Homeowners usually dread having foreclosures in their neighborhoods because it tends to put a drag on the value of surrounding properties, but they might not mind living next to 188 Minna St., in San Francisco.
Among the nearly 4 million homes owned by banks today, according to Barclays Capital, this one stands out. For one thing, there’s the waterfall in the foyer. And the 2,500-square-foot master bedroom with a hallway just for closets. And the 22-foot glass walls that look out on San Francisco’s Arts District. And the fact that this penthouse condo is the most expensive bank-owned residence in the country.
Foreclosure website RealtyTrac says the average foreclosed home sells for $182,489.
According to San Francisco real estate blog SocketSite.com, lender Bank of America, which picked up the deed to the 20,000-square-foot penthouse in lieu of foreclosure back in July, just sold the condo. Listed at $35 million, 188 Minna St. was purchased for an eye-popping $28 million, making it the most expensive residential sale in the city’s history.
Still, the bank’s asking price is half of what the original owner, developer Victor MacFarlane, was seeking for the unit back in 2008, although he did slash the price to $49 million the following year.
Perched atop the St. Regis luxury residential tower, this six-bedroom, seven-bath (plus four half-baths) palace is practically a private hotel: There’s a full gym with a sauna and steam room, 13-seat movie theater, 2,900 square feet of terrace space and parking for six cars.
Here is an interior shot from the listing at Sotheby’s International Realty
There are no details on the buyer yet, but here’s one parting thought: If the real estate agents involved earned a standard 6 percent commission on this deal, they’ll pocket $2.1 million.
The author of this article is: Martha C. White
See the original post at: http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/16/9493683-buyer-found-for-nations-priciest-bank-owned-home
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