A $72 Million Palm Beach Home Sale Is One of the Year’s First Major Deals
British investor Pamela Starret listed the waterfront home for $95 million in 2024.
< 1 min
THE DEAL : In one of the first major home sales of 2026, a waterfront property in Palm Beach, Fla., has sold for US$72 million (approx $102 million AUD). The buyer wasn’t disclosed. undefined
THE SELLER : Pamela W. Starret, a British investor in the mining and energy industries, had owned the property since 2018, when she bought it for $21.355 million. Starret, who started wintering in Florida in the 1990s, spent about $25 million gut-renovating the house. She listed it for $95 million in 2024. Starret didn’t respond to requests for comment.
THE NEIGHBOURHOOD : On the Intracoastal Waterway on the North End of Palm Beach island, the property is next to a home owned by actor Sylvester Stallone.
THE SPECS : Originally built in 2005, the Neoclassical house measures roughly 16,000 square feet with six bedrooms. The roughly 1-acre property also has a $2 million travertine pool and cabana.
THE MARKET : There were a number of high-priced deals leading up to the New Year in Palm Beach, where the median sale price for luxury homes was $17.2 million in 2025’s third quarter, according to Miller Samuel.
In December, chewing-gum heir William Wrigley Jr., sold a North Palm Beach compound for $97.5 million , while a property a few doors down from Starret’s traded for around $66.1 million, property records show.
“We have had a pretty incredible flurry in the last couple of months,” said Gary Pohrer of Serhant, who had the listing with Ryan Serhant.
Margit Brandt of Premier Estate Properties represented the buyer.
Copyright 2020, Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. LEARN MORE
A haven for hedge-fund titans and Hollywood grandees, Greenwich is one of the world’s most expensive residential enclaves, where eye-watering prices meet unapologetic grandeur.
Rugged coastal drives and fireside drams define a slow, indulgent journey through Scotland’s far north.
Mount French Lodge offers a rare mix of privacy, scale and hospitality potential as demand grows for prestige estates beyond beachside hotspots.
2 min
Mount French Lodge, one of the most remarkable private estates in Queensland’s Scenic Rim, has been brought to market, offering a glimpse into the growing appetite for high-end lifestyle properties beyond the state’s traditional beachside enclaves.
Located in the tiny locality of Charlwood, around 100km inland from Brisbane and home to just 146 residents at the 2021 Census, the estate stands in stark contrast to its quiet surroundings. Set across nearly 100 acres and positioned some 600 feet above sea level, the property occupies a commanding vantage point beneath the escarpments of Mount French.
It’s this combination of elevation, scale and seclusion that defines the estate, not just as a private residence, but as an experience-led destination. Mount French Lodge has been recognised in both the 2024 and 2025 Best of Queensland Experiences, reflecting a broader shift towards luxury rural retreats that blur the line between home, hospitality and investment.
Last sold for $3.65 million in 2021 to Brisbane-based entrepreneur Tim Woodhouse, the estate has since evolved into a multifaceted holding. At its core is a central lodge, complemented by guest accommodation, entertaining spaces and resort-style amenities spread across two distinct plateaus.
In total, the property comprises 12 bedrooms configured across eight self-contained apartments within multiple lodges. At its heart is the Great Room, a central gathering space anchored by a large living area and fireplace. Nearby, a fully equipped outdoor pavilion with barbecue facilities sits alongside the estate’s swimming pool.
The property is being marketed as a private compound, ranch, corporate retreat and a wedding venue, highlighting its potential as a lifestyle asset with income-generating capability. This kind of flexibility is increasingly resonating with buyers, particularly as demand grows for properties that can serve as multigenerational homes, wellness retreats or boutique accommodation offerings.
Despite its sense of isolation, Mount French Lodge remains within relatively easy reach of Brisbane, around an hour by road or just minutes by helicopter. That balance of accessibility and privacy underscores the broader appeal of the Scenic Rim, which continues to emerge as a quiet achiever in Queensland’s prestige property market.
The listing is being handled by Queensland Sotheby’s International Realty agents Sandy Davies and Nicholas Miranda, and is expected to attract interest from both domestic and international buyers.
By improving sluggish performance or replacing a broken screen, you can make your old iPhone feel new agai
A survey of people with at least $1 million in investable assets found women in their 30s and 40s look nothing like older generations in terms of assets and priorities
