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It is no longer enough for the superrich to own one mansion on a street. Now, they want two or three -- and sometimes the entire block.
Enter "landmaxxing," where deep-pocketed buyers snap up neighboring properties to create their own private compounds. Miami agent Danny Hertzberg of Coldwell Banker Realty told reporter E.B. Solomont that demand for compounds has ramped up as the wealthy look to diversify their portfolios by purchasing real estate. "This is more sought-after than the 40,000-square-foot house," he said. "For some people, it is privacy and security. For others, it is a hedge against inflation."
Some of the more notable "landmaxxers" include Ken Griffin, who has shelled out more than $450 million piecing together a 27-acre compound in Palm Beach. There is also Jeff Bezos, who's paid more than $230 million for his own private sanctuary on Miami's Creek Island. And Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison is a prolific buyer in Malibu, Calif., Incline Village, Nev., and Manalapan, Fla.
Real-estate agents say Chicago suburb has seen a big uptick in demand in recent years. Hinsdale has stately historic homes, highly rated public schools and a walkable downtown, qualities that are attracting buyers who are also considering the city's priciest suburbs, including Glencoe, Kenilworth and Winnetka.
Finally, we visit England's south coast, where one couple converted a former gun tower into their seaside vacation home.
The Superrich Aren't Just Buying Mansions -- They Want the Entire Block
'Landmaxxers' like Ken Griffin and Larry Ellison snap up neighboring properties to create private compounds.
The Historic Chicago Suburb Where Million Dollar Homes Sell in a Week
Demand is high in Hinsdale, which draws wealthy buyers for its historic properties and walkability.
They Bought a 200-Year-Old Fort on England's Coast -- Then the Real Battle Began
One couple spent $1.3 million and the better part of a decade turning a fortified gun tower into their vacation home.
What's the Deal?
An under-construction penthouse in Beverly Hills is poised to sell for $200 million -- a price that would smash the condo sales record in the Los Angeles area.
After decades in the same family, a roughly 95-acre property with a private peninsula in Central Florida is hitting the market for $16 million, making it the most expensive home for sale in Pasco County.
A modern compound in San Francisco, built on the site of a former elementary school, is being offered for $65 million -- one of the priciest homes in the city.
Want to see more deals? Sign up for our Mansion Deals email alert to have the biggest and best luxury home sales and listings delivered to your inbox.
The Luxe Life
"The Five Star Weekend" actress Regina Hall says that her older brothers were her toughest audience. "I soon learned to riff with them. Eventually, I became one of the boys who was a girl."
House of the Week
Our latest House of the Week from the Bay Area is anything but traditional.
Perched on a hillside on the edge of San Francisco Bay, the house has a steel-beam frame and Douglas fir cladding, with an overlay of plastic shingles. Conical in shape, its front resembles the prow of a boat, with a crow's nest on top.
Your Home
-- The number of homes going under contract in the U.S. fell more than
expected in June.
-- We have answered the most pressing questions to help buyers and sellers
navigate an increasingly complicated real-estate market.
-- The volume of mortgages that people locked in to buy homes rose to its
highest level in more than three years in June.
About Us
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Kerry Barger is Mansion's senior platform editor. Say hi at Kerry.Barger@wsj.com or connect with her on LinkedIn.
Candace Taylor is the editor of Mansion. Reach her at Candace.Taylor@wsj.com.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
July 17, 2026 15:25 ET (19:25 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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