Billionaires, heiresses and real estate icons make up the owners of Houston’s priciest home listings in 2023. The upscale neighborhoods River Oaks and Hunters Creek Village dominated the list, with River Oaks comprising 80 percent of the listings.
Brokerage firms Compass and Douglass Elliman represented a combined 70 percent of the most-expensive listings’ agents. No broker was more prolific than Compass’ star Houston player Laura Sweeney, who represented three of the top 10 sales. The Houston native also ranked third on The Real Deal’s annual list of Houston’s Top Resi Brokers.
Houston’s home sales have hit a 19-month slump, but the luxury market has been the Bayou City’s saving grace, raking in record transactions.
107 Timberwilde Lane | $50 million
The fast-growing Hunter Creek Village neighborhood boasted the title of Texas’ most expensive listing, with a 22,000-square-foot mansion that sits atop 9 acres on a private peninsula and a stone’s throw away from the Houston Country Club. The price was cut by 20 percent, from $65 million. The property has six bedrooms and eight bathrooms, with amenities such as a two-story library, a glass elevator and a five-car garage. The asking price comes to about $2,273 per square foot.
Dubbed the Romanov Estate, the home’s owner is Colleen Romanov. Dave Perry Miller Real Estate’s Billy Dolan is the listing agent.
100 Carnarvon Drive | $36 million
This lavish 26,000-square-foot property is listed for about $1,385 per square foot. It hit the market in 2014 at $43 million, but the palatial chateau didn’t sell. The home was relisted in March 2023 by its owner, billionaire Ed Bosarge, who co-founded Quantlab Financial.
It has eight bedrooms, a pool, hand-painted domed ceilings, a beauty salon, galleries and scenic gardens that adorn its 2.3-acre lot. Douglas Elliman agents Gigi Huang, Konrad Molski and Dustan Gawthorp have the listing.
3630 Willowick Road | $29 million
Located on the River Oaks Country Club golf course, this 15,000-square-foot home is the former residence of heiress Lori Krohn Sarofim. Sarofim’s father, billionaire oilman Tracy Krohn, bought the property in 2005. She is the ex-wife of Phillip Sarofim, the son of the late billionaire investor and minority Houston Texans owner Fayez Sarofim.
The three-story mansion’s extravagant features include $500,000 Baccarat chandeliers, a temperature-controlled pool and a 500-bottle sunken wine room. It has two safe rooms, and its grounds are adorned with Parisian gardens.
The asking price comes to about $1,933 per square foot. Rachel Solar of Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty has the listing.
2920 Lazy Lane Boulevard | $25 million
This Homewoods River Oaks residence, dubbed the Hines Villa, was home to Houston real estate royalty. Owned originally by the late Gerald Hines, founder of real estate development corporation Hines, the home is fit for a king. It boasts five bedrooms and 11 bathrooms across its 17,000 square feet. Hines began construction on the home in the 1990s to reflect his love of Italian architecture. The mansion boasts a 3,000-square-foot atrium with an enclosed pool, guest home, caretaker’s residence, tennis court and detached garage. The Italianate mega mansion first hit the market after Hines’ death in 2021 with a $34.5 million price tag. It’s now asking about $1,470 per square foot.
Douglas Elliman’s Mark Menendez lists the property.
1722 River Oaks Boulevard | $20 million
High-powered attorney Tony Buzbee and his wife, philanthropist Frances Moody Buzbee, put this River Oaks mansion on the market last year after failing to secure a buyer in 2022. Originally listed at $27.5 million, the price was cut by 25 percent in its relisting.
The two-story manor has five bedrooms and eight bathrooms and spans 12,200 square feet, and the list price comes to about $1,639 per square foot.
This property includes an underground wine cellar, his-and-her closets, a home theater and a six-car garage. The Buzbees hosted a 400-person fundraising event for Donald Trump during his 2016 bid for the presidency.
Douglas Elliman’s Beth Cassidy has the listing agent.
2109 River Oaks Boulevard | $14.5 million
This River Oaks mansion was sold last fall for an undisclosed price. Spanning 12,900 square feet, it has six bedrooms and eight bathrooms. The home includes a guest suite with its own kitchen, a separate apartment and a 1,900-square-foot guest house. Compass’ Laura Sweeney was the listing and buyer’s agent for this house, according to Redfin.
3425 Sleepy Hollow Court | $13.5 million
Late Houston-based billionaire Fayez Sarofim owned this estate. Sarofim, who died in 2022, was the founder of Fayez Sarofim & Company investment firm. His widow Sarah Sarofim was listed as the owner of the property before its September sale, according to the Harris County Appraisal District.
The nearly 8,000-square-foot home has four bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms across its three stories. Architect, Birdsall P. Briscoe, designed the home back in the 1930s for Houston oilman J. Curtis McKallip. Today, it boasts more modern accouterments, including a dressing room, three-car garage, ground-level flex room and a separate 950-square-foot guest apartment. Compass’ Laura Sweeney had the listing.
3217 Del Monte Drive | $13.5 million
This 12,000-square-foot manor was still under construction as of December. It has six bedrooms and 12 bathrooms, plus an in-house spa, elevator and wet bar. It is asking $1,125 per square foot.
Compass’ Clayton Katz has the listing.
19525 Doerre Road | $12.8 million
With the appearance of an old Hollywood mansion and rural flair, this 10-acre estate is the only property on our list outside of the Houston city limits, located in Spring’s Laurel Park. It’s also the largest property, at 40,000 square feet.
New Light Christian Center Church founder Bishop I.V. Hilliard owns the estate, and Strongtower Realty Group’s Dawn Brewer is the listing agent.
The massive estate consists of a main house and five guest houses, with eight bedrooms and 36 bathrooms between them. It also has a six-car garage and a five-car garage. Amenities include a gym building, a two-story great room, a banquet room with a commercial kitchen and two offices. Outdoor amenities include a spa, tennis court, volleyball court and a pond.
2445 Pine Valley Court | $12.5 million
This 8,900-square-foot River Oaks estate was completed in 2022.
Natural gas entrepreneur Meg Gentle, the CEO and president of Tellurian Inc., and her husband Kirk Gentle own the home, according to property tax records. The house has five bedrooms and 10 bathrooms. It also includes a game room, an elevator and a four-car garage, as well as four guest suites. Its grounds include a pool and spa. Compass’ Laura Sweeney has the listing.
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Billionaire heiress lists estate for $29M
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