07 February, 2017
America's most expensive home is for sale in Los Angeles, California for $250 million.
The new 12,000-square-meter home has 12 bedrooms and 21 bathrooms. The home also has three kitchens, a 25-meter swimming pool, a 40-seat movie theater, spa and bowling alley. It has an elevator to take people up and down four floors.
The home sits on a hill in the Bel Air neighborhood, a favorite living area for movie stars and other famous people. It has great views of the city, mountains and ocean.
American developer Bruce Makowsky built the house. He said only about 3,000 people in the world have enough money to buy it.
But what makes this home different from the many other expensive ones in Los Angeles? It also comes furnished with many built-in luxuries.
The buyer gets $30 million worth of expensive cars and motorcycles, including a Rolls-Royce, a Ferrari and a Bugatti.
The home also includes many furnishings and art pieces created by well-known designers and artists.
Included in the price are seven full-time workers who live in a separate part of the home.
Makowsky says people who visit the home quickly run out of words to describe it. "Every single thing in this house makes you feel like you're in heaven," he told the Associated Press.
He does not think the $250-million price is too high. He said the right person will be willing to pay for the luxury it provides, rather than just watching their billions of dollars sit in the bank.
"It's the kind of thing where I can't sell it," he said. "Somebody has to fall in love with it, and die over it."
One of the most unusual parts of the home is a helicopter sitting on the roof. But the helicopter – an old model used on an American television show in the 1980s – is just for show. Even for $250 million, you cannot buy takeoff and landing rights.
I'm Bryan Lynn.
Bryan Lynn adapted this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from the Associated Press and the Los Angeles Times. Hai Do was the editor.
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Words in This Story
kitchen – n. room in a house where food is prepared
spa – n. a place where people go to improve their health and appearance by relaxing, getting massage, etc.
bowling alley – n. place where the sport of bowling takes place
elevator – n. machine that carries people up and down in buildings
furnish – v. to supply things needed for a space
luxury – n. something expensive that is not necessary
heaven – n. according to some religions, a place where God lives and where good people go after they die