Serious Real Estate.
Guess in which state the most expensive house sold in the United States in 2006 is.
Yes, indeed. It is New Jersey.
The 7,000 square foot house on 63 acres of property in Alpine, New Jersey was sold for $58 million by Henry Clay Frick II, “the grandson of the steel magnate who founded the Frick Collection, one of the finest collections of European paintings in the United States.â€***
Being a regular Garden State property tax victim payer, I can only imagine what Mr. Frick’s annual property tax bill must have been.
***It is not all that surprising, given that Alpine is located in a very desireable part of Bergen County, which is in the northeast corner of the state and just across the Hudson River from New York. In 2005, Forbes magazine ranked Alpine 8th on its list of “Most Expensive ZIP Codes. Over the past couple of years, Alpine has attracted several well-moneyed entertainers (e.g. Wesley Snipes and Stevie Wonder) and (occasionally arrested, imprisoned, shot, or otherwise engaged in gunplay) rappers, including Fabolous, Li’l Kim and P. Diddy. Other celebrities such as Russell Simmons and his brother Joseph Simmons a/k/a “Dr. Run†of Run-DMC, live in nearby towns in Bergen County.
And here I thought you were going to tell us you sold out and were moving to Jawja!
Comment by Michele — January 20, 2007 @ 1:31 pm
LOL – so he’s not really moving – he just sold the property with the proviso he can live out his life in his house. Gotta love that. What an ingenious way to sell your place, not move, AND get out from under the property taxes. Of course he’ll have to put up with the scruffy new neighbors when the developer starts building the new digs for people with more money than sense. *grin*
Comment by Teresa — January 20, 2007 @ 2:37 pm
See, this is why my parents just recently bought a house in Florida and will be moving next month out of the house my father has lived in for 56 of his 61 years. It really is quite sad. They are just going to price everyone out of this state.
Comment by maggie (formerly of mindlesswanderings.org) — January 20, 2007 @ 10:06 pm
It may have sold for $58 million, but it was a steal from the bargain basement. I think I read that asking was $85 million.
Frankly, I’d never want to live in Bergen County because of the blue laws. If I had that much money, not being able to spend it on Sundays would really get on my nerves.
Comment by marydell — January 21, 2007 @ 12:02 pm
Henry Frick departed this world last week. Where can I find his obit. notice?
Comment by Bubba — February 14, 2007 @ 7:51 am
Here is the obit.
Jimbo
Comment by Jim — February 14, 2007 @ 8:49 am
That was FAST. Thanks Jimbo
Comment by Bubba — February 14, 2007 @ 9:12 am