As of April 2022, the median price of a house is sitting right around $391,200. That’s nearly a 15% increase from April 2021. Safe to say, the market is red hot right now.
The prospect of finding a realistic listing on Zillow right now may be starting to feel like a pipe dream. Well, speaking of pipe dreams, here’s a look at just a few of the coolest properties in the world.
With the median house price approaching half a million, you might as well take a look at what half a billion can buy you.
Pick 1: Royal Style Mansion in Caesarea, Israel
This spectacular property gives you the feeling of continental European royalty, featuring Baroque and Rococo style architecture.The feeling of class and royalty is complemented by the manison’s location. The property looks out over the Mediterranean Sea in the prominent Caesarea area.
The spacious 75,347 sq. ft. interior is filled with remarkable marble architecture, onyx mosaics, and 14k gold moldings. A focal point of the interior is the grand hall. The 2,475 sq. ft. grand hall is decked out with crystal chandeliers and sweeping marble columns.
Outside on the 2.71-acre property, you’ll find luxurious gardens and fountains crowned with Roman sculptures. Pictured above is a large pool keeping with the elegant style.
Besides the impressive architecture, this property also has a spa, sauna, wine room, billiard hall and a 4k cinema room to boot. The beautiful architecture of this property is seamlessly blended with cutting edge technology.
The royal style mansion is currently listed by Sotheby’s International Realty for around $250,000,000. If you have ever dreamed of living like French Royalty in Israel, look no further than this impressive period piece.
Pick 2: Sky Penthouse in Monaco’s Tour Odeon
Welcome to Monaco, a tiny city state on the Mediterranean near the French-Italian border. This city oozes wealth. It is home to high profile events such as the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Rolex Tennis Masters. Fun fact: one in three of its residents are millionaires.
Real estate in Monaco is notoriously pricey with multimillion dollar apartments being the norm. Tour Odeon in Monaco, the second tallest building on the Mediterranean coast, is filled with only luxury apartments.
The crown jewel of Tour Odeon is the Sky Penthouse. The Sky Penthouse encompasses the 44th through 49th floors of Tour Odeon, standing dominantly above the rest of the city. The Penthouse stretches 38,000 sq. ft. of luxurious modern living space across the five levels.You will be well cared for in the penthouse. It features kitchens on every level, a private chauffeur, chefs, staff bedrooms, 24-hour concierge service, and a private health club. A terraced infinity pool connected by a waterslide spans the top floors of this palace in the sky. Poolside, there is an outdoor dance floor guaranteed to be regularly buzzing with the rich and famous.
Would you like to be the proprietor of this fine establishment? Between the luxury, the sweeping vistas of the Mediterranean, and famous F1 drivers duking it out on the streets below, who wouldn’t? All you need is roughly $400 million dollars. Pocket change, right?
Pick 3: Antilia
Antilia is the 2-billion-dollar Mumbai home of premier Indian industrialist, Mukesh Ambani. The house is named after the mythical lost Atlantic island of Antilia.
Maybe you’ve considered developing property or building your own dream house. Well, if you need any inspiration, look no further than Ambani's 27-story private residence on Altamount Road in South Mumbai.
The massive 400,000 sq ft. dwelling boasts rooms the size of two-story buildings. Inside Antilia there is an immense Hindu temple, ornate hanging gardens, a private movie theater, a 168-car garage, and even an artificial snow room. If the Ambanis cannot decide which car to drive on a given day, not to worry, Antila has multiple helipads on its roof.
While the sheer size and extravagance of Antila is impressive, the building’s contrast to its poverty-stricken surroundings is controversial to some. Antilia towers over nearby slums where many live for less than $2 a day. Without speaking to the controversy, the sheer disparity in material wealth between Antila and the surrounding city is striking.
It's unlikely Ambani will be putting Antilia on the market anytime soon, or letting the property pass out of the family, so good luck getting your hands on this one.
Pick 4: Luca Veurich Chalet
Our final entry on this list is a little different. This isolated mountain chalet is a far cry from the extravagance and luxury of Antilia, Tour Odeon, or the Israel Royal Mansion.
This chalet in the Italian alps was built in memory of Luca Vuerich, a beloved mountaineer who died in an avalanche in 2010. His family constructed this cabin in 2013 as a shelter for hikers and mountaineers on the Ceria-Merlone trail of the Julian Alps. Due to its remote location, all the building materials for this chalet were flown in via helicopter.
The cabin has a simple triangular, chapel-esque design. The cabin is primarily built out of wood and sheet metal. Designed with ruggedness in mind, this edifice is built to withstand the weight of snow and the wear and tear of harsh elements. In the cozy interior, there are nine beds for the wandering traveler.
The cost of enjoying this property is also very different from others on this list. Should you be able to navigate the mountain slopes up to the cabin, you can stay at this cabin for free. Serene mountain solitude can be yours free of charge, if you are willing to put in the effort to get to this retreat.
Conclusion
Cool real estate is everywhere. These picks are just a few of the unique and fascinating properties around the world.
"Cool" also depends on what you find interesting in a property. If cool is glamor and luxury, it's hard to get cooler than Israel Royal Mansion, Tour Odeon, and Antilia. If cool is the story, simplicity, and serenity of a property, the Luca Vuerich chalet is the pinnacle of cool.
Either way, we at Birgo love all kinds of cool real estate.
