2007 felt like a (hundred) million bucks

A few years ago, a hundred-million-dollar home purchase was unheard of.

But, that was then, and this is now.

In 2007, it happened four – that’s right, FOUR – times, including one home reportedly purchased for a jaw-dropping $200 million. Needless to say, 2007’s housing crisis need not apply to these four spectacular properties, each of which possesses unique and opulent traits that mirror their heavy pricetags.

Sheikh Hamad of Qatar tops this year’s list, as, despite the fact he likely will not move in until 2009, he purchased a 20,000-square-foot penthouse condo at One Hyde Park in London. Various outlets have reported the sale at anywhere between $195 million and $200 million – but, hey, what’s $5 million to someone who purchases a nine-figure home?

The No. 2 (and trust us, this is the only list where this home wouldn’t be listed first) is a $175 million, 171,400-acre home in Colorado, which was purchased by hedge fund manager Louis Moore Bacon in November. The Trinchera Ranch was purchased from none other than Steve Forbes, and Bacon will no doubt continue the preservation of the amazingly vast plot of land, just as Forbes had intended.

Third on the list is Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani of Qatar, who paid a reported $111 million for the 360-year-old Hotel Lambert in Paris. Fourth was Ron Baron’s $103 million purchase of a 40-acre oceanfront property in East Hampton, N.Y. The Long Island home is adjacent to two lots that Baron purchased in 2002.

Surely, the owners of these four spectaculars will look back on 2007 fondly, and look forward to 2008 ready to enjoy their residential masterpieces.

Via Celebrity Real Estate Homes Blog Big Time Listings