Up market: Kluge lists Albemarle House for $100 mm
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Bill Moses and Patricia Kluge want to spend more time at their Morocco pad– but Albemarle will remain home.PHOTO BY LISA PROVENCE
Undaunted by a slow housing market, winemaker Patricia Kluge has listed her Albemarle House for $100 million, outstripping not only any price tag around Charlottesville, but pretty much the United States as well, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Listed by Sotheby’s International Realty, the estate in the neighborhood of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello boasts eight bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, a theater, a spa and sauna, and an Islamic gallery— nearly 24,000 square feet in all.
The chapel where Kluge’s mother is buried is not included in the offering.
Does listing the built-in-1985 Georgian, just weeks after celebrating the 10th anniversary of Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard, mean that Kluge and husband Bill Moses plan to move from stomping grapes to stomping out of the area?
Not at all, says winery spokeswoman Kristen Moses Murray. The sale of the house and 300 acres still leaves an ample 2,000 acres of vineyard, forest, and pasture, plenty of room for Kluge and Moses to build a new abode.
“They have other homes and want to take some time to travel,” says Murray, offering— in response to a question of where— that one of their getaways lies in Morocco.
But why sell this showcase David Easton-designed home now, when high-end real estate has seen a retreat? Does the 2007 shuttering of Kluge’s gas-bistro Fuel Co. and the recent sale of her Regency silver at Christie’s auction house mean that the former wife of billionaire John Kluge is having financial difficulties?
Murray deflects the Hook’s indelicate questions by noting that her own mother is an art and antiques dealer.
“People buy and sell all the time,” says Murray.
As for the eye-popping $100 mill price tag, edged by Candy Spelling’s $150-million asking price for her L.A. mansion and $125 million for the copy-of-Versailles Fleur de Lys, also in Los Angeles, Murray points out that those properties are on one and four acres, respectively. “Albemarle House is one of the best-known homes,” she adds.
Unfortunately for highest-end homeowners, in June, Forbes declared, “No one is buying $100 million homes. Few are buying $30 million homes.”
“That’s optimistic in the current economic climate,” observes Tim Michel, a broker at McLean Faulconer.
Certainly, if Kluge closed a $100-million deal, it would more than double any other residential sale in the county’s history. The largest was Hunter Craig’s 2005 purchase of “Biscuit Run,” 1,365 developable acres off Old Lynchburg Road for $46 million. (Within months, two other biggies included Castle Hill’s 1,203 acres going for $24 million, and Fred Scott reportedly made $30.8 million for selling Bundoran.)
Albemarle County assesses Albemarle House for $17.3 million— but that number includes just 98 acres.
Sotheby’s agent Michael Rankin says it’s hard to predict how much time selling Albemarle House will require, but he manifests no qualms about asking for a nine-figure sum.
“It’s certainly one off the great houses in the U.S. and one of the best houses built in the past two decades,” he enthuses. “It has superb and rich craftsmanship and detailing. It’s an extremely rare offering.”
yeah, good luck with that.
I’ll take a look at it.
That $8,000 first time homebuyer credit could spur some interest.
I’m hoping for some stimuls funds.
She was less crass when she was an honest hardworking stripper.
Absolutely nothing in local, regional, national, or even international real estate markets, as enormously diverse as they all are, supports this kind of pricing. Nor, for that matter, indicates a sale at this magnitude will close in the next few decaades.
This is a dazzling, impressive, display of delusional self-regard.
OR it is some kind of bizarre bid for publicity because there’s ALREADY A BUYER in hand–some fleeing Russian oligarch, say, or a Mandarin clan seeking to relocate to this hemisphere.
One has to wonder what kind of chemicals or heavy metals are in Albemarle County soils that make so many would-be sellers so “optimistic” about the worth of their properties. –This just being the most extreme example of all.
Yeah, I remember when the Kluges built that place. They had a big old bash for all the workers who’d built the place—AND THEY SERVED HOT DOGS.
Eat the Rich.
Of course they served hotdogs, Simon! Isn’t that what filthy peasants eat?
Back in the glory days, when she was still married to The Mister, the butler was made to wear a spiffy little satin knee breeches monkey suit during fancy dinner parties.
Then there was the awesome Spy magazine exposé written about them. Can’t find it online, unfortunately.
You people are drooling at the mouth. Remeer yourgreen faces should be clean by tomorrow.
“Remeer yourgreen faces should be clean by tomorrow.”
What on earth…?!
just a “sign” that it is really not for sale
Your faces are “green with envy.” This is fine on Halloween, but, today, you should wash it off. Fed them hot dogs? When was the last time you fed the rofer or plumber? I think it was quite a gracious act. President Carter once fed averybody hot dogs at the White House and it was applauded. What do you think she she have fed them? Also, what do you think she should charge for this property?
Like CVille Eye, I have never seen so much hatred and envy in an Internet thread in my entire life. Get over yourselves folks, she’s rich and beautiful, you’re not. And having met and spoke with her twice, I have no idea where you folks come up with the idea that she’s rude.
You too have seen this much hatred and envy in an internet thread. Don’t be silly.
Gasbag/Sicko/Demo- read your own posts!
“And having met and spoke with her twice, I have no idea where you folks come up with the idea that she’s rude.”
Met her twice? Well, at least you’ve honestly admitted that you don’t know her at all. I can assure you that many people throughout this area have had longstanding personal, business, and professional relationships with her. They are in a far better position to comment on her than you are. It takes knowing a person over a span of years, and seeing them at both their best and worst, to get a clear picture. You, my friend, have no understanding of how that woman has treated some very good and loyal people over the years. There’s no envy here, only contempt for a woman who has needlessly burned even more bridges than you have.
Cville Eye– If you don’t know the difference between the Carter’s hot dog party and the one Kluge threw for her workers, then you’re too out of the loop to be contributing to this thread with any coherence. Have you considered that perhaps it wasn’t so much the dish served as the attitude that went with it?
The property isn’t currently worth anywhere near $100 million. If you’d spent any significant time in or near it, you’d know that.
HaHaHa! I see some of my fan club is alive and well this morning! Too bad it’s not a Monday morning so the rest of my fan club could be back at work and have Internet access on the company computers and the employer’s dime, like usual! We could have a ball!!!
Carry on, folks. In Patricia Kluge’s world, most of your opinions, perceptions and attitudes of her are worth about one dollar. And you would probably get change back at that! :)
Don’t be hating on any of the Kluge/Moses family simply because they have lived the American Dream so successfully! I admire their success and wealth.
@Oh sweet Schadenfreude, “Yeah, I remember when the Kluges built that place. They had a big old bash for all the workers who’d built the place.” No, you don’t get it. The people who built the place were not HER employees as Carter’s hot dog eaters weren’t his.You don’t see the similarity in the serving of the hot dogs? I’m not surprsied. They’re lucky to have goten anyhing yb you’d still be working for if you weren’t salivating in her face as though you were looking at a hot dog. Seems li out oking forahadou, and she didn’t put anything in it but a HOT DOG!!!. Again, what do you think she should have given away for free to the “filthy peasants.”
“The property isn’t currently worth anywhere near $100 million. If you’d spent any significant time in or near it, you’d know that.” And how many years did you work for Sotheby’s Real Estate? Maybe they’ll pay you consultant’sfees if you let them you are expert in valuing extates. Present them with your portfolio and invite them for dinner of hot dogs on the downtown mall.
The American dream is to be a stripper and then marry & divorce rich men?
Wow, Cville Eye, just wow… Re-read the gobbledygook you posted. Were you drunk when you typed that? For someone that makes no sense, you display a great deal of hubris.
How many people do you know who have worked for her, long-term, in the past or currently? Have you ever worked for her? What can you tell me about the property from personal knowledge, rather than what you’ve read somewhere? Where does it say anywhere that Sothebys set the price on the property rather than the owners themselves? Do you know anyone that works for Sothebys NY? Nope didn’t think so. I do, however.
Gasbag, you have no fans. Isn’t it time for you to be changing your handle again? Village Idiot seems “spot on”– as your friend Patricia is fond of saying.
Hoolarious, the American Dream is owning your own home, having a new Chevrolet in the driveway, and having an apple pie in the kitchen window sill cooling off.
The Kluge/Moses families have accomplished all of this and more. Nobody cares what Patricia Kluge did in the early 70s as a young girl.
As to marrying the rich, it works both way, I don’t know one male who wouldn’t marry a rich woman if given half a chance. You know it, I know it. I guess you don’t know about all the numerous male firemen in New York who have packed up and left their wives and children so as to marry the now millionaire widows from 9/11?
Mr/Mrs/Miss Oh sweet Schadenfreude, I am sure if Patricia Kluge called anybody a village idiot, they probably are. Has she ever called you this?
Hm, I’ve actually never heard Pat call anyone a village idiot. She does, however, use the phrase “spot on” quite a bit, so you might want to amp up your reading comprehension skills.
The irony is that you’re exactly the sort of person she disdains most: a sniveling toady wannabe who thinks that sunshine pours out of her ass because she has money, and believes they know her because they’ve spent a grand total of 5 minutes in the same room together.
You’ve made multiple posts here and on Cvillenews inferring that the wealthy are worthy of our worship simply because they exist. Your inability to sort the wheat from the chaff proves you to be a sad little chump with nothing more than wistful dreams of reaching “the big time.”
I will put in a couple thousand if someone else wants to put in the rest?
I know exactly what you said above. I figured you had seen Patricia Kluge say “spot on” when somebody was called a village idiot. I wanted to know if that somebody was you. Read between the lines, OK?
I’ve made multiple posts here and on Cvillenews inferring that the wealthy are worthy of our worship simply because they exist? Are you making this up as you go along? Or can you refresh our memories as to the wealthy people I have commented on?
What exactly is “the big time”? Wealth? If so, that says more about you than it does of me. You seem to be the one sitting around thinking about “the big time”, not me. All I need to be happy is a new 30 year roof over my head (just done on both buildings), 3 good meals a day, heat and air conditioning, a stable full of vehicles…. and obviously a high speed Internet provider. :)
jo, spot on!!! I will toss in a couple thousand too. If we get 11 more investors we can all have our own bedroom. After all, it seems $26,000 is all the place is worth if you listen to some of the more envious folks here.
@Oh sweet Schadenfreude, “Do you know anyone that works for Sothebys NY? Nope didn’t think so. I do, however.“”Hm, <b>I’ve actually never heard Pat call anyone a village idiot.” My, my, haven’t you risen in social status since you last serve hot dogs at Albemarle House.
“The irony is that you’re exactly the sort of person she disdains most: a sniveling toady wannabe who thinks that sunshine pours out of her ass because she has money, and believes they know her because they’ve spent a grand total of 5 minutes in the same room together.” You seem to know that feeling very, very, very well.
And, BTW, your comments always wreak of your having spent the evening smoking horse pucky. For reason, you never have anything to contribute to an idea, just a bunch of “rag” on somebody. It’s clear you’re a miserable person whose only friends are former co-workers who spend their time complaining about a former employer. Why don’t you do something constructive like adding another hot dog cart on the Mall? Besides, what does her personality have to do with the price of her property? I do believe you’re that hideous girl, ugly from the inside out, who sat near me overy years at 3 in Little John’s. If I remember correctly, you got so worked up that you ran into the bathroom and started crying and the employees couldn’t get you to come. Too much horse pucky being smoked and too much horse pucky coming out of you mouth ou patrii Klue wannabe!
And also I’ve met the lady (yes, lady because even a “stripper” then wore more clothes than women often do today) or even so much as seen her or her house. And that has nothing to do with the price of her property either.
Cville Eye, you’ve come unhinged. Put the bottle of vodka down and go to bed. Things will look brighter tomorrow, I promise.
Not until you tell me what you wanted to serve Mrs. Kluge’s guests.
I will quit my job if it sells for more than $40 million.
If you are a real estate agent handling the transaction, you might well quit if it sells for $40 million. But otherwwise, why would you quit?
To the haters,
If your child is in an serious accident, find another place besides Kluge Rehabilitation for them. If you live in Esmont, don’t send you kid to the after school program for grade schoolers funded by Pat Kluge. So this woman has rubbed people the wrong way, I get it, but hasn’t she used her $ to help people too?
Kurt, take a look around here. Over the past few years I have seen Hook participants as the type of person who sees the glass as half empty, not half full. They don’t have much good to say about anything or anybody. (And yes, I am just as guilty when a good cop shoppe discussion comes up!)
If I had $100 million, I’d buy the Redskins.
Why is everybody here making this their own personal business? Who cares if they think they can sell their property for $100 million dollars? And this affects you in your personal life how exactly?
It’s ridiculous some of the back and forth fighting and clucking that goes on around here.
cluck cluck, agreed. This thread should be entitled “Who here is envious of the wealth and accomplishments Patricia Kluge has achieved in her lifetime?”
Gasbag Self Ordained Expert, my comment about the back and forth fighting was directed towards you just as much as anybody else. You relish the fighting more than anybody it seems, like you have nothing better to do with yourself. :/
Hello! Anybody home?
Yes, I know you were speaking of me too!
I admitted above that I love it when a good cop shoppe discussion comes along. And whether some of you will ever admit it or not, most veteran cops agree with everything I say when I discuss this new breed of rookie out on the street suppressing people’s Constitutional rights every day of the week.
I grew up Virginia and also went to undergraduate school there. I am in Northern California now and paid a fortune for my small Edwardian house with a yard so tiny I barely need to worry about the landscape.
Charlottesville is one of the most beautiful places in the country. I would love to live there if I could have the kind of work that I have here.
This house is outrageously priced, but owning that much land in such a beautiful place would be an awesome situation. I love the Bay Area, but I miss the peace, beauty and spaciousness that is more easily found in Virginia. I hope a developer won’t buy it and chop it into subdivisions.
[...] for (var i=0; i possibly related content:Up market: Kluge lists Albemarle House for $100 mmBeggar’s breakfast: Kluge Farm Shop kitchen re-opensKluge Winery racks up awards in Hong [...]
[...] for (var i=0; i possibly related content:Kluge sales: First the house, now the contentsUp market: Kluge lists Albemarle House for $100 mmKluge Winery racks up awards in Hong KongBeggar’s breakfast: Kluge Farm Shop kitchen [...]
Now the price on the link is $48 million.
If any of you want to find out if she is in trouble go the courthouse and see if there are mortgages on her properties and the terms…
Maybe if you find out there is no mortgage you can stop speculating.
If there is, you can all think about her losing everything and make yourslves feel better.
Why are people is Charlotesville so jealous of the rich. She is no ruder than the jerks that work at the DMV.
The New York Times reported in 1996 that at the time of her divorce “Mrs. Kluge received a 45-room Georgian mansion on 9.9 acres, surrounded by Mr. Kluge’s 10,000-acre farm near Charlottesville, Va., and $1 billion. Invested very conservatively in 30-year Treasury bonds, that sum would throw off $66 million a year at current interest rates, giving Mrs. Kluge a far more comfortable annual income than [Princess Diana] will have.” That’s can’t be right. She couldn’t have run through a billion dollars in just fourteen years. According to People Magazine in an article on predatory billionaire hunters: ” At 19, Patricia Rose was a belly dancer in a seedy London club. There, she met her first husband, Russell Gay, then publisher of Knave, a British skin magazine. While under Gay’s influence, she posed nude and lent her name to a Knave column that dished out sex advice.” So this Patricia rose a long way-but a billion dollars? Really. How can you run through a billion dollars?
where does it say she’s “run through” a billion dollars?
Defaulting on a mortgage that is for more money than a property is worth is not necessarily a sign of poverty. From a business standpoint, it is the correct move.
I disagree, if you make a bad purchase own up to it and pay for it. Don’t pass the buck on to everyone else and call it the “correct” business move. That statement is exactly what is wrong with people today–no ownership of mistakes. If she really has a billion I don’t think dumping this error in investing on the banks and therefore us, the taxpayers is right.