Biggest Waterfront Homes

When the “location location location” is “waterfront, waterfront, waterfront,” high-end real estate enters a whole new plane—often one with multihued sunset views.

We sought out the largest examples of waterfront mansions—from “smallest” (a mere 10,000 or so square feet) to some of the largest ones on the market. Here are ten such amazing residences, provided by Trulia.com and LuxuryRealEstate.com. Click ahead and let the shimmery real estate fantasies commence.

By Colleen Kane
Posted 28 April 2011

List price: $26,900,000
Square Footage: 9,384
Bedrooms: 6
Baths: 7 full, 3 partial

This elegant family compound including a guest house overlooks the Pacific from 1.95 acres of manicured gardens. The private sunny location offers spectacular island views and it’s situated minutes away from luxury enclaves Montecito and Biltmore.

List price: $29.5M
Square Footage: 10,000
Bedrooms: 6
Baths: 6 full, 1 partial

This stunning Mediterranean/Spanish style coastal compound offers direct access to the beach. Sprawled across 135 feet of ocean frontage, this recently remodeled mansion offers a gated entry, hand-hewed walnut beams, intricate hand-crafted flooring, an expansive outdoor living space with 4 fireplaces, fire pit and of course, the oceanfront.

List price: $7,900,000
Square Footage: 10,740
Bedrooms: 6
Baths: 6 full, 2 partial

This unique Mediterranean house features a 500 year-old hand-carved entry into the media room, custom crafted cabinets carved by Rumanian artists, and extensive use of marble, granite and wrought iron. Almost every room in the house has panoramic views of Seattle, Lake Washington, and Mercer Island, and Chism Beach Park is nearby. Included in the package are two tax lots for further waterfront footage.

List price: $12,000,000
Square Footage: 11,000
Bedrooms: 5
Baths: 9

This gated estate  is perched high above the rest on the bluffs with unobstructed views of the Pacific Ocean.The kitchen is equipped with Miele, Wolf & Sub Zero appliances. The master suite has extraordinary views and a private patio with fire pit. The spalike master bath has a double shower, oversized jetted tub and walk- in closet. The light-filled lower level opens out to the exterior patios, and the mansion includes a huge game room with full-sized bar and a glass wine room.

List price: $13,800,000
Square Footage: 13,600
Bedrooms: 6+
Baths: 6

This resort-like private palace on Grand Bahama is owned by the former president of Victoria’s Secret Mail Order, David Kollat, and features coral-filled floors, a Cyprus-paneled library, a gym, heated pool, 10 fireplaces (four inside and six out), and a master bedroom fitted with “enough marble to rival Rome”—all 100 feet from the ocean. The compound is situated on 1.44 acres of private beach and 0.28 acres of canal, and the surroundings are lush with coconut and Cuban palms, Gumbo-limbo and sea grape trees, oleander, hibiscus, green and silver buttonwood.

List price: $18,500,000
Square Footage: 14,079
Bedrooms: 5
Baths: 6 full, 3 partial

This modern oceanfront estate features limestone, slate, and wood floors, a two-story gallery entrance, formal dining room, his-and-hers master baths and walk-in closets, meditation room, gym, elevator, and media room. There is also the 100-foot-long matter of the beach, complete with cabana.

List price: $32,500,000
Square Footage: 18,388
Bedrooms: 9
Baths: 9 full, 1 partial

This astounding modern tropical compound including two four-bedroom guesthouses offers 125 feet of beach frontage with mountain, ocean, and sunrise views. With the palm trees, decks, pool, and outdoor lounging areas, this home could be mistaken for a resort, but it’s private home available to anyone with $32.5K to drop.

List price: $5,000 - $25,000 daily rental rate depending on usage
Square Footage: 22,600

The luxury rental home Lion’s Gate Mansion is located on a private fresh water lake with a white sandy beach in one of the most exclusive gated communities in the world with private beaches, a restaurant, an equestrian center and lit tennis courts. The property has a THX state-of-the-art movie theater, golf and fire arms simulator, 4 level hydraulic elevator for 6 people, quiet low consumption air conditioning, Gothic wine cellar with dining room, oversized swimming pool with 4 underwater windows, 3 outdoor bars, a juice bar, 2 saunas, 2 steam rooms, a gym, a putting green, a basketball court, beach volleyball, and a helipad.

List price: $48,500,000
Square Footage: 27,000
Bedrooms: 10+

This estate on its own private island in the British West Indies is connected to the main island by a swing bridge. It faces west for ocean sunset views unencumbered thanks to the 40-foot living room ceiling and two-story entryway to the patio. There’s also a business center, marina with boats, gym, 10-person home theater, wine cellar, pool with bar, lit tennis court, and smart spa. 

List price: $60,000,000
Square Footage: 30,000
Bedrooms: 10
Kitchens: 5

This modern two-acre compound of five buildings highlights the continuity between indoor and outdoor space using floating pavilions, waterfalls, vertical gardens, courtyards and a private beach with sand imported from the Bahamas. It also has Bond-worthy wine cellar only accessible using a fingerprint keypad, and remote controls in every room that operate everything in the home, from the jacuzzi to the 175 inch 3-D TV in the home theatre.