America's Most Expensive Home

One of the world’s most expensive homes, appropriately named “The One,” has just hit the market at $295 million. Once projected to list for as much as $500 million, construction ran several years late causing severe financial issues for the developer. If The One sells anywhere near the $295 million ask, it would be the most expensive home ever sold in California, well over the $177 million that venture capitalist Marc Andreessen paid for his Malibu mansion in 2021 and the $165 million that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos paid in 2020 for his Beverly Hills estate.

Perched on a promontory with 360-degree panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, downtown Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Mountains, the Bel Air uber mansion is surrounded on three sides by a moat and measures in at a mind-boggling 105,000 square feet - almost twice as big as the White House. Located on 3.8 acres, the house, which was actually raised during construction to further optimize the views, includes 21 bedrooms and 49 baths.

Highlights of The One include five outdoor and indoor swimming pools with the moat encircling three-quarters of the exterior, a massive nightclub, full-service beauty salon, wellness spa, 10,000-square-foot sky deck, 400-foot private outdoor running track with a glass-walled view of the city, and a private theater with seating for over 40. In addition to ownership of one of the world's most spectacular homes, the property also includes butterfly artwork by Stephen Wilson, an Oto Murano chandelier by Vistosi, a rotating statue by Mike Fields, and a glass sculpture by Italian artist Simone Cenedese. There is also a two-story library/office with a balcony and water features touching three windowed walls, and parquet flooring. Add in a custom bar with a smoked-mirror backsplash and marble countertops, a cigar lounge, a four-lane bowling alley, putting green, wellness center, gym, a 64-foot indoor pool with juice bar, tennis court, 10,000-bottle wine cellar, and a 30-plus car garage with two car-display turntables.

Entertaining in such unique luxury might draw some interesting Bel Air neighbors such as Jennifer Lawrence, who moved there last year, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Liam Hemsworth, Miley Cyrus, and Kylie Jenner to name just a few.

Bel Air is one point of the Platinum Triangle, which includes Beverly Hills and Holmby Hills, where so many stars call home. In addition to having illustrious neighbors, Bel Air is close to Rodeo Drive for shopping and UCLA. Downtown Los Angeles and LAX are just a short drive.

Editor’s Note: The home was sold for $126 million at a no-reserve auction in late February 2022, according to a spokesperson from Concierge Auctions. The unidentified buyer would also pay an auction premium that brings the total price for the massive luxury residence to $141 million.

Photo credit: Marc Angeles, Joe Bryant, and Douglas Friedman