They haven't been able to find a buyer for years. The oligarch's villa in London is for sale
1:51 PM EDT, October 15, 2023
Its value was estimated at 32 million pounds, which is over $218 million. From the outside, it resembles the MI6 headquarters, that is, the British intelligence. As "The Telegraph" writes, the ongoing problems for several years with finding a new buyer are a symptom of a larger problem in the real estate market in the British Isles.
From 2020 to 2023, this villa has held a place in Rightmove's top 10 most viewed properties, described as "extraordinarily extravagant" and "futuristic". However, the agents aren't interested in just showcasing the London villa, but selling it. And that has been a problem for several years.
"One of the reasons the house garnered so much attention on Rightmove was its price tag of 40 million pounds, making it the most expensive house for sale in London, and at one point, the most expensive in the whole of the UK," writes a British newspaper. The starting price at Sotheby's was reduced by 8 million pounds.
Whose villa is this? "Almost nothing was written about this shy magnate."
The villa was designed in the 90s and its construction was completed a decade later. A distinctive feature is the curved facade. It's situated on a plot of about two acres. Besides an indoor pool, it also has private tennis courts, a sauna, and a gym. The owners have five bedrooms at their disposal and a garage for four cars.
The owner of the villa is Aleksander Bronstein, a multimillionaire born in Russia who made his fortune in metals and mining after the fall of the USSR. Almost nothing has been written in English-language media about this shy tycoon who claims to have Estonian citizenship and has never held a Russian passport," we read.
Why hasn't the villa found a buyer? Firstly, due to its high price. "The Telegraph" emphasizes that although it's truly luxurious, it's tailored to the tastes of a specific individual.
"This is an example of how the luxury real estate market in London is changing, and most of the oligarch’s money, which helped define the market over the last two decades, has disappeared in the aftermath of the war in Ukraine" - we read in a British newspaper.
Together with the plot, the villa is one of the most expensive properties in the UK today. Famous personalities like Harry Styles, Kate Moss, and Jamie Oliver live in this area.
"Whoever becomes a neighbor in Heathfield Park one day will certainly not be ordinary, much like the house itself," - summarizes "The Telegraph."