The Biggest And Best Celebrity Real Estate Purchases Of 2011

There were some blockbuster celebrity purchases in 2011, starting with the new L.A. bachelor pad of former-Friends star Matthew Perry. This place might have the single coolest media room of all time, with a screen that raises to reveal views of city lights and a perspex portal that peers into the pool. Perry paid, $8.65 million, more than $1 million off the asking price.

The 10 Most Expensive U.S. Homes Sold This Year

The real estate market may be lagging, but that didn’t stop a few super rich people from picking up incredibly expensive properties around the U.S. this year. Some of the most expensive homes sold in America in 2011 went to foreign buyers, who took advantage of the soft market. And despite their astronomical sticker prices, many of these pricey properties sold at a significant discount from the prices their owners initially sought. For example, Petra Ecclestone, daughter of Formula 1 racing mogul Bernie Ecclestone, bought the Spelling Mansion estate for a cool $85 million (a STEAL considering Candy Spelling originally wanted $150 million).

The 10 Weirdest, Strangest Houses On The Market in 2011

Built for the Ambassador to Finland Rockwell Schnabel and his wife, Marna, while the couple were stationed in Helsinki, the Schnabel House is one of Frank Gehry’s whimsical designs. It’s been updated recently with a slew of modern electronics and is currently for sale for $13M.