World's Most Expensive Neighborhoods
10. Seventh Arrondissement, Paris,
France
Average home price: $1.2 million
You wake up, open your window, and see the Eiffel Tower on one side,
and the Invalides on the other. A cluster of fine restaurants separates
your building from the Musee d'Orsay. You are living in Paris' most
celebrated neighborhood, and therefore its most expensive. With real
estate prices close to $750 per square foot, only the Parisian crème
de la crème live in its stately apartments.
9. La Jolla, San
Diego, California
Average home price: $1.7 million
Contrary to popular belief, the paradise of Southern California isn't
Beverly Hills, but rather this posh community of San Diego, where good
living is a constitutional right. Lined with luxurious boutiques, all
streets seem to lead to the clear blue ocean, where billionaires play in
their scuba gear or castle-sized yachts. Even the town's architecture
partakes in the good life, with its breezy pastel Spanish-American
archways, typical of SoCal.
8. TriBeCa, New
York City, New
York
Average home price: $1.76 million
The focal center of New York's burgeoning "artist"
neighborhoods, TriBeCa is swiftly turning into a trendy hotspot replete
with fine dining, shopping, good schools, and other fine amenities.
Lawyers, doctors and bankers are slowly evicting starving artists from
their lofts, as this former industrial badland polishes its gems to
outshine other New York neighborhoods. To wit: Robert De Niro opened two
restaurants here, Nobu and Tribeca Grill. Incidentally, TriBeCa hosts a
prestigious film festival, also co-created by Bobby De Niro.
7. Shibuya Neighborhood, Tokyo,
Japan
Average home price: $1.8 million
Shibuya, in west Tokyo, is a newer shopping and entertainment district
abuzz with bright lights that attract Japan's ultra-trendy like moths to a
flame. You'll find Japan's Olympic stadium and dizzyingly huge department
stores, which beckon even the staunchest non-consumer. The NHK studios
(Japan's public television and radio broadcaster) are also a great site,
offering tons of attractions for visitors.
6. Sea Island, Georgia
Average home price: $2.23 million
For generations, its natural beauty has attracted America's ultra-rich,
who habitually rent the island's vast cottages in the peak seasons. The
upscale character of Sea Island is underscored by colorful buildings and
luxurious homes designed by Addison Mizner, as well as golf courses known
the world over. Nature lovers can stroll through the misty woods, which
are as close to enchanted forests as they come. Athletic travelers will
enjoy kayaking, boating, fishing, and horseback riding.
5. Victoria Peak, Hong
Kong, China
Average home price: $3.5 million
"The Peak," for those in the know, is the top visitor spot in
Hong Kong thanks to its altitude, which offers an unparalleled view of the
bustling port city. The neighborhood is dominated by the Peak Tower, a
wok-shaped structure housing multiple shops and entertainment venues, such
as Ripley's Believe it or Not! Odditorium and Madame Tussauds wax museum.
A stone's throw away, you'll find picturesque nature walks through
Victoria Peak Gardens.
4. Pacific Heights, San
Francisco, California
Average home price: $4.5 million
With a stunning view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay, Pacific
Heights is home to San Francisco's first families and accomplished artists
and businessmen. Tourists to the Bay Area flock in droves to catch
glimpses of the über-refined locals strolling in and out of Fillmore
Street's swank shops and cafes, and returning to their Victorian mansions.
In July, Pacific Heights hosts the largest jazz festival (Fillmore Street
Jazz Festival) on the West Coast -- a must-see.
3. Belle Haven, Greenwich, Connecticut
Average home price: $5 million
Seeking small-town solace, New York's brokers and mutual funds wizards
relocated to this New England refuge with clean streets, lush parks, golf
courses, yacht clubs, and an awesome beach. The harbor is dotted with
boutiques that buzz with activity in the summer. And only a 50-minute
commute away from downtown Manhattan, it's the perfect getaway for the
world's most stressed businessmen. Belle Haven, the city's wealthiest
neighborhood, has no houses selling for under $3 million.
2. Jupiter Island, Florida
Average home price: $5.6 million
Forty minutes from glitzy Palm Beach lies this little enclave that has
been rated by Forbes as the most expensive ZIP code in the United
States. Not surprisingly, this community of mansions linked to yacht clubs
and golf courses, which flank a 17-mile-long beach, has been the home to
some of America's -- and the world's -- richest families. Among its most
illustrious denizens are President Truman's Secretary of Defense Robert A.
Lovett, and former President George H.W. Bush.
1. Kensington Palace Gardens, London,
England
Average home price: $85 million
Tucked between Kensington High Street and Notting Hill, this half-mile
street is London's crowning jewel of residential excess. Even the richest
Londoners secretly seethe at the regal mansions that line the street,
since few are actually owned by Brits -- Middle Eastern and Swiss tycoons
have grabbed first dibs. Strangely, the turnover of many homes is high,
signaling that these aren't really homes, but rather fleeting investments.
