Friday 30th September

A Sea change to a tree change

Spencer Young, the Founder and Chairman of a $6 billion global hedge fund business, has placed his luxury Bondi Beach penthouse on the market with plans to relocate full time to his private country retreat.

The residence made waves when it sold for $9 million in 2006, however there have since been a number of penthouse sales in the area at higher prices, including 122 Ramsgate Ave sold for $9.8 million, and The Beach House at 178 Campbell Parade which sold for $11.4 million.

The apartment covers the entire top floor of a three-storey building at the south end of Bondi Beach and takes in a glorious 180 degree views that stretch north over Bondi Beach to the rugged headland of Ben Buckler.

The boutique complex houses only three individual apartments in a restricted no-through road cul-de-sac, directly opposite the beach. The building also has direct access to the famous Bondi Icebergs swimming, fitness and recreation club.

To exploit the vista, the open-plan apartment features extensive wraparound sun decks with a 22-metre beach frontage of frameless glass.

The apartment is bathed in all-day sun from the northern perspective and even includes a private glass sunroom.  Skylights deliver direct natural light to the bathrooms, laundry and hallway.

It has ceilings up to 3.4 metres high, specially selected feature lighting and historic hardwood timber floor coverings throughout.

The apartment includes three bedrooms, two bathrooms, chefs kitchen with marble finishes, separate laundry, hydraulic lift access, a Bang & Olufsen Television and entertainment system, security system, automated electronic blind and sun-shade systems, and four generous security car spaces.

For further information, find it on Millionplus.

Halle Berry's hideaway for sale

Hollywood hottie, Halle Berry, has listed her Canadian hideaway for sale this month for $1.9 million.

Located in Saint-Hippolyte, nearly an hour North of Montreal, the 63 acre property includes a 2,500 square foot barn-like contemporary residence that spans over three levels and boasts breathtaking views of the surrounding forest. It features three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living area, home office, single car garage, and a separate laundry.

The home also includes heated concrete floors, vaulted ceilings, and a a monolithic cinder block fireplace.

Berry bought the isolated property while she was married to Canadian male model Gabriel Aubry, who is the father of her daughter.

Berry, a former fashion model, and beauty queen, is best known for her award winning performances in ‘Monster's Ball’, ‘X-Men’ and its sequels, and as the much swooned over Bond Girl, Jinx, in ‘Die Another Day’. She is also a long standing Revlon spokeswoman, and was named #1 in FHM's ‘100 Sexiest Women in the World’ poll in 2003.

Point Piper at its best

Discretely located above Seven Shillings Beach, in the prestigious Sydney suburb of Point Piper, this Tzannes Associates-designed residence is a haven of style and security set against a magical Sydney Harbour and Bridge backdrop.

Tzannes Associates took the classic P&O style residence, a style built after the iconic ocean liners during the Art Deco period, and transformed it into an impressive three-storey family home we see today. The firm also won an AIA (NSW) Commendation in 2010 for the home’s crowning glory, its impressive rooftop pavilion.

The traditional curved windows and feature walls of the original building have been retained and enhanced to dramatic effect, with the new design taking full advantage of the view.

The main residence accommodates four bedrooms and four bathrooms, including a superb parents retreat with its own dedicated living space, study, dressing room, harbour view terrace and onyx vanity and bathroom.

It also includes expansive formal lounge and dining areas, which are framed by sliding glass doors allowing an effortless flow to surrounding terraces. Additional casual living space adjoins a wonderfully spacious granite kitchen, and home office.

Set above the garage, a completely separate guest house provides the perfect sanctuary of friends, teenagers or staff. It includes a skylit bathroom, a kitchenette with a hotplate and integrated bar fridge, generous built-in wardrobes and abundant additional storage.

Acclaimed landscaped architects ASPECT Studios were commissioned to create the alfresco elements of the property. The low maintenance landscaped garden terraces work in perfectly harmony with the architecture, enhancing the distinctive curves of the house.

The gardens are completed by a custom designed timber bar and solar and gas heated lap pool presided over by a stacked stone water feature.

For further information, find it on Millionplus.

Monaco takes the cake... again!

Home to Prince Albert II and the new Princess Charlene, the Monte Carlo Casino, the Circuit de Monaco Formula One track, and a figurehead of the French Riviera, Monaco takes the top prize once again for being the most expensive real estate in the world for the third year running.

The latest research, released by Knight Frank’s global index of luxury property prices, revealed that the average price per metre for a home in Monaco would set you back a staggering $65,600 per square metre – a figure some people pay for an entire house in other places around the world.

The index also reports that London is the second most expensive at $56,300 per square metre, and France has its fair share of golden miles with Cap Ferrat in third place at $54,600 per square metre, St Tropez at $40,800 per square metre, and Paris in at fifth place at $40,500 per square metre.

The remaining top ten cities continue to be dominated by French cities, including Courchevel and Cannes in sixth and seventh place, commanding $38,800, and $31,900 respectively.

Eight place goes to Tokyo at $28,300 per square metre, ninth goes to Hong Kong at $27,300 per square metre, and tenth is awarded to Singapore at 27,100 per square metre.

Shanghai took the trophy for the fastest growing city with a growth of 21% over last year, now priced at $17,700 per square metre.

Monaco’s biggest real estate sale in the last year was Christian and Nick Candy’s property ‘La Belle Epoque’. The 1,600-square-metre penthouse sold to an unnamed buyer from the Middle East for a cool $340 million.

Monaco levies no income tax on individuals, making it famous for attracting a considerable number of wealthy residents from European countries who derive the majority of their income from activity outside Monaco.

It is one of the smallest country by size in the world, second only to Vatican City, and boasts the world's lowest unemployment rate, and the highest life expectancy, with its inhabitants averaging almost 90 years – maybe money can buy you the good life!