Best Luxury Real Estate Trend: DC's Most Expensive Homes Sell at a Discount

• December 23rd 2011

by Shilpi Paul

This year, a pair of uber high-end home purchases fascinated the DC housing market: the two most expensive homes in the city not only sold, but sold to the same couple for more than 50 percent off their original list prices.

UrbanTurf broke news of the first purchase when pharmaeutical tycoons Ryuji Ueno and Sachiko Kuno bought the Georgetown estate Evermay in July for $22 million, down from an original asking price of $49 million. In recent years, the home at 1623 28th Street NW (map) had been used for exclusive parties and fundraisers, and was rumored to be on Oprah’s short list when she was DC house hunting.

The couple was not done. A few months later, the mysterious husband and wife team snapped up Halcyon House, the new most expensive home on the market, for $12.5 million. The house, located at 3400-3410 Prospect Street NW (map), was originally listed a few years ago for $30 million, and the price subsequently dropped a few times. With gardens designed by Pierre L’Enfant, the property has been used as a residence and for weddings and special events in recent decades.

No definitive word on the scientist couple’s plans for the grand buildings, but one thing is for sure: they are going to pay a lot in property taxes. According to the Washington Post, the couple also owns another house in Georgetown, three in Potomac, two on the Eastern Shore and a condo in NYC.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/best_luxury_real_estate_trend_of_the_year_dcs_most_expensive_homes_sell_at_/4828.