Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone turned a grassroots auto racing series into one of the world's most watched sports, and made billions in the process. Now, when the time comes to spend some of that hard-earned wealth, he can afford some of the world's most expensive real estate. But he doesn't keep all the fun for himself, and has repeatedly splashed out to keep his two daughters, Petra and Tamara, ensconced in the height of luxury.
? The elder Ecclestone is no newcomer to high-priced properties. In 2004, he sold off this massive mansion in the Kensington Palace Gardens section of London for $128M. At the time, that made it the most expensive London home of all time. The buyer was Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, who received an almost unparalleled urban palace in exchange for that massive outlay. The mansion boasts a 20-car garage, a full suite of Turkish baths, an ornately tiled indoor swimming pool, a grand ballroom, and no fewer than twelve opulent bedrooms. For added extravagance, the marble used to decorate the massive house was taken from the same quarry that supplied the Taj Mahal.
? With daddy owning such an extravagant mansion, it is no wonder that the Ecclestone sisters each became real estate whales on their own. In 2011, younger daughter Petra purchased the famous Spelling Manor in the ritzy Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles for a whopping $85M. Not satisfied with the way seller Candy Spelling had left the place, she set about renovating the 56,500-square-foot megamansion to her taste. Needless to say, that must have cost many millions. A huge project, but it took just nine weeks to complete, thanks to a construction crew of 500.
? Elder daughter Tamara, possibly inspired by her sister's huge outlay, has hoisted her London home on the market for $32M. The 6,200-square-foot mansion in Chelsea has seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms, in a combination of architectural styles. After listing the London pad, Tamara went house hunting in, you guessed it, Los Angeles. She was spotted checking out the Saperstein mansion, known as Fleur de Lys, which her sister had passed on before choosing the Manor. The asking price? An unwavering $125M. There's some evidence that the 28-year-old Tamara secured a lease on the property, while she decides whether or not to purchase. Oh, but don't worry, she still has a place to rest her head in her native land. In 2010, she plunked down $73M for a mega-manse in daddy's old neighborhood of Kensington Palace Gardens.
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