In a League of Its Own: West Virginia’s Most Expensive Home Has No Comps

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West Virginia’s most expensive home is a magnificent mansion on a mountaintop overlooking the state’s gold-plated Capitol dome. It’s a modern American version of a grand European palace, in Charleston.

“There’s nothing else like it in the state … or anywhere,” says listing agent Amanda Neville. “It’s a major architectural feat.”

Therein lies the problem: There are no comps in the Mountain State. The median list price for homes in Charleston currently sits at $140,000, well below the national median of $250,000. The state’s second most expensive house, listed for $6 million, is less than half the list price of this megamansion.

The owners initially put the eye-popping estate on the market in 2015 for exactly what they put into it: $17 million. But two years later, the mansion remains on the market, at a reduced price of $13 million.

With a soon-to-be-empty nest, the owners, an attorney and a judge, are ready to begin the next chapter of their lives. They built their dream home to last not just for generations, but centuries.

Completed in 2000, the 19,000-square-foot residence with a steel structure took three years to build. It features elegant touches like doors made from hardwood trees felled to clear the 25-acre property.

Grand, two-story reception hall

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Guests enter through an impressive reception hall, which features intricate Brazilian mahogany woodwork hand-crafted by Hallidays of England, and ironwork designed by Herndon & Merry of Tennessee. The walls are lined with silk, and the custom chandeliers are made of alabaster.

Alabaster chandelier

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Designed for entertaining, the reception hall flows into formal living and dining rooms, as well as a salon bar and sitting area. And if you’re ready for a more sedate evening, there’s a two-story library with an observation deck. Just make sure to select a vintage bottle from the extensive, climate-controlled wine room.

Two-story library with observation deck

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Wine room

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Any self-respecting palatial estate requires recreational facilities, and this property is no exception. Amenities include a fitness area, massage room, sauna, steam room, and pet grooming hall. Golden retrievers have been an important part of the family for years, and they’re featured on the custom-made fireplace screen.

The canines have likely taken a dip or three in the saltwater infinity pool with a view, and retrieved countless balls on the home’s regulation tennis court.

Custom-made fireplace screen featuring the family’s golden retriever

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Saltwater infinity pool

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Sleeping accommodations for two-legged residents and guests of this grand chateau include six en suite bedrooms in the main residence and two en suite bedrooms in the carriage house.

The master suite features a coffee bar, walk-in closets, and rare blue Bahia granite and polished marble surfaces in the bath.

Coffee bar in the master suite

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Potential buyers can rest assured knowing that they’re protected by a state-of-the-art security system, bulletproof windows, and more than one safe room.

“It’s ideal for someone who wants to be relatively close to major metropolitan areas like Washington, DC, Atlanta, or even Chicago, but who wants to feel as if they’re getting away from it all,” says Neville, adding that residents enjoy hiking, skiing, zip lining, and whitewater rafting in the nearby mountains.

While finding buyers for West Virginia’s priciest property will be a challenge, they can be certain they’ve snapped up a home in Charleston that truly defies comparison.

Motor court

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