lakshmi N Mittal, Chairman and CEO, of the LNM Group, has bought a central London house for a stunning price of £70 million ($128.25 million or about Rs 560 crore).

The Non-Resident Indian steel magnate's new house has thus walked into the Guinness Book of Records as the world's most expensive house.

The previous record for the most expensive house was £62.7 million ($114.89 million) for a 1997 sale in Hong Kong. The 12-bedroom mansion located at the prestigious Kensington Palace Gardens has garage space for 20 cars. Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula One racing boss, who sold the house to Mittal, had bought it for his wife three years ago.

The Kensington Palace Gardens houses are dubbed Billionaires' Row. Nearby are Kensington Palace and the London home of the Sultan of Brunei. It is also close to Kensington Palace where Princess Diana lived.

Mittal, whose personal wealth is put at £3.5 billion, is the richest Asian in the United Kingdom. He also owns a £9-million mansion on London's Bishop Avenue, and a house on Delhi's Prithviraj Road which is said to have cost him Rs 40 crore. LNM also has a penthouse at Hyde Park and houses in Surabaya, Indonesia, and in Trinidad.

Photo: Odd Andersen / AFP / Getty Images