Wow--You've got to be kidding me...

Pics, square footage price ?

It's the one I posted the other day. http://www.sowal.com/photos-022908.html

8 bedrooms

I've seen that one.

There's another one, equally big or bigger, going up just east of the Hilton house. Sorry I don't have pics.

And here I thought I was going to be able to keep this secret.

I've seen that one.

There's another one, equally big or bigger, going up just east of the Hilton house. Sorry I don't have pics.

Kurt's posted pics of that one, too. Both houses seem equally long. They are much larger than any family of 25 people need, especially for a beach house. I can see them on VRBO.com now -- "Sleeps 156 people. Great for weddings."

Anyone know who is architect?

Wow is right. I walked in that area on Saturday with some guests and no one even remarked on it. I only noticed that it was too close to the walking paths! It's going to be a tough number.

Now that, boys and gulls, is a chunk of change!!!!

Who actually needs a house that size?

If you've got that many people, why wouldn't you rent 2 house?

Wow is right. I walked in that area on Saturday with some guests and no one even remarked on it. I only noticed that it was too close to the walking paths! It's going to be a tough number.

Tough number? I would say totally impossible.

I say it eventually sells for no more than $4 million.

May not sell for $12 but $4?????

Remember that house in the Retreat (beautifllu designed by Bobby McAlpine) - all it takes is someone falling in love....

And didn't someone in essence buy an $7.9 million Gulf front house last year in Rosemary and has proceeded to demo it and start anew??

that house is ridiculous.

Don't one of y'all want to buy this and be my neighbor? Or...my next door neighbor has his for sale for 6 million

The house is big, it is three stories & a tower room. It actually has two carriage house/garages. If you look at the left end of Kurt's pics those last two roofs are seperate carriage houses. They are putting a game room over one of the garages. It is going to be an incredible house when finished. They had to get permission to take longer to build it.

Don't one of y'all want to buy this and be my neighbor? Or...my next door neighbor has his for sale for 6 million

The house is big, it is three stories & a tower room. It actually has two carriage house/garages. If you look at the left end of Kurt's pics those last two roofs are seperate carriage houses. They are putting a game room over one of the garages. It is going to be an incredible house when finished. They had to get permission to take longer to build it.

Is this where the trespassing issue came up? ;-)

Is this where the trespassing issue came up? ;-)

Which one?

You're not trespassing when you are invited in silly!

Which one?

You're not trespassing when you are invited in silly!

Okay, now I'm curious where you've been trespassing, you mentioned it in another thread.

May not sell for $12 but $4?????

Remember that house in the Retreat (beautifllu designed by Bobby McAlpine) - all it takes is someone falling in love....

And didn't someone in essence buy an $7.9 million Gulf front house last year in Rosemary and has proceeded to demo it and start anew??

Let's see--you can easily buy a piece of gulf front land in Watersound for under $2 million right now and build an absolute masterpiece for $300 to $350 per square foot. So, you could buy a lot and build your own 6000 square foot palace for $4 million plus/minus or buy the "beauty" under construction for $12 million??? Like I said, my guess is no more than $4 million and it will take a long time to sell at that price.

Given current land prices and falling construction costs, it would be much more cost effective right now to buy a lot and build in Watersound than to pay anywhere near the list price for most of the listings in Watersound.

Maybe, the Watersound seller will get lucky and find someone that doesn't care much about investment value that will give them a "lowball" offer of $5 or $6 million (thinking to themselves, "wow, what a great deal, I just got 50% off the asking price"). I don't think so, but you never know where you might find a a true real estate visionary to make such a purchase.

Let's see--you can easily buy a piece of gulf front land in Watersound for under $2 million right now and build an absolute masterpiece for $300 to $350 per square foot. So, you could buy a lot and build your own 6000 square foot palace for $4 million plus/minus or buy the "beauty" under construction for $12 million??? Like I said, my guess is no more than $4 million and it will take a long time to sell at that price.

Given current land prices and falling construction costs, it would be much more cost effective right now to buy a lot and build in Watersound than to pay anywhere near the list price for most of the listings in Watersound.

Maybe, the Watersound seller will get lucky and find someone that doesn't care much about investment value that will give them a "lowball" offer of $5 or $6 million (thinking to themselves, "wow, what a great deal, I just got 50% off the asking price"). I don't think so, but you never know where you might find a a true real estate visionary to make such a purchase.

Maybe it's for someone with more money than taste.

/sarcasm off

You can't build a "masterpiece" by the current definition for $350/sq ft. If you're talking high end finishes, custom millwork, etc, at least $400/sq ft and probably more.

You can't build a "masterpiece" by the current definition for $350/sq ft. If you're talking high end finishes, custom millwork, etc, at least $400/sq ft and probably more.

I believe you are wrong. You can curently build a georgeous house in Watersound, Watercolor, etc with all kinds of beautiful finishes, millwork, tile, etc for about $250 per square foot (and costs continue to fall). A "masterpiece could easily be had for under $350. But, even if you are correct, you could recreate the current $12 million masterpiece for under $4.5 million.

This is another example of the McMansion mentality. I guess if you have the money, just go for it - but it seems that money could go for some medical research effort. Maybe I am just jealous!

McMansions......drive thru Grayton and see the quaint cottages...then see the huge houses popping up around the cottages. It's grotesque! Give me quaint anyday.

Personally, I find the architecture of the WS home to be quite spectacular. However, I agree with Fisher's comment that you could build a similar home of similar quality for much lower than the ask on that home. I suspect the list price will decline as the project gets closer to completion. Also, not sure how a prospective buyer could get an appraisal to justify the price and support a loan...

Little Fish

I prefer smaller over larger, but this house I actually like. Why? It goes for broke. I say, if you're going to big, go all the way! At eight bedrooms it's spacious enough to be useful for a family reunion, a small corporate retreat, a wedding party, and many other similar gatherings. All without being right on top of each other (which is what makes it eminently do-able). The location is lovely, and of course you have such nice neighbors.

What I don't understand--and really dislike--are the big houses that are too big for one family alone, yet not big enough for two, especially when there are lots of kids. 4,000 sq. ft. and only three bedrooms? Now that's wasteful and ostentatious.