When billionaire Mark Zuckerberg bought a new $170 million megamansion on Miami’s infamous Indian Creek Island earlier this month, the purchase was hailed as being the most expensive residential real estate transaction to ever take place in Miami-Dade County.
However, while the 41-year-old Meta founder’s splashy new dwelling—which is located just a few doors down from an enormous compound owned by his fellow tech tycoon Jeff Bezos—certainly made a bold mark on the local real estate market, when it comes to the most expensive residences ever sold in the U.S., it falls somewhat short.
According to property records, Zuckerberg’s new abode, which was entirely conceived by Canadian architect and designer Ferris Rafauli, is only the seventh priciest private dwelling to change hands in recent history, and only the second most expensive home to have been purchased in Florida.
In fact, the tech mogul’s opulent waterfront mansion was more than $70 million cheaper than America’s most expensive home: a staggering penthouse inside the famed New York City skyscraper at 220 Central Park South, which was purchased by Citadel billionaire Ken Griffin for just a hair under $240 million in January 2019.
As for the Sunshine State, its record for the most expensive home sold is held by a waterfront estate in Naples, which traded hands in April 2025 for the sky-high price of $225 million.
Here, Realtor.com® reveals the 10 most expensive homes to sell in the U.S.—and the lucky buyers who cemented their properties’ place in the history books with their over-the-top purchases.
1. Ken Griffin’s New York penthouse: $239.96 million
Billionaire Citadel founder Griffin is known for being one of America’s most prolific property investors, having built up a staggering portfolio of dwellings across the country, from California to Florida.
However, no residential property purchase has yet managed to rival the extraordinary $239.96 million the hedge fund manager splashed out on an enormous 23,000-square-foot penthouse inside one of New York City’s priciest high-rises.
Griffin closed on the purchase of the unit in January 2019, buying the palatial property in an off-market deal, according to records.
At the time, a spokesperson for Griffin revealed to The Wall Street Journal that he had made the decision to buy a property in Manhattan after expanding his business to the Big Apple with the acquisition of an office space on Park Avenue.
When the businessman bought his unit, it was still under construction—although it is thought that work on the dwelling has since been completed.
The outlet reported that the unit was being delivered as an “unfurnished white box,” giving Griffin a blank canvas to outfit the dwelling in whatever way he chose.
Because the unit was never listed on the MLS, no images were ever shared of its interior and no details about its layout have ever been revealed.
2. Waterfront Naples mansion: $225 million
An extravagant waterfront property in Naples, FL, became the state’s most expensive home ever sold, after it was snapped up for an eye-watering $225 million in April 2025—despite being located in an area that is deemed at “extreme” risk of flooding.
The one-of-a-kind property is actually made up of three different dwellings, all of which are understood to have been purchased by the same buyer, whose identity has not been made public.
Although the sky-high price tag represents the Sunshine State’s most expensive residential real estate transaction, the anonymous buyer actually managed to snag something of a discount, given that the properties were originally listed for the collective price of $295 million back in October 2024.
In the end, the central property in the trio of homes—which offers six bedrooms and 13.5 bathrooms and spans 8,846 square feet—sold for $133.2 million, according to property records. Meanwhile, the other two—one is a five-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom dwelling—sold for $46.9 million and $44.9 million, respectively.
Described in its listing as a “stunning beachfront opportunity,” the three-home property spans more than 15 acres, which includes 800 feet of beach frontage, making it “one of the largest beachfront legacy properties” in the U.S.
However, the listing made no mention of the environmental risks that accompany the jaw-dropping property—which bears an “extreme” 9 out of 10 risk of flooding, according to the Realtor.com climate risk rating.
“This property has a 99.90% risk of flooding over 30 years,” the rating states. “This property’s risk of flood is increasing as weather patterns change. Flooding in this area is caused by precipitation, sea level rise, and hurricane storm surge.”
Meanwhile, FEMA classifies the property’s locale as a Special Flood Hazard Area, which is defined as an area “that will be inundated by the flood event having a 1% chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.”
The listing also failed to include any interior shots of the three homes—nor did it give any in-depth details about the state of the three properties included in the sale, suggesting that it may have been marketed to interested parties as a teardown, offering a very wealthy buyer the opportunity to construct their own enormous megamansion on the existing plots of land.
3. Oakley founder James Jannard’s Malibu mansion: $210 million
It’s rare that musicians Beyoncé and Jay-Z find themselves outdone, yet that is exactly what happened in June 2024, when their record-breaking Malibu home was dethroned as the most expensive home sold in the tony coastal community—by Oakley founder James Jannard‘s own waterfront estate.
Almost one year to the day after Beyoncé and Jay-Z broke a local record with their purchase of a $190 million clifftop mansion, Jannard topped that sum by $20 million, offloading his enormous Mediterranean-style estate on Pacific Coast Highway for $210 million.
Aside from landing a historic sum, Jannard also pocketed quite a profit from the deal, having purchased the coastal property in 2001 for a mere $31 million.
Set on a majestic 9.5 acres, the cliffside spread includes a 19,340-square-foot mansion with eight bedrooms, 13 baths, a gourmet kitchen, formal dining room, a den and library, an elevator, and a screening room.
Inside, a limestone stairway leads to a vast primary suite with a sitting room, an office, exercise room, and three giant closets. Five more bedrooms, including two guest suites, are downstairs.
The rare offering also includes an enviable 300 feet of shoreline. The grounds feature a formal rose garden, tennis court, guesthouse, staff quarters, putting green, and a covered pavilion.
4. Beyonce and Jay-Z’s Malibu mansion: $190 million
For 13 short months, the most expensive home ever sold in Malibu was a Tadao Ando-designed concrete megamansion that was purchased by Beyoncé and Jay-Z for $190 million in May 2023.
At the time, the 5.9-acre property right off Pacific Coast Highway set a record for the most expensive home sale in California history.
Before the famous couple bought it, the property—which is located in Paradise Cove—had last changed hands for the relatively low sum of $14.5 million in 2003, however the Ando dwelling was not built until 11 years later.
According to multiple reports, the seven-bedroom, 11-bathroom clifftop mansion was being quietly shopped around with a $295 million price tag when Bey and Jay stepped in to purchase it, meaning they scored more than a $1 million discount on the dwelling.
The concrete structure, which overlooks Malibu’s iconic Paradise Cove, is located directly adjacent to another record-breaking mansion, which had previously held the title for California’s most expensive dwelling—until the musical duo swooped in and purchased their new abode.
Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s opulent property was originally conceived by art collector William Bell, who enlisted Ando to bring his vision to life.
The resulting L-shaped mansion boasts floor-to-ceiling walls of glass that maximize the incredible views of the water, while trees that surround the dwelling help to ensure total privacy from prying eyes—which was no doubt a top priority for the A-list couple.
5. Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai’s New York penthouse: $188 million
Three years after Griffin closed on his record-breaking unit at 220 Central Park South, Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai followed in his footsteps with his own headline-grabbing property acquisition inside the same New York City high-rise.
Though not quite as pricey as the unit purchased by the Citadel founder, Tsai’s $188 million penthouse, which he purchased from fellow billionaire Dan Ochs, still raised more than a few eyebrows—particularly as the deal came just one year after he was revealed to have bought two other units in the same building for the combined price of $157.5 million, according to CNBC.
The pricier of his purchases inside the sky-high tower is located on the 73rd floor of the building—however the deal also included a maid’s room on a lower level.
Bloomberg reported at the time that Tsai purchased the unit through a Hong Kong-based investment advisory firm called Blue Pool Capital, which took out a $71.5 million 30-year mortgage to purchase the dwelling.
Before Tsai snapped up the penthouse, which spans nearly 10,000 square feet, it had last been purchased by Ochs for $93 million in 2019—however the billionaire decided to part ways with it less than three years later after relocating his primary residence to Florida for tax reasons.
6. Marc Andreessen’s 7-acre Malibu compound: $177 million
While he may have lost the title for California’s most expensive home purchase to Beyoncé and Jay-Z, billionaire venture capitalist Marc Andreessen did hold the Golden State record for just over a year after he purchased a palatial Malibu spread for $177 million in October 2021.
Andreessen bought the palatial clifftop compound from fashion mogul Serge Azria, who had, in turn, bought the property for $41 million from film producer Jerry Weintraub in 2013.
After buying the dwelling, Azria is said to have carried out an extensive renovation of the property, overhauling all of the existing structures, while also adding some new features.
Despite the record-breaking price, Andreessen paid well below the $218 million that Azria had reportedly been shopping the property for prior to its sale.
Though the property has always been used as a single-family residence, the 7-acre spread offers enough space—and structures—to house dozens of people, boasting a 10,000-square-foot primary residence, multiple guesthouses, and its own movie theater.
Two barns had been converted into a car collector’s garage, while a caretaker’s abode was also added to the land.
There is also a private spa on the property, as well as a swimming pool, that can be found tucked away on the perfectly manicured grounds.
In total, there were at least 13 structures spread across the palatial parcel when Andreessen purchased the spread, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
7. Mark Zuckerberg’s Billionaire Bunker mansion: $170 million
Zuckerberg broke into the top 10 list of most expensive all-time home sales earlier this month, when he closed on the purchase of an under-construction megamansion on Miami’s infamous “Billionaire Bunker,” an exclusive community that is home to some of the priciest dwellings in the U.S.
Remarkably, the Facebook founder scored a deal on the purchase of the home, which was originally put on the market for the even higher price of $200 million in November 2025.
It will be some time before the billionaire and his wife, Priscilla Chan, can move into the home, however, with construction on the opulent abode ongoing. Renderings shared with the listing have revealed an extraordinary glimpse at the luxury they will enjoy when their new dwelling is completed.
When it was originally listed at the end of last year, the home was described as an “architectural masterpiece” that “defines the pinnacle of luxury waterfront living.”
The home was commissioned by plastic surgeon Aaron Rollins and his real estate agent wife, Marine Rollins, who purchased the 1.84-acre waterfront lot on Miami’s famed Indian Creek Island for $30 million in 2020, according to records.
They then teamed up with Canadian architect and designer Ferris Rafauli, who conceived everything from the structural layout to the interiors and the landscaping, according to information shared with Realtor.com.
While the property is still being built, the original designs for the home revealed that it had been designed with every luxury amenity imaginable. They include a waterfront swimming pool, a private dock, a gym, a hair salon and massage room, an aquarium, and a library—complete with its own secret passageway.
“From the limestone facade and grand architectural proportions to the meticulously curated interiors, every detail showcases modern artistry and exceptional craftsmanship,” the listing stated.
“This classically inspired residence offers endless views, indoor-outdoor living, and a sense of privacy and sophistication.”
It marks the first major Florida property purchase made by Zuckerberg, who has been based primarily in California for many years now. He began amassing a collection of properties in Palo Alto in 2011, which now make up an extraordinary compound worth around $112 million.
8. Jeff Bezos’ Beverly Hills estate: $165 million
For a few short months, Amazon CEO Bezos was the proud owner of California’s most expensive home, after he purchased the storied Warner Estate in Beverly Hills from music mogul David Geffen for $165 million.
The 9-acre spread was built in the 1930s for Jack Warner, the late former president of Warner Bros.—but it is understood to have undergone many an upgrade since it was first completed.
When Bezos purchased the estate, it featured “expansive terraces, sprawling gardens, several guesthouses, a tennis court, and its own nine-hole golf course,” according to The Wall Street Journal.
However, the Amazon billionaire—who is based primarily in Florida but uses the Beverly Hills abode as his West Coast base—is said to have made multiple changes to the dwelling after buying it, with images taken of the home after his deal closed showing it undergoing a significant overhaul.
Yet the iconic bones of the home remain largely the same as they did when the dwelling was built for Warner and it has long been recognized as one of the most opulent estates to have ever been completed in the Los Angeles area.
Though the deal between Bezos and Geffen was arranged privately—with no real estate agents involved on either side—veteran luxury agent Kurt Rappaport told The Wall Street Journal of the mansion: “I would say it’s one of the most beautiful properties in the world, let alone Los Angeles.”
Geffen made quite the return on his investment in the dwelling, which he purchased for $47.5 million in 1990, which set a record for most expensive Los Angeles-area home at the time.
9. Tarpon Island in Palm Beach: $152 million
While Palm Beach is home to many luxurious properties, it boasts only one private island, a unique property that sits on the Intracoastal Waterway and is surrounded by water on all four sides, save for a tiny bridge that connects it to the mainland.
Built in the 1930s by dredging crews, the property boasts a total of 2.6 acres at the heart of which sits an incredible 21,400-square-foot Colonial-style mansion.
The primary residence features 11 bedrooms and 15.5 bathrooms—while a guesthouse is now home to a private gym, spa, and a hair salon.
In July 2021, the island was purchased by developer Todd Michael Glaser, who paid $85 million for the property, which he completely remodeled, turning what was the main residence into a guesthouse and adding an enormous extension that now serves as the primary home.
Just five months later, he put Tarpon Island back on the market for the sky-high price of $210 million—however it struggled to find a buyer willing to fork out such a staggering sum, and it would be two more years before it finally sold, for the much lower price of $152 million.
Initially, the identity of the buyer was not made public, however The Wall Street Journal later revealed that Australian investor Michael Dorrell was the lucky new owner of the unique dwelling.
10. Investor Daren Metropoulos’ Palm Beach mansion: $148 million
While property investor Daren Metropoulos might not boast the same celebrity profile as others on this list, his portfolio is filled with some of the most iconic real estate in the U.S., including Hugh Hefner‘s Playboy Mansion and a “hurricane-proof” bunker mansion in Miami Beach.
In total, Metropoulos owns more than $300 million worth of homes—but the jewel in that property crown is arguably the historic Palm Beach estate he purchased in 2024 for the sky-high price of $148 million.
The Mediterranean Revival-style home is widely considered to be one of the area’s most prominent “architectural gems,” having been built in 1919—although it has since undergone significant restorations and renovations.
Designed by prominent architect Addison Mizner as one of his first major Palm Beach projects, the property had only changed hands on a few occasions before 2024.
Before Metropoulos purchased the property, it had previously been owned by Canadian businessman William Penser, who died in 2021. He and his wife had bought the home for $12.1 million in 2003.
After buying the dwelling, Metropoulos vowed to protect its impressive legacy, saying in a statement: “I am delighted to continue the tradition of preserving this jewel and ensuring that its classic charm and elegance continue to endure.”
