scorecardSee 5 lavish homes billionaires are selling — and why some could struggle to find a buyer
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See 5 lavish homes billionaires are selling and why some could struggle to find a buyer

Jordan Pandy,Maria Noyen,Dan Latu   

See 5 lavish homes billionaires are selling — and why some could struggle to find a buyer
Gordon Getty, heir to the Getty fortune, listed his Greek- and Roman-inspired mansion in San Francisco for $5 million in August.Open Homes Photography
  • Gordon Getty and Michael Dell are among the billionaires trying to sell luxury properties in the US.
  • It can take a long time for extremely expensive or unique homes to find buyers.

Home sellers are struggling at the moment — and that can include uberwealthy ones trying to sell off multimillion-dollar mansions.

Homebuyers are wary of going through with purchases thanks to a mix of expensive house prices and economic uncertainty, according to a recent Redfin report. Mortgage interest rates are still relatively high ahead of an expected Fed rate cut this fall.

As Kenny Lee, a senior economist at New York City listings site StreetEasy, told Business Insider's Alcynna Lloyd earlier this year, the state of the housing market presents a unique challenge for the rich.

Many affluent people struggling to rid themselves of luxurious properties they no longer want end up cutting their asking prices. Some others forego selling them altogether, choosing to either auction them off or rent them out instead.

Still, a handful of billionaires have the homes they're ready to part ways with listed for sale publicly — still hoping to find new owners for them.

Here's a roundup of billionaire-owned properties from New York to California on the market as of August 28, 2024. They are presented in order of last name.

Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen listed his Bay Area mansion for $33 million in March 2024.

Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen listed his Bay Area mansion for $33 million in March 2024.
Marc Andreessen's Atherton five-bedroom mansion sits on 1.55 acres of land.      Bernard André Photography

Earlier this year, tech investor Marc Andreessen and his wife Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen listed their $33 million Bay Area mansion that is a dream pad for any host.

The five-bedroom, four-bathroom home has seven fireplaces, two separate kitchens ready for catering, and custom built-ins throughout to display art. It is located in Atherton, California, across the street from the Menlo Circus Club, an exclusive social club.

The Andreessens may not be leaving California altogether, however, as the couple has purchased over $250 million worth of real estate in Malibu, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Of the three homes they have acquired over two years in the coastal enclave northeast of LA, the most expensive is a $177 million, seven-acre estate in the Paradise Cove neighborhood of Malibu.

Known for its picturesque shores that are fiercely guarded by locals, Paradise Cove was once dubbed "the most unfriendly-to-the-public public beach in Southern California," according to San Francisco publication SFGate.

Andreessen's net worth as of Wednesday was $1.8 billion, according to Forbes.

Billionaire Michael Dell is trying to offload not one but two luxury penthouses in Boston.

Billionaire Michael Dell is trying to offload not one but two luxury penthouses in Boston.
Michael Dell's penthouse in Millenium Towers isn't the only luxury property in Boston he's looking to part ways with.      Lucas Scott, Nauset Media

Dell Technologies Chairman and CEO Michael Dell is no stranger to eye-popping real estate.

In 2015, he was the buyer of what was then the most expensive home ever sold in New York City, a $100 million penthouse overlooking Central Park on West 57th Street, aka Billionaires' Row. He raised his kids in a sprawling 33,000-square-foot Austin compound dubbed "The Castle" that featured both indoor and outdoor pools.

As of Wednesday, Dell's net worth was $98.8 billion, according to Forbes.

Now Dell is looking to unload two Boston properties he bought in 2020.

The first is a $34 million penthouse in Boston's tallest residential tower, One Dalton, which is one of the Four Seasons' private residences. The ultra-luxe home comes complete with 24-hour white-glove concierge service and a 570-square-foot private balcony.

Dell's second Boston property for sale is a $9.45 million penthouse on the 54th floor of Boston's Millennium Tower, located just steps from the iconic Boston Commons. This property features floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic views of the city and the Charles River.

Gordon Getty, heir to the Getty fortune, is selling his $5 million Bay Area home nicknamed the Temple of Wings.

Gordon Getty, heir to the Getty fortune, is selling his $5 million Bay Area home nicknamed the Temple of Wings.
Getty's home is aptly named for its Greek and Roman-inspired architectural design.      Open Homes Photography

The Temple of Wings — a Greek- and Roman architecture-inspired mansion in Berkeley, California, that's been in the Getty family since 1994 — is on the market for $5 million.

The property, which is designated a historic landmark, is owned by billionaire Gordon Getty. Getty bought it with his late wife Ann for $950,000 in 1994, according to The Wall Street Journal, which exclusively reported when it hit the market in August.

Getty's net worth as of Wednesday is $2.1 billion, according to Forbes. The family's wealth originally came from oil, but Gordon, now 90, is a classical music composer and philanthropist of the arts.

The Gettys are known for their impressive art collections, and Ann spent years infusing the Temple of Wings with 19th- and 20th-century pieces.

Spanning 3,991 square feet, the three-bedroom house was designed by architect Bernard Maybeck in 1914 and finished by A. Randolph Monroe.

Stone staircases, Corinthian columns, and luscious greenery make the home feel like it's in the European countryside — not a 20-minute drive from Oakland.

After his wife's passing in 2020, Gordon decided that he was ready to let the house go.

"Although it is time to move on, the Temple of Wings will always represent a quiet place where beauty has time to rest before blooming," Gordon said in a statement.

Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob put his Malibu mansion on the market in August.

Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob put his Malibu mansion on the market in August.
Lacob's property is one of several lavish digs on Carbon Beach, a part of Malibu nicknamed "Billionaires Beach."      David McNew/Getty Images

The owner of NBA team Golden State Warriors, Joe Lacob, once claimed to be one of the best blackjack players in the world, winning $1 million in one sitting at least nine times.

Lacob is now hoping his luck hasn't run out as he tries to sell his Malibu mansion for $44 million.

The home on Carbon Beach has five bedrooms across about 5,500 square feet. It allows for indoor-outdoor living, with open balconies throughout to enjoy California's balmy climate.

It also has Hollywood-glam touches like a waterfall wall, a movie theater, and a glass-enclosed gym.

The third level is a prime entertaining space, complete with a barbecue island, a fire pit, a lounge area, and a hot tub.

Lacob has a history of good bets. In 2010, he and other investors purchased the Golden State Warriors for $450 million. In July, the New York Post estimated the franchise's value to be $5.4 billion.

Lacob, a former venture capital investor, is worth $2.1 billion as of Wednesday, according to Forbes.

Media magnate Rupert Murdoch has slashed the price of his NYC penthouse in half since he listed it for sale in 2022.

Media magnate Rupert Murdoch has slashed the price of his NYC penthouse in half since he listed it for sale in 2022.
Rupert Murdoch bought the New York City penthouse in 2014 for $43 million.      Compass

Following a breakup with his third wife, Wendi Deng Murdoch, in 2014, Rupert Murdoch, the 93-year-old former chair of Fox Corporation and News Corp., bought a penthouse.

He spent $57.9 million on the three-story property at One Madison Square, a luxury condominium in Manhattan's Flatiron District.

Designed by NYC-based architect Jose Ramirez, the first floor features an open-plan layout, a dining room, a kitchen, a library, a bathroom, a double-height "Great Room," and a 586-square-foot terrace overlooking sweeping views of Manhattan's skyline.

Two bedrooms are on the second floor, accessible via a winding staircase or an elevator. Three more bedrooms, including the primary suite, are on the third floor.

But just a year after buying his nearly 7,000-square-foot bachelor pad, it seemed as if Murdoch had second thoughts. He briefly listed it for a whopping $72 million.

The listing was later removed, but it reappeared in 2022 with a new $62 million price tag.

Murdoch — who married his fifth wife, Elena Zhukova, at his private vineyard in Bel-Air, California, in June — hasn't had much luck parting ways with the penthouse since.

Despite slashing the price to $28.5 million in June, the seemingly unsellable apartment is still on the market.

Murdoch and his family have a combined net worth of $20.5 billion as of Wednesday, according to Forbes.

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