America’s most expensive home hits the market for staggering $295 MILLION: Beachfront compound was built by financier for his family of 13 children and 84 grandchildren after he bought plot for $1M in 1985
America’s most expensive home hit the market for a whopping $295 million.
The beachfront complex was built in the 1980s by financier John Donahue for his family of 13 children and 84 grandchildren, after he discovered a plot of vacant land during a plane trip in 1985 and paid $1 million for it.
The Donahue family enjoyed decades of gatherings and celebrations at the Naples estate, hosting such notable figures as former President George HW Bush and Arnold Palmer, their son Bill Donahue said in a Wall Street Journal exclusive.
It is now being marketed by Coldwell Banker Realty’s Dawn McKenna Group, in partnership with Corcoran’s Leighton Candler Team and Savills Rory McMullen.
The property features three homes and a private marina and represents the most expensive home in the US.
It could set a record for the most expensive home sale in the country if it meets the asking price – and real estate agents say the likely buyers are so wealthy that they could eventually demolish the existing townhouses and then rebuild them.
A stunning shot shows part of the nine-acre property listed for $295 million in Naples, Florida that will be the most expensive home ever sold in the United States if it reaches the asking price
America’s most expensive home hit the market for a whopping $295 million
Following the deaths of John and Rhodora, the family is now putting the crown jewel of their estate on the market – a 20-acre site in Naples’ Port Royal neighborhood – for a potential record $295 million.
The property’s original owners, Rhodora and John Donahue, are pictured. Both have since passed away, with their relatives choosing to sell their main home
Donahue spotted an uninhabited stretch of land along the Gulf of Mexico while flying over Naples, Florida.
He bought about 4.3 hectares for $1 million in 1985, including a small fishing cottage surrounded by mangroves.
Over the next decade, Donahue and his wife, Rhodora, expanded their estate to approximately 60 acres, building a beachside retreat for their large family of 13 children and 84 grandchildren.
Following the deaths of John and Rhodora, the family is now putting the crown jewel of their estate on the market – a 20-acre site in Naples’ Port Royal neighborhood – for a potential record $295 million.
The main residence, which covers approximately 11,500 square feet, was built around 1989.
Later, two more houses were added, one around 1990 and the other in 2013.
The complex also includes part of Keewaydin Island, where the family built a 16,000-square-foot home around 2005 for additional accommodations.
The Donahues, devout Catholics, emphasized family, faith and their company, Federated Investors, which John co-founded in 1955.
Now, with the passing of John and Rhodora, the family has decided to sell the estate.
The main residence, which covers approximately 11,500 square feet, was built around 1989
The property features three homes and a private marina and represents the most expensive home in the US
The complex also includes part of Keewaydin Island, where the family built a 16,000-square-foot home around 2005 for additional accommodations.
The complex held a special place in the hearts of the Donahue family.
Bill recalled how his parents moved to Naples from Pittsburgh around 1990, and over time the family expanded to include more than 175 great-grandchildren.
More than 100 people regularly gathered at the Naples estate for Friday and Saturday evening gatherings, Halloween parties, Easter egg hunts and various celebrations, from homecoming dances to weddings, to Rhodora’s 90th birthday in 2015.
“I’m sure there have been countless times when every bed in every room was full,” Bill told the Wall Street Journal.
In addition to family events, Bill recounted how his parents hosted prominent figures such as former President George HW Bush and Barbara Bush, calling their guest room the “Presidential Suite.”
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“We nicknamed the room they stayed in the Presidential Suite,” he told the Wall Street Journal.
The family also welcomed golfer Arnold Palmer and hosted political lunches for lawmakers such as former Gov. Jeb Bush.
As devout Catholics, the Donahues also hosted visiting clergy, adhering to the family motto “Family, Faith and Federation,” in which they deeply believed.
On the occasion of their 50th anniversary in 1996, Bill shared with the Wall Street Journal how his parents traveled to Rome with about 100 children and grandchildren to meet Pope John Paul II.
His father personally introduced each family member to the Pope, who was shocked by the large family size.
“The Pope kept saying, ‘Are these all yours?’ He probably said it five times,” Bill said.
The agents claimed that the size, location and amenities of the property, including the private marina, justify the staggering asking price.
They emphasize the rarity and size of the property and its extensive waterfront, making it a unique and valuable asset.
In May 2023, Beyoncé and Jay-Z made a historic real estate purchase, breaking previous California home price records.
In July 2023, a beautiful estate in Nantucket became the most expensive home sold in Massachusetts history after selling for more than $38 million
The Crazy in Love singer, 41, and the hip-hop mogul, 53, bought a lavish mega-mansion in Malibu for a whopping $200 million, making it the most expensive home ever sold in the state of California, according to TMZ.
The power couple – who also own a mansion in the upscale Bel Air neighborhood – took over the record from their new neighbor, venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, who bought his house next door in 2021 for a whopping $177 million.
In July 2023, a beautiful estate in Nantucket became the most expensive home sold in Massachusetts history after selling for more than $38 million.
Beam Ends, the luxurious 15,332 sq ft mansion on 3.56 acres of land, is located in the Monomoy area and offers beautiful views of Nantucket Harbor.
The waterfront home with eight bedrooms and eleven bathrooms sold for a whopping $38,127,500, making it the most expensive home ever sold in Massachusetts.