Anyone for a £40m trophy home? The market may be in the doldrums for most of …

Posted on by Listify Me

By
Rob Davies


PUBLISHED:

22:57 GMT, 15 March 2012

|

UPDATED:

23:18 GMT, 15 March 2012

The economic malaise may be dragging down property prices around the country.

But in one part of Britain – the capital – it seems there are still plenty of people with cash to splash on their ideal home.

Estate agent Savills alone has more than 50 houses on sale for more than £15million in London.

£39,950,000: Set in a street of mansions, this East Finchley, north London, property master’s bedroom has his and her marble bathrooms

The firm, which sells homes in some of the country’s most exclusive postcodes, said the strength of the capital’s property market was underpinned by super-wealthy foreign investors.

Multi-millionaires from Russia, the Middle East and Asia see property in London as a safe haven, because prices rarely fall and Britain’s legal system is transparent.

Rupert Sebag-Montefiore, chairman of Savills Residential UK, said London was ‘detached’ from the rest of the country. ‘It’s an international market and the higher you go up the price bracket the more international it becomes,’ he said.

He said the world’s jet set see a home in
London as part of a must-have property portfolio including homes in the
south of France, ski chalets and boltholes in Paris and New York.

£39,000,000: The owner of this period nine bedroom mansion in St John’s Wood will be able to rub shoulders with A-list celebrities

£37,500,000: One entire floor of this mansion in St John’s Wood, north London, is devoted to an opulent master suite

Plush: The purpose-built cinema in Hamilton Terrace, St John’s Wood

Snip at the price: The £37,500,000 Hamilton Terrace’s swimming pool

‘They’re buying trophy homes like people used to collect vintage cars,’ he added. The surging appetite for London property has seen sale prices rocket to new highs.

Savills was among agents which managed the sale of the penthouse at One Hyde Park, in Knightsbridge, that sold for a British record £140million in late 2010.The six-bedroom flat covers two floors and boasts views across the Serpentine.

It was bought by Ukrainian billionaire Rinat Akhmetov, who is estimated to have built up a £10billion fortune thanks to his investments in steel and coal.

£32,500,000: This plush freehold is up for sale in Chester Square, in the heart of Belgravia

£23,000,000: This Belgravia pad has its own pot plants but doesn’t come cheap

£22,500,000: This 18th century home in Richmond, south west London, has many original features. It has seven bedrooms and an indoor pool

£18,950,000: Built two years ago, this home near Highgate, north London, has a pool, a cinema and a gym. It is on a gated road with 24-hour security

Among current homes in need of a buyer with a spare few million is a mansion on North London’s prestigious The Bishop’s Avenue, listed at £39.95million. The eight-bedroom property boasts a cinema, lift, leisure complex, eight reception rooms and two flats for ‘staff’.

Mr Sebag-Montefiore said Vladimir Putin’s victory in Russia’s presidential election this month could trigger a fresh wave of buyers from the former Soviet Union.

£17,500,000: Situated in Knightsbridge just a stone’s throw from Harrod’s, where the owner might do their grocery shopping

The Russian authorities have a history of seizing assets from wealthy oligarchs, but a London property is considered a long-term investment out of reach of the Kremlin’s grasp. He also expects a surge in buyers from China as the growing ranks of wealthy from the People’s Republic cotton on to the fashion for a London letterbox.

While property in the capital goes from strength to strength, a survey from estate agent Knight Frank and economic research group Markit illustrated the gulf with the rest of Britain. Their House Price Sentiment Index, which surveys the expectations of homeowners, showed most expect prices to fall in March for the 21st consecutive month.

 

Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,
or debate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have not been moderated.



  • Newest


  • Oldest


  • Best rated


  • Worst rated

Some of the pics look like CGI to me……………………anyone else????

Report abuse

You come into the world with nothing and you leave the world with nothing. What have you lost? Nothing! Just enjoy what you have while you can!

Report abuse

I’ve got 2 bed ‘apartment’ in Costa del Stoke on Trent. Why on earth would I want a dive like those…?!

Report abuse

Hardly any british living in those mansions, they come here for tax reason, they do not pay property tax like other countries.
– Angie, UK, 15/3/2012 19:58 =================================== What are you talking about Angie? First, how do you know the nationality of anyone living in these houses? Second, are you talking about Council Tax – because that’s the only ‘property tax’ we have in the UK, and of course the occupiers have to pay it, whether they are British or not!

Report abuse

are these houses all attached or stand alone?
Over here, the only attached places are ‘slum’ dwellings. Otherwise, everything else is stand alone. Cant quite get my head around the amount of $$ or pounds they want for something that doesnt even have a yard or parking!

Report abuse

Homes under The Hammer .

Report abuse

Sure. Can anyone give me six good numbers for the next 9-digit Powerball jackpot? LOL

Report abuse

…and for 95% of them this isn’t their primary residence or their home country. Congratulations, keep on selling Britain.

Report abuse

I’m sure you can get much nicer houses at a better price outside of the M25 barrier of doom.

Report abuse

Me, the world………You say you wouldn’t swap where you live. You describe it very nicely, but, where do you live?, I’m nosey and want to know. By the way I’m happy with my home in beautiful Yorkshire.

Report abuse

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

Open bundled references in tabs: