For Sale: A House So Big You Need a Segway to Get Around It
Jacqueline and Dave Siegel embarked on their $100 million Orlando mansion—named "Versailles"—before the credit crisis hit. Now they're trying to sell it. At 90,000 square feet, it is the largest privately owned home in America.
The Wall Street Journal first mentioned Versailles in June, when the Siegels were begging someone to take the half-constructed mansion off their hands. This time around, the lovely and increasingly desperate Mrs. Siegel gave the Journal a tour of the half-finished home that is the size of two White Houses:
We had planned maybe a 12,000 square-foot home, but our family grew, we have eight kids, and during the design process the house just kind of took on a life of its own.
I wanted a bowling alley for the kids and I wanted an indoor roller- and ice-skating rink, and my husband wanted a 10,000 square-foot health spa with an indoor relaxation pool and the house kept growing and we had to keep buying more lots.
To get around the ginormous manor, the Siegels purchased 10 Segways. Would you like to buy "Versailles"? The Siegels are selling for a bargain-basement $75 million as-is, or $100 million once it's finished. If it sells, it'll be the most expensive home sale of the year. [WSJ, WSJ, rendering via Westgate Resorts]