Most Expensive Beach Houses In America

The real estate recession in the USA is upon us. Property values are likely to get a lot worse before they get better, as we see the biggest housing crisis for 50 years. Foreclosures are mounting and debt is a huge burden but that doesn’t mean houses on the most desirable U.S. beaches aren’t still asking boom-style prices.

The most expensive beach house today is listed at $59.5 million in Bridgehampton, N.Y. Of course, as many home buyers and sellers are finding out these days, the asking price is often far higher than the selling price. One thing is pretty certain: Once the economy recovers it’s a pretty good bet that prices for properties such as these will go even higher.

$59.5 million

Address: 612 Halsey Lane, Bridgehampton, N.Y.
Square Feet: About 31,000
Acres: 11.5
Beds/Baths: 9/11 plus 1 half
Year Built: N/A

$49.5 million

Address: Southampton , N.Y.
Square Feet: About 18,000
Acres: About 9 acres
Beds/Baths: 12/12 plus 1 half
Year Built: 1915

$39.6 million

Address: Bermuda Bay Community, Vero Beach, Fla.
Square Feet: 22,000
Acres: 5
Beds/Baths: 8/10, plus 5 half
Year Built: 1998

$39.5 million

Address: East Hampton, N.Y.
Square Feet: 1,200
Acres: 2
Beds/Baths: 6/7
Year Built: N/A

$39.5 million

Address: 1472 South Ocean Blvd, Palm Beach, Fla.
Square Feet: 4,838
Acres: 1.89
Beds/Baths: 6/6, plus 1 half
Year Built: 1953

$37 million

Address: 2900 Paradise Drive, Tiburon, Calif.
Square Feet: 14,000
Acres: 8.5
Beds/Baths: 11/10, plus 2 half
Year Built: The main house was built in 1989

$34.5 million

Address: 2 Fowler, Southampton, N.Y.
Square Feet: 8,500
Acres: 2.3
Beds/Baths: 7/6, plus 1 half
Year Built: Rebuilt in 2004

$29 million

Address: 3443 Padaro Lane, Carpinteria, Calif.

Square Feet: 6,800
Acres: 1.3
Beds/Baths: 5/6, plus 1 half
Year Built: Completely remodeled in 2008

$24.75 million

Address: 1787 Fernald Point Lane, Santa Barbara, Calif.
Square Feet: 6,463
Acres: 1
Beds/Baths: 8/9, plus 2 half
Year Built: 1930

$23.8 million

Address: 20 Kai Ala Dr., Maui, Kaanapali, Hawaii
Square Feet: 11,076
Acres: N/A
Beds/Baths: 8/9 plus 1 bath
Year Built: N/A

$23.5 million

Address: 1 Sherburne Way, Nantucket, Mass.
Square Feet: N/A
Acres: N/A
Beds/Baths: 5/4 plus 1 half bath
Year Built: 1996

$21 million

Address: 112A S Kalaheo Ave., Kailua, Oahu
Square Feet: 7,600
Acres: N/A
Beds/Baths: 8/8 plus 1 half
Year Built: N/A

$19.5 million

Address: 43 Cliff Ave., Newport, R.I.
Square Feet: 25,000
Acres: 6
Beds/Baths: 15/12
Year Built: 1899

$19.5 million

Address: 251 Green Dunes, West Hyannisport, Mass.
Square Feet: About 12,000
Acres: 10
Beds/Baths: 9/11
Year Built: 1995

$16.99 million

Address: Morning View Dr., Malibu, Calif.
Square Feet: 16,000
Acres: 5.33
Beds/Baths: 10/11
Year Built: N/A

$16.9 million

Address: Montecito, Calif.

Square Feet: 10,000
Acres: 4.4
Beds/Baths: 5/6 plus 2
Year Built: N/A

$16.3 million

Address: 16 Yosemite Valley Rd., Westerly, R.I.
Square Feet: 16,626
Acres: 3.4
Beds/Baths: 12/8 plus 2 half
Year Built: 1931

$14 million

Address: 33 South Beach Road, Hobe Sound, Fla. 33455
Square Feet: 5,135
Acres: 2.72
Beds/Baths: 5/5, plus 2 half
Year Built: 1942

$12.9 million

Address: 708 Butler Avenue, Tybee Island, Ga.
Square Feet: 2,730
Acres: 2.3
Beds/Baths: 4/2, plus 1 half
Year Built: 1928

$11.4 million

Address: 1601 False Bay Rd., Friday Harbor, Wash.
Square Feet: main residence has 3500
Acres: 40
Beds/Baths: 4/2, plus 2 half
Year Built: main residence was built in 1900

$9.75 million

Address: 5 Shotnaigher Ln., Chilmark, Mass.
Square Feet: 2,967
Acres: 6.9
Beds/Baths: 5/4
Year Built: N/A

$9.6 million

Address: 120 West Oval, Winter Harbor, Me.
Square Feet: 8,284
Acres: 4.6
Beds/Baths: 10/10 plus 2 half
Year Built: 1892

$8.9 million

Address: 521 Indian Ave., Middletown, R.I.
Square Feet: 5,400
Acres: N/A
Beds/Baths: 5/5 plus 1 half
Year Built: 1989

$8.9 million

Address: 64 Manchester Rd., Mount Desert, Me.
Square Feet: 9,025
Acres: 1.4
Beds/Baths: 8/8 plus 1 half
Year Built: 1911

$8.5 million

Address: Savage Island, S.C.
Square Feet: 2800
Acres: 413
Beds/Baths: 3/3
Year Built: 1965

Via BusinessWeek