I’ve written several posts over the years that were based on stories from the real estate section of Friday’s Wall Street Journal, formally known as the Mansion section.
To get you up to speed again on what kind of houses are featured in the WSJ, here is a selection of headlines from the last two weeks; you may be able to click on some of the headlines to read the full story.
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Larry Ellison Lists Florida Estate for $145 Million (The Oracle co-founder bought a nearby estate for $173 million two months ago)
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In California’s Laguna Beach, a Waterfront Spec Home Sells for $43.5 Million
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Hunting Dogs Are Included in the Sale of This $12.25 Million Georgia Estate
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These Nantucket Cottages Are as Small as 350 Square Feet. They Sell for Millions.
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An Oceanfront Compound on Southampton’s Gin Lane Relists for $150 Million
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Once Asking $63.75 Million, a Billionaires’ Row Condo Sells for 30% Less
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Hugh Jackman Buys New York City Penthouse for $21.125 Million
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Ben Affleck Asks $29.995 Million for Los Angeles Home
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‘The Simpsons’ Writer Lists Angular Los Angeles Home for $5.8 Million (wow – what a deal!)
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In California, a $40 Million ‘Butterfly House’ Looks Like It’s About to Take Flight
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Former ‘American Idol’ Producers List 160-Acre California Estate for $22 Million
In case you were curious, I worked out what the monthly payment would be for Larry Ellison’s $173 million house, assuming he put 20% down and had a 30-year mortgage at an annual rate of 5%.
Ready?
The monthly payment would be $742,961.13
But perhaps Larry would prefer to pay for the house upfront, in cash.
As the world’s tenth richest individual, worth an estimated $97.7 billion, Larry would still have $97.527 billion left over.
Perhaps he could buy me something in the $27 million range; he’d still be worth $97.5, a simple rounding-off error for him…
It’s unreal what those sprawling estates cost. And then there’s the regular upkeep, which must be very expensive. I know a guy named Chuck who owns a place like that. But I wouldn’t want to live next door to Charles’ Mansion.
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but Charlie might have some Angels staying with him…
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That would be okay, as long as they weren’t family members.
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I think Mansions tend to have a lot of cult followers…
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And they’re stingy when fishing. I heard something about how they don’t like sharin’ bait.
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they also don’t like going to Rome and Poland to ski
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And they took a stab at lobbying Ankara, to start a revolution.
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probably multiple stabs…
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I can’t imagine having that much wealth. Ellison and others make more than enough in interest and dividends to more than pay the mortgages on these properties or to buy them outright. These homes are just part of the collection of homes, villas and retreats that they own and may not even be their primary residences.
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apparently buying homes is one of Ellison’s hobbies, albeit an expensive one…
I just saw a fun fact about Ellison – in 2003, Steve Jobs was the photographer at Ellison’s fourth wedding…
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Fourth wedding! Good grief! Well now I know where a lot of Ellison’s wealth has gone.🤣
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good point…
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Slightly out of my price range. The property taxes must be a nightmare too.
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you know what they say; if you can’t afford the taxes, you can’t afford the house…
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The Simpsons Writer one is really cool.
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I agree; it is quite unusual…
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Tough to choose!
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if you were Larry Ellison, yu could jsut buy all of them!
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I will take the oceanfront one, just need a little loan! You are good for it, right?
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sure, and when you default on it, I’ll take over the house…
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HA! Who says I will default? I am going to invest in Crypto. 🙂
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I think you just proved that you are going to default!
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Pftttt!
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🙂
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At those prices, I can afford about the first two feet of the driveway.
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is that enough room for your Harley?
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Had to sell it to pay for the two feet of driveway….
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You had me nervous at first, until I saw your comment about going for a ride yesterday! 🙂
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Hi Jim, interesting, I wouldn’t want to live in a house like that. I like my own house and it is very eclectic, just like me. I have the rather communist view that there should be a cap on individual wealth and anything over and above should go to the upliftment of the general population.
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I like the location of the house, right on the water. But I also like eclectic, and I’ve become much more socialistic on my views over the years…
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thanks for this, I’ve been waiting for your list before I went ahead and purchased. honestly, I’d rather live in a little cottage by the woods and sea.
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perhaps you could buy one of those tiny multimillion dollar cottages on Nantcuket Harbor…
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I would just like a cozy shack-y cottage please. remember this on my birthday
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I already got you some flamin hot Cheetos…
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Yes!!!🔥
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👍
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I think I might struggle to get a mortgage for any of those. I’d probably be accused of murder for making the bank manager die laughing.
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at least it sounds like a good way to die 🙂
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It would serve them right for the extortionate rates they charge 🤣
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Thanks but no thanks. I am not into pretentious homes.
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I don’t think I’d mind housesitting one of these on occasion 🙂
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If Larry ever needs a roommate, he knows where to find me.
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let me know if you move in…
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Will do. Should happen any minute now…
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🙂
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One word: obscene.
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I guess it’s a sign of capitalism as well…
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Capitalism in and of itself has some merit, I think, but the uber-capitalism we see today does not. It is the cause for many of the world’s ills, and is certainly 90% of the cause for the inflation everybody is whining about today. Sigh.
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there’s no doubt we need a kinder, gentler form of capitalism…
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I have no words… except I’m happy in my little house overlooking rolling land, with a big pool, and neighbors who visit and would give you the shirt off their back. I think I have the real deal (except for snowblowing.)
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except for the snow and the cold temps – it does sound like an ideal homestead!
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You have that right!
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Hi Jim!
Shaking my head at these crazy high prices
Cannot even imagine having that kind of money
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crazy is right!
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The simpsons writer one is really cool
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yes, it was quite unique…
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