Bezos Buys A Slice Of Paradise: Amazon Founder's New Island Oasis Inspires Affluent Aspirations In Luxury Real Estate

For billionaire Jeff Bezos, owning one mansion on Florida's exclusive Billionaire Bunker island apparently wasn't enough, so he bought another one next door, reportedly paying $79 million for the seven-bedroom, 14-bath abode.

The 19,064-square-foot home is on 1.84 acres on the manmade barrier isle Indian Creek Island. It has a pool, theater, library, wine cellar, maids' quarters, sauna and six garage spaces, according to the listing on Zillow.

Earlier this year, Bezos paid $68 million for the three-bedroom, three-bath house next door in an off-market deal. Bezos reportedly plans to scrape the first house he purchased to build a megamansion.

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The 40 properties on Indian Creek Island all face the water and are located along an 18-hole golf course on 294 acres. The island also has docks suitable for Bezos's $500 million superyacht Koru, which has a helicopter landing pad and a swimming pool.

Bezos counts NFL legendary quarterback Tom Brady, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner among his neighbors.

While Billionaire Bunker is out of reach for most folks, luxury real estate is still an investment many people are making. Vacation homes and second homes are expected to continue increasing in popularity as affluent people seek diversity in their lifestyles. Owning multiple properties, whether in the city, mountains or beach locations, is an important aspect of meeting that requirement.

Luxury mid-sized homes ranging from 3,000 square feet to 3,500 square feet are in the greatest demand for single-family properties and those ranging from 1,500 square feet to 2,000 square feet are seeing the most demand for attached units, according to the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing's Luxury Market Report for October.

Three of the four markets with the highest median sales price are in Colorado, with Aspen at $3.33 million, Vail at $3.28 million and Telluride at $2.1 million. San Francisco also is high on the list with a median sales price of $2.5 million.

Buyers are selective. A Curbio report found that 77% of buyers won't purchase a home that's not move-in ready, and they want privacy, wellness amenities and integrated technology in the homes they purchase.

Picky buyers are part of the reason inventory levels are increasing because many sellers aren't making the improvements to meet their requirements. But properties that do meet those requirements are selling close to the asking price.

"The art of selling and buying in this market requires a critical and analytical approach; understanding the realities and setting expectations accordingly will help you achieve your goals," the Luxury Market Report states. "For homeowners looking to buy or sell in today's market, we recommend working with a realtor who can capitalize on the preferences, trends and demands in this dynamic and evolving environment."

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