The DJ Danny Tenaglia has transcended the times since he burst onto the scene decades ago. Meanwhile, he has been continuously creating danceworthy beats and producing award-winning music.
He also has great taste in homes, and his condo in the iconic Palm Bay building in Miami is a perfect example. It has only been used for a few months, and the unit is in pristine condition. The building itself is a lovely old Miami masterpiece.
“The unit is really rare for Miami,” says listing agent Richard Kallabat. “It’s situated directly on Biscayne Bay, so you have the sunrise and city views to the east and sunset views to the west, because the unit has a balcony on both ends.”
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Tenaglia wanted to ensure that those views were accessible from any of the main living spaces in the home.
“He put in $250,000 in renovations, part of which went to taking down an entire wall, so you can see the views from just about anywhere in the unit,” Kallabat said.
The design is modern and edgy, with lots of open space and top-of-the-line finishes. The kitchen, which opens to the living space, offers a Snaidero design with Sub-Zero and Miele appliances. The Palm Bay building looks as if it’s floating on the water, and is one of the gems of Miami.
“Palm Bay is iconic. And it was built with luxury in mind. It’s not like other condos with tiny rooms,” says Kallabat. “This is a massive, split-level property with huge rooms on both sides.”
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The property offers a range of luxury amenities, including a pool, tennis courts, a fully equipped gym, and 12 acres of perfectly manicured gardens.
Tenaglia burst onto the club scene in 1979, DJ-ing at Paradise Garage in New York City before becoming a resident DJ at Cheers nightclub in Miami.
His remix of Depeche Mode’s “I Feel Loved” was nominated for a Grammy in 2002. He’s produced a number of award-winning tracks and is revered as an icon in the music industry.
People trek up mountains for a number of reasons, but the top one remains achingly obvious: incredible views.
What if you could live smack-dab in the middle of views you crave and soak in your surroundings all day long? Now, that would be truly epic.
To enjoy epic views year-round, this mountainside home in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina sits at an elevation of 5,000 feet. Known as Autumn Ridge Estate, the home is on the market for $6 million.
The four-story home in Newland sits on Big Yellow Mountain and overlooks part of the Appalachian Trail. You might not think a North Carolina home could get any higher than this, but Autumn Ridge is likely the second-highest home available in the Tar Heel State.
“Beech Mountain is at 5,506 feet,” says listing agent Amy Pepin. Still, Autumn Ridge is quite special.
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“You can see over 50 miles from the porch,” Pepin explains. Furthermore, Autumn Ridge was built amid 27,000 acres of protected land, so it’s the only residence for miles.
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And if crystal-clear mountain views weren’t enough, the space itself is an all-out retreat. The main residence measures more than 12,000 square feet and has eight bedrooms and 9.5 bathrooms.
The spectacular interior features full-on tree trunks incorporated into the rustic design. For blustery winter days, the home provides plenty of indoor activities. A bar, library, game room, home theater, and gym definitely suit a variety of extracurricular persuasions.
But who needs entertainment when the solarium provides indescribable views of the mountains from virtually every angle.
The property also comes with a three-bedroom guesthouse and a workshop.
If it seems this special location is too far away from signs of life, it isn’t completely isolated. Autumn Ridge is a mere 30 minutes from Banner Elk and Spruce Pine, two small North Carolina towns. Boone is only 40 minutes away as well.
So pack up your gear (and your wallet!), and head to the mountains. This home is calling all hikers.
Is Jeff Bezos looking to make another land grab on the West Coast? According to the New York Post, the Amazon.com titan, who already owns two properties in Beverly Hills, is apparently poking around Los Angeles for another mansion to add to his California collection.
And since money is no object, billionaire Bezos and his girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez, have reportedly been touring the priciest mansions—the ones over $100 million—in Beverly Hills and Bel Air, some of the Los Angeles area’s toniest enclaves.
The Bezos real estate empire is already quite vast and varied, with several adjacent apartments overlooking Central Park in New York City, a nearly 30,000-acre estate in Medina, WA, a massive ranch in west Texas, and two properties in Washington, DC.
“Bezos represents today’s new ultrahigh net worth buyer—one who’s getting increasingly younger, is concerned with privacy but also wants huge ‘wow’ factor,” says Cara Ameer, a bicoastal real estate agent with Coldwell Banker in Los Angeles.
The challenge for these luxury buyers is that much of what’s on the market isn’t designed for the way people actually live today.
“No one wants formal living spaces or heavy, ornate finishes—it’s all about sleek, clean, modern elegance,” adds Ameer.
So what will he pick next? As befits a man with some of the deepest pockets in the world, here are five impressive L.A.-area properties priced over $100 million.
Fancy an Italian palazzo? That’s the inspiration for this 20-bedroom, 20,000-square-foot property, which took seven years to build and includes its own private street access. The nearly 10-acre property should accommodate Bezos and his entire entourage, as the front courtyard can easily hold 30 cars. And he’ll stay superfit and trim in the pool, on the tennis court, and on the jogging path that encircles the manse.
Bezos could economize a tad and go for this Mediterranean-style mansion, known as “Palazzo di Amore.” While it features just 12 bedrooms, at 50,000 square feet it’s twice the size of the above property and has nearly 25 acres of land that include vineyards, plus city and ocean views.
Bezos and Sanchez can entertain properly with the bowling alley, theater, disco, and home theater, and then retreat to the enormous master suite with its Turkish hammam spa. Don’t forget the pool choices—there’s a regular one and a stunning 128-foot reflecting pool as you enter.
“The views from this spot are spectacular, and when you’re buying something on this level in Southern California, the outdoor setting is just as important—if not more—than the property itself because you can always alter the interior but you can’t add a view in most cases,” notes Ameer.
The vineyards are another distinctive feature, since Bezos could cultivate his own wine right on the property.
A nine-bedroom home may seem diminutive for a billionaire, but for $115,000,000, this one still hits all the right posh notes. Stately hedges hide this Italian Renaissance Revival designed in 1936 by architect Robert D. Farquhar. Ten acres of lush lawns surround the main house, pool house, and tennis court in Holmby Hills, one point of L.A.’s “platinum triangle” that includes Beverly Hills and Bel Air.
If Bezos is itching for some new construction, this recently rehabbed 12-bedroom, 46,000-square-foot mansion fits the bill. Gated access and close proximity to the private airport in Van Nuys mean Bezos can jet in easily, and then relax in the largest zero-edge pool in Beverly Hills. And working out is made extra convenient in the built-in sports complex—think basketball court, boxing ring, and a home gym, plus a sports lounge and bar for green juice after a good sweat.
The final pick in this fabulous quintet isn’t a home at all, but a chance to put a personal stamp on a stunning 120-acre piece of land called “Enchanted Hill.” Originally purchased by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in 1987, this property has two gated entrances and a one-mile private drive with unparalleled views of the city and ocean. If nothing else appeals in the City of Angels, Bezos could build the home of his dreams on this rare undeveloped hilltop.
Reality TV star and entrepreneur Bethenny Frankel has reportedly sold her loft in Manhattan‘s SoHo neighborhood for $3.65 million, the Observer reports. But reality does bite: After three years on the market, the property was sold with a significant price cut.
Frankel, 49, purchased the unit in 2014 for $4.25 million.She listed it in 2017 for $5 million, eventually cutting the price to $4.2 million in 2019. In October, it dropped to $4 million.
Last fall, she reportedly had a buyer, but that deal fell through. Here’s hoping this latest sale sticks.
Living space with 14-foot ceiling
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Great room with fireplace
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Located in a loft building, the “superbly outfitted” and renovated space measures 2,392 square feet. It has two bedrooms and 2.5 baths. It includes a wood-burning fireplace and a small balcony, the only one of its kind in the building.
The 25-foot-wide great room features a 14-foot high ceiling and three triple-pane, arched windows. The designer open kitchen is equipped with Sub-Zero, Wolf, Gaggenau, and Miele appliances; a marble island with bar seating; and a pantry. An oversize hallway is perfect for showcasing art and offers a home office with storage and built-ins.
Naturally, the master suite is a dreamy retreat designed for “Real Housewives.” It features a custom walk-in closet as well as a luxurious marble bath.
The second bedroom is also en suite with custom closets. Both bedrooms are bathed in natural light from the floor-to-ceiling walls of glass. Other features include walnut flooring, a washer-dryer, and a custom Crestron-integrated Sonos sound system with built-in speakers.
The 16-unit boutique building offers door attendants and a common roof terrace. It’s close to restaurants, shops, and public transit.
2020 might be shaping up as a positive year for the former “Real Housewives of New York” cast member. Frankel is also selling one of her two Hamptons homes. The Bridgehampton abode, which was originally listed for rent or for sale for $3 million, is currently in pending sale status after a price reduction to $2.59 million.
The Skinnygirl founder also reportedly owns a second loft in SoHo.
Frankel, who left the “Real Housewives” franchise last year after Season 11, plans to focus on her brands and philanthropy.
Former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler and his wife, the reality TV star Kristin Cavallari, doubtless lead charmed lives. But they’ve had at least one setback in their Nashville adventures—selling the grand mansion they bought eight years ago.
The Mediterranean-style villa—which the couple purchased in 2012 for $5.3 million—served as the beautiful backdrop for the first season of the reality show “Very Cavallari.”
The combination of a celebrity pedigree, a beautiful locale, and a designer interior seemed like a winning package. Alas, the home sat on the market. And sat some more.
The couple agreed to a price chop to $5.75 million last year. In 2020, they relisted the mansion for $4.95 million, which means that the celeb couple will be eventually be tackled for a loss.
So, why hasn’t a buyer stepped up with an offer for this fancy Nashville estate? We spoke with the agent representing the home and came away with three main factors standing in the way of a quick sale…
The home Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler have put on the market
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1. The home is big. Really big.
Let’s take a quick tour of the offering. For the price, the property includes an almost 20,000-square-foot main house, with seven bedrooms and seven full bathrooms, plus three half-baths, all sitting on 8.5 acres. Great, right? Not necessarily.
“Everybody likes the land,” says listing agent Tim Thompson. “It’s just the size of the house. Around here, if you start getting above 8,000 to 10,000 squarefeet, that’s plenty for most people.”
The home’s daunting size means that upkeep is a chore, and simply furnishing the massive space can seem overwhelming.
One reason the house is so massive? The couple expanded the square footage after they bought it, finishing the basement, and adding to its sprawling size.
In fact, the space may have proven too much for Cavallari and Cutler, who have reportedly purchased a smaller, 10,000-square-foot home with a barn and stables.
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2. Splashdown? There’s no pool
While there are plenty of amenities inside the house, the outdoor space lacks one obvious feature: a pool.
And as far as comps go, buyers spending dough on a luxe mansion expect some sort of splashy feature out back.
“You start getting into this size home and price range, you’re going to have pools and hot tubs,” says Thompson. “But this house has mostly indoor stuff, and it does not have a pool.”
For reasons only known to the owners, they removed the pool when they moved in. If you scope out the outdoor area, there’s an obvious place where the pool was probably filled in. For a buyer who falls in love with the home, the pool might be the first addition made.
Although the couple took out the pool, they left the poolhouse and outdoor living space. But for the money, if a buyer can easily find a comparably priced home with a pool, that puts this home at a disadvantage.
Given the price cuts on the home, it might have been worth it for Cutler and Cavallari to put the pool back in before departing.
For further proof, here’s an example of a 10,000-square foot home in Nashville with a pool for $6.75 million, with 5 acres. Or a five-bedroom, 10,350-square-foot abode with only 1.41 acres, also with a pool, for $4.95 million.
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3. The price wasn’t right
Owners initially want to go as high as they possibly can on price, to recoup the money on a sizable investment. No one wants to leave money on the table. And in this case, the couple added more square footage and more amenities.
However, Thompson cautions that this thinking can deter sellers. He noted that since the price dropped to its current ask, activity has been strong, with serious interest and showings. The price you want just simply may not be what buyers are willing to pay.
“Find out what things really sold for,” Thompson says. “Every house is different, and you have to price accordingly. We are getting strong results now, since we dropped the price.”
In other words, as the listing description notes, with the price adjustment below $5 million, this is a “superb value.”
On the plus side
Meanwhile, there are plenty of positives about this 25-room property. The indoor amenities are bonkers.
From the gloriously huge kitchen with two islands, to the screening room, library, family room, gym, and rec room with bar, “It’s a great entertaining house, “ Thompson says. “It’s got a huge area for a butler’s kitchen,” perfect for effortlessly catering dinner parties or hosting events.
Then, the location is a high point.
“The views of Nashville are awesome from the house,” Thompson says. He adds, in his final pitch for the next owner, “It’s a gorgeous place. They’re going to get a good house with very good proximity to Nashville, and from the third floor, gorgeous views.”
What’s that you say? You’re worried it may be a bit late in the season to seriously consider buying your very own slice of ski town heaven?
Au contraire, snow bunnies, bombers, and après-ski enthusiasts! The fact is, we’re now just entering peak snowboard and ski time in most parts of the U.S. And while “affordable ski town” may sound like an oxymoron, there are cute communities near the slopes where home prices won’t freeze you out of the market—places with mountain views outside your living room, fresh powder encroaching your doorstep, and enticing single-track biking trails waiting in the summer.
Making your move now on a snow home could make plenty of financial sense, while also providing some high-altitude relief from 2020’s ever-intensifying stressors (elections, and trials, and viruses, oh my). You just need to know where to look.
So the data team at realtor.com® strapped on our goggles, crunched the numbers, and pulled out some maps to find these real estate gems hiding in the snow. Granted, they don’t have the cachet of world-famous spots like Lake Tahoe, Aspen, or Park City. And you can forget about heated ski lifts or buckets of Veuve Clicquot chilling in the snow for happy hour—the amenities at these bargain vacation destinations are fairly basic. But you’d best believe they will satisfy your need for a home base from which to hit the slopes and even generate some rental income when you’re not enjoying it yourself.
To arrive at our list, we started with a list of 338 ski resorts from the website On the Snow and combined it with our listing data from December 2019 to pinpoint the ski towns with the most affordable housing stock. Only towns with at least 20 active listings in December were included. To avoid a traffic jam as folks rush to the slopes, we chose only one ski town per state for our list.
So grab your ski boots and zip up your Bogner, because it’s all sweet powder from here. Here are our 10 most affordable towns for snow lovers:
Nope, the Rust Belt isn’t well-known for snow sports. But maybe it should be. Located in Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Mountains, Claysburg is nestled at the base of the Blue Knob All Season Resort, which offers the highest skiable mountain in the Keystone State. The trails are fine—and just look at those prices!
With a population of 1,700, the small town offers plenty of homes convenient to the slopes. However, it must be said that the après-ski scene is a little lacking.
“Claysburg is different. It’s not what you call a [traditional] ski town,” says Adam Conrad, who holds listings in the area. But “there’s a resort and amenities.”
But don’t expect much else. Restaurants and entertainment outside Blue Knob are about 30 to 40 minutes away. However, if you have a place at the base of the mountain, you can whip up a mean fondue and hot cocoa of your own.
The area draws buyers from the rest of Pennsylvania and as far away as Washington, DC, and Baltimore. Although nonsnow activities include golfing, mountain biking, and swimming, “the ski mountain is what draws people in,” Conrad says. Most buyers are in the market for a second home, he adds.
Another draw is the option of a revenue stream. Conrad says he sees plenty of buyers rent their places out when not using them, and the market is robust.
While you can buy “a really nice condo” for $50,000 to $60,000, there are also some available for as low as $20,000. And with seasonal lift passes going for $350 to $600, this winter getaway won’t break the bank.
For a single-family home with a mountain view, prices head up the mountain into the $300,000 to $400,000 range. A ski-in/ski-out chalet duplex with mountain views is currently available for $425,000.
And Blue Knob has gone through a recent renovation to update the facilities, a bonus for those thinking of buying here.
The western part of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is known as “Big Snow Country” thanks to the lake effect that helps generate an average 200 inches of snowfall a year, so it’s no surprise that there’s some pretty good skiing here.
Bessemer, a rural area with a population of about 1,900, sits just inland from Lake Superior and is surrounded by major ski resorts—Big Powder Horn Mountain and Blackjack Resort are both nearby. With mountains and lake, this town is an outdoor sports enthusiast’s paradise, with snowboarding and snowshoeing in the winter, and fishing, boating, and swimming in the warmer months.
While cultural offerings are scant, the trade-off is an affordable lifestyle for those who appreciate the outdoors.
“I enjoyed living in a city in my early 20s, but this is where I want to raise my family. We can comfortably afford to live off one modest salary so the other parent can stay home to raise the kids,” one resident posted on bestplaces.net.
For $99,000, you can be the proud owner of a two-bed, one-bath cottage with 100 feet of Lake Chaney frontage, a fireplace, and a garage with plenty of storage for your skis and snowmobile.
Interest in the area is really picking up, says local listing agent Tammy Kauranen.
“What oftentimes happens, they start coming up as part-timers, realize they love it up here, and end up moving,” she says. “A lot of times tourists turn into full-timers.”
There’s a reason that this small town in the Adirondacks has ascended our list of most affordable ski towns. Along with great value, this northern New York locale welcomes vacationers with open arms, encouraging them to come back and buy in.
Nearby Titus Mountain resort was voted the No. 2 family-friendly resort in North America by Liftopia, an online ticketing platform.
“Here you can come and be part of the community,” says agent Karamarie Morton. “It’s very friendly.”
“People love the outdoor-living lifestyle that’s four-season,” Morton adds. “It’s not just the ski resort; it’s the hockey rink, it’s the over 250 miles of snow mobile trails, it’s the ice fishing in all the lakes that we have.”
The prices are certainly appealing, too. For $230,000, you can be the proud owner of a three-bedroom home with views of the Salmon River and that is close to the resort.
Although it also was on our list last year, we’re still surprised that the Buckeye State has a skiable mountain. Who knew?
Well, plenty of people, as it turns out. The nearby Snow Trails resort is the only privately owned ski resort in Ohio, and has been under the same management since 1961.
With 19 total trails, visitors can ski, snowboard, or tube. In fact, the resort boasts “the longest tubing lanes in Ohio” as well as an intriguing nighttime activity known as “glow tubing. ”
When the sun goes down, the tubing lanes are illuminated with bright, multicolor LED lights, which means “visitors slide down through an array of color in an unmatched Instagram-worthy experience.”
If residents want to take a break from winter activities, they head to the Shawshank Trail, which features 15 filming sites from “The Shawshank Redemption,” including the Ohio State Reformatory. Good times!
For $119,900, potential buyers can slide into this charming brick house with a huge backyard and garage. The move-in ready, three-bedroom home includes hardwood floors, vintage tile, and a rebuilt porch.
Centered around Showshoe Mountain resort, the area is home to 257 acres of skiable terrain, 1,500 vertical feet, 60 trails, and the self-proclaimed “best snow around.” It’s become a destination for skiers and boarders in search of a quick and low-cost getaway from the DC or Baltimore area.
The resort’s owner recently invested in snow-making machines, which helped the area with a relatively mild climate remain busy for the past two winters, listing agent Martha Giddings notes.
“Snowshoe is a funny mountain. It’s an upside-down resort,” says Giddings. Unlike typical ski resorts, the town is at the top of the slopes. “You get on the slopes, ride the lift back up, and stay at the top of the mountain.”
There, you’ll find restaurants, bars, and night life, as well as condos and homes. If your condo isn’t of the ski-in/ski-out variety, you can hop on the free shuttle, throw your skis on the rack, and ride over. Once you get to Snowshoe, you won’t need a car.
Condos at the resort are abundant, and prices range from $60,000 to $1 million. If you’re in the market for an Alpine-style home, this 1978 build for $224,900 may interest you. The open layout features two bedrooms, a sleeping loft, a hot tub on the deck, and mountain and valley views. And, best of all, it sits along the free shuttle route to Snowshoe.
Back for another spin on the affordable ski town list, Biwabik is at the base of Giants Ridge resort, in the heart of Minnesota’s unspoiled Superior National Forest. In addition to skiing, residents can enjoy hiking and mountain biking.
The small town with a population of just 852 “is a close-knit community with lots to offer for families and kids,” says one reviewer on niche.com.
But, the small town also has a lot of bars for après ski, including Dave’s Alpine Bar and the Biwabik Pub.
For those who fall for the tiny town enough to make a property purchase, a lakeside retreat for $169,900 offers access to outdoor sports and comes furnished. The three-bedroom home includes a gas fireplace, sleeping loft, and lakeside deck.
Skiing in New Jersey? Actually, yes. While it may not be an exotic locale, it’s certainly a convenient one for the tristate area.
Mountain Creek Resort offers over 167 skiable acres and 1,000 vertical feet across four interconnected peaks. An unlimited pass starts around $479, and it’s a mere 47 miles from New York City.
“Vernon Township is a great place to live if you love rural areas and nature, and the Appalachian Trail even runs right through it. … Vernon has ski and snowboarding slopes in the winter, and in the summer it has a water park,” says one glowing review on niche.com.
While the daytime activities are great, you’ll have to leave town for a fuller range of nighttime entertainment. Plan for a 15-20 minute drive to the restaurants, bars, ice cream shops, and cultural events of nearby Warwick, NY.
For those seeking a four-season vacation retreat that’s truly a bargain, condos such as this loft-style one-bedroom for $114,000 are close to the Appalachian trail, ski trails, and warm-weather activities such as golf and state and community parks.
Once a mining town, Kellogg turned its focus to tourism and recreation in the 1980s. Initially opened as Jackass Ski Bowl (named for an ore-discovering donkey, a nod to its past) in the late 1960s, the local ski facility was eventually sold to another organization and was reopened and renamed Silver Mountain. Improvements included a gondola that runs from Kellogg to the mountain, unloading at over 5,600 feet.
And it doesn’t hurt that its real estate is as inexpensive as ever, which is possibly why it’s been on our affordable ski town list two years running.
The ski area features a vertical drop of 2,167 feet, 67 trails, and an average snowfall of 300 inches. Those factors and an avalanche of condos and homes at reasonable prices keep the skiers coming. A two-bedroom home for $129,900 comes partly furnished and could easily work as a second home or a rental.
“The market here in the area is still really steady and really strong,” says local listing agent Emily Graeve. As to who’s buying, “the majority is owner-occupied,” she says. “There are a handful of investors that are buying for Airbnb purposes.”
Along with Seven Oaks Recreation, which offers winter sports, the town also offers golf, as well as canoeing and fishing on the Des Moines River and hiking and camping in Ledges State Park.
On top of that, the real estate offers some tempting options, including this brand-new townhome located on the Cedar Pointe Golf course. The three-bed, two-bath abode for $175,000 features granite counters, a two-car garage, and a master suite.
Louise Johns for The Washington Post via Getty Images
In Big Sky Country, this town nestled into the Anaconda Mountain Range, locally known as the Pintlers, is about 20 miles from Discovery Ski Area—or Disco, as the locals call it.
The ski mecca has three faces with 67 runs, and gets 215 inches of annual snowfall. It offers everything from bunny hills to double black diamond runs.
Once a smelting town, Anaconda now attracts residents and visitors with its outdoor activities.
“Surrounding the area, west of Anaconda, there are 15 different mountain lakes, places for skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, all that kind of stuff,” says listing agent Keegan McCarthy. “The recreation is what’s bringing people.”
In addition, the town offers hotels and bars such as the popular Smelter City Brewing pub. For a break from the outdoor fun, you can relax at the Fairmont Hot Springs or check out the Cooper Village Museum and Art Center.
And this ski haven sure delivers on affordable prices. For $172,500, you can own a “well-kept” family home with four beds and 1.5 baths, a large kitchen and living room, a backyard with patio, and a detached garage.
“A place like Anaconda is kind of unique,” says McCarthy. “There’s a ton of supply and not a ton of growth.”
Of course, once the secret of this ski town gets out, that could always change.
