Should we feel sorry for multi-millionaires? On balance, I think not.
However I was pondering what was on offer in Berkeley for a person of some wealth who wanted to splash out on something a little special, and the evidence suggests that the options are limited.
Sure, there is almost always a good range of homes available in Berkeley in the $1m-$2.5m range, most of them near or in the hills. And a little birdie tells me that a rather special place on Avalon Avenue should be coming up for sale soon, priced somewhere nearer to $3m. (Watch this space.)
But what if you wanted to spend some real money – say upwards of $4 million? In that case there is just one home currently listed on Redfin that would fit the bill. It is this restored John Hudson Thomas home on Santa Barbara Road, priced at $5m which I reviewed here.
Cross over into Oakland and there are two homes striving to reach those dizzy heights: this $3.95m 4-bedroom traditional on Manchester Drive; and this 5-bedroom on Lincolnshire Drive (below).
But it seems fair to say that if money is no object, and palaces and mansions are your thing, you’re probably not going to be looking in Berkeley for your next home.