Our top 10 luxury homes from 2017
Our picks range from a condo in a luxury hotel, to an oceanfront Rockefeller property to a contemporary built with materials from the Big Dig.
Every week we publish a story about a luxurious (and often very pricey) New England home, so as 2017 comes to a close, we thought we’d share our favorites — some of which are still on the market.
Check them out:
Look inside this contemporary home in Woods Hole with a wall of oceanfront windows
This four-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom, 4,780-square-foot home on Vineyard Sound in Falmouth is a contemporary lover’s dream. The home was listed for $4,900,000 when we wrote about it on Jan. 24. The home is bathed in natural light from large windows. Many of the walls are covered in glass, offering ocean views and a connection to the natural landscape. The home has an in-ground pool, an exercise room, and a private, sandy beach. (Status: Sold for $3,250,000 on Sept. 28, according to Redfin.)
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Peek inside this Colonial in Newton with an indoor basketball court, rock climbing wall, and putting green
This 12,655-square-foot, custom-built Colonial in Newton has all the bells and whistles: five bedrooms, seven full baths, two half baths, an acre of land, an open floor plan, an elevator, a movie theater, a gym, a basketball court, a game room, a wine cellar, and an indoor putting green. The home was listed for $7,350,000 when we wrote about it on Feb. 13. (Status: Still for sale, but at a new price of $6,900,000.)
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Lexington house constructed from Big Dig materials
You can live in a home built out of Big Dig materials. The property, which was listed for $2,195,000 when we wrote about it on May 22, was built in 2006, the same year the Big Dig was completed. The contemporary — which has four bedrooms and three baths in 4,027 square feet — was constructed with more than 600,000 pounds of reclaimed steel and concrete left over from the project. (Status: No longer on the market.)
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Maine estate on private 86-acre island listed for $7.95 million
A 25-minute boat ride from Portland, Maine, this estate on Casco Bay comes with more than just a three-bedroom, six-bath, 11,658-square-foot main house. When we wrote about it on July 10, the home had a $7,950,000 price tag, which also includes the 86-acre-plus island on which it sits, along with a boathouse with an apartment, a barn with apartments, a carriage house, a tavern, a chapel, a stable, and a variety of other buildings. As you might assume, the home boasts some pretty incredible water views. (Status: Still for sale at the same price.)
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Peek inside Rockefeller estate near Acadia National Park
Ringing Point, Seal Harbor, Maine
When David Rockefeller, son of John D. Rockefeller Jr. and the former head of Chase Manhattan Corp., died in March, he left large sums of money to organizations that protect Maine’s natural beauty. He granted his children the option to claim his summer home, near Acadia National Park, but they already own houses in the area. So his 14.5-acre property, Ringing Point, went up for sale, and the proceeds will go to charity. When we wrote about the home on July 31, it was listed for $19,000,000. Peggy Rockefeller, David’s wife, designed the main house, which was built in 1972. It boasts seven bedrooms, 5.5 baths, and 5,034 square feet of living space. (Status: Sale is pending.)
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See inside 17-acre waterfront estate in Bristol, R.I., 1890 mansion
Named “Wind Hill,” this estate offers a main house built in 1890, a carriage house, a gatehouse, stables, and a tennis court — all set on 17 acres. The Tudor-style 7,328-square-foot main home has three floors of living space with 10 bedrooms, six full baths, two half baths, and six fireplaces, along with amazing views of Narragansett Bay. When we wrote about the home on Aug. 7, it was listed for $6,995,000. (Status: Sold for $6,750,000 on Nov. 20, according to Realtor.com.)
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A stunning 18.7-acre farmstead once in Mark Twain’s family is for sale in Connecticut
325 Redding Road, Redding, Conn.
TopTenRealEstateDeals.com reported that Samuel Langhorne Clemens — a.k.a. Mark Twain — did not live on this piece of land, but in the home next door. He bought the neighboring property, 325 Redding Road, for his youngest daughter, Jean, according to the listing. The property offers an antique farmhouse, barn, and studio on nearly 19 acres. The five-bedroom, three-bath, 3,645-square-foot farmhouse has been completely renovated. When we wrote about the home, it was listed for $1,850,000. (Status: Still for sale, but the price has been reduced to $1,699,000.)
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Cape Cod island with chateau
Living on St. Mary’s Island in Osterville does not require a boat or stocking up on food from the mainland for weeks at a time. This 5.2-acre island is barely separated from Cape Cod; you can drive right home via causeway. The eight-bedroom, 7.5-bath, 8,931-square-foot main residence on the island was built in 1920 in a style reminiscent of the chateaus in Normandy, France. When we wrote about the home on Sept. 5, it was listed for $18,500,000. (Status: Still on the market, but the price has been reduced to $14,950,000.)
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Georgian Revival on 23-plus acres in Concord listed for $12.5 million
495 Hugh Cargill Road, Concord
Set less than 3 miles from the center of Concord, this 23.51-acre property feels much more remote and private. Surrounding the 10,395-square-foot home, you’ll find manicured gardens and lawns, a waterfall, a koi pond, granite terraces, and even walkways made of stone and antique bricks salvaged from Boston streets. The estate boasts six bedrooms and 7.5 baths. When we wrote about the property on Oct. 16, it was listed for $12,500,000. (Status: Still listed for the same price.)
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Peek inside this $13.5 million condo at Back Bay’s Mandarin Oriental
776 Boylston St., Unit E9-A, Back Bay
Ever wanted to stay in your hotel at the end of an amazing vacation? Well, here is your chance to do just that — every day. This condo is in the Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Boston, but living in a three-bedroom, 3.5-bath, 3,500-square-foot unit in a luxury hotel comes at a cost. When we wrote about the condo on Nov. 13, that price was $13,500,000. (Status: Still for sale at the same price.)
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