Inman

Saudi prince selling Aspen estate for $135 million

A Saudi prince is selling his sprawling home in the Aspen, Colo., area for $135 million — the highest list price for a U.S. home.

Laurie Moore-Moore, founder and president of The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, said in a statement, “The current world record for the most expensive residence was set in 2004 when a London home sold for $128 million. While Prince Bandar’s property may break that record, don’t look for it to happen quickly. Despite the increase of personal wealth worldwide, there are few buyers internationally who are in a position to purchase a property of this magnitude.”

Donald Trump is selling an estate in Palm Beach, Fla., for $125 million — this oceanfront property was the previous U.S. record-holder for highest list price.

Saudi Arabian Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, who had served as the ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the United States from 1983-2005, is putting his 56,000-square-foot home on the market. The home, which sits on 95 acres, has 15 bedrooms, somewhere between 16 and 26 bathrooms (reports vary), an indoor swimming pool and an elevator, and the grounds include horse stables, a tennis court, ponds and other water features, the Rocky Mountain News reported.

Joshua Saslove, the listing broker for the property, dubbed Hala Ranch, told the newspaper, “He has decided to sell some of his properties because his time will be limited as to what he can spend there.”

Saslove’s Joshua & Co. real estate firm in Aspen is an affiliate of Christie’s Great Estates, a luxury real estate network.

The prince issued a statement through Saslove about the decision to sell Hala Ranch, the Rocky Mountain News reported: “I have always had fond memories of the time I have spent in Aspen with friends and family, but my new responsibilities at home in Saudi Arabia will prevent me from spending as much time as I would like in Aspen. I have therefore concluded that it would be better to allow some of the property to pass on into other hands. I intend to continue to visit Aspen from time to time and to enjoy its unique natural beauty and the generous welcome of the Aspen community.”

The prince was appointed in October 2005 to serve as Saudi Arabia’s secretary general of the National Security Council.