There isn't a home in America quite like the Versace mansion (otherwise known as Casa Casuarina and now the Villa by Barton G), and its astonishing price tag reflects its exquisiteness and notoriety. The historic mansion was just put on the market for $125 million, which ties it with a mansion in L.A. as having the most expensive listing price in America. It's also the highest listing price for a home in Miami-Dade history.
Fashion designer Gianni Versace bought the home in 1992, during South Beach's renaissance, for $10 million and then sunk about $33 million into updating it. He lived there until he was gunned down by serial killer Andrew Cunanan in 1997. Versace's murder ranks among the most shocking in Miami's history.
In 2009, current owner Peter Loftin converted the home into a restaurant and private hotel now known as the Villa by Barton G.
The listing is being handled by "the Jills," the real estate team of Jill Eber and Jill Hertzberg.
"Miami is now seeing prices like it's never seen before, with an influx of international buyers, so it's the perfect time to sell this trophy property," Eber told the Wall Street Journal.
Loftin, by the way, is fighting a foreclosure action filed in December. The fact that the place is currently operated as a hotel might put off some potential buyers. Barton G's lease continues for about eight more years, and the catering and restaurant company tells the Miami Herald it doesn't expect any potential sale to affect its business.
But even if the home weren't the site of an infamous murder and currently tied up in a hotel lease, there are talks that the $125 million listing price might be just a bit too pie in the sky.
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