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I love my dog, and most people feel the same about theirs. But do you love your pooch enough to buy them a million-dollar home?
Technology consultant Howard Rubin and his wife, Suze Rubin, were living in Boca Raton, Fla., when they decided their bearded Collie, Buster, had enough of the heat and humidity. So they packed it up and purchased a $1.825 million home in New York's Westchester County.
The couple told Mansion reporter E.B. Solomont that they tailored the home around Buster, and spent roughly $2 million on renovations-mostly related to the home's infrastructure, a new kitchen and bathrooms. They added touches like sun shelves to the pool so the dog could lounge comfortably, and artificial turf and a fenced area in the backyard that they call Buster's "playground." And my personal favorite: nine televisions throughout the home, so Buster can watch "Paw Patrol," a television show he loves, according to Howard.
The Rubins are giving Florida another try, so the home is listing for $2.9 million.
Miami traffic is so bad that ultrawealthy condo buyers are trading standard perks for rooftop helipads and private deepwater docks. In 2025, Miami was the fifth most traffic-congested city in the U.S., according to location technology firm TomTom.
Given Miami's scarcity of public helipads, Douglas Elliman's Jay Phillip Parker says alternative transit infrastructure has become a valuable residential draw. He wouldn't be surprised if people are buying condos just for helipad access. "They might not even live there," he says.
Finally, we head to the Catskills, where the wealthy are bringing many multimillion-dollar renovation and new-construction projects. "It's still cheaper than the New York statewide average or the Hudson Valley, but Catskills real estate is perhaps not the well-kept secret it once was," said Jake Krimmel, senior economist at Realtor.com.
It's a Dog's $2.9 Million House. They're Just Living in It.
A New York couple transformed their Pound Ridge home into a luxury retreat for their bearded Collie, Buster.
Miami's Wealthy Are Beating the Traffic With Helipads and Private Docks
Rooftop helipads and deepwater docks have become prized amenities in the South Florida city, which ranks as one of America's most traffic-congested cities.
The Catskills Were Once Considered a Hidden Gem. Now the Secret's Out.
Priced out of the Hudson Valley, wealthy New Yorkers are heading north, pouring millions into home renovations and new builds.
What's the Deal?
A roughly 1,100-acre ranch in Sonoma, Calif., has sold for a record $38.5 million, as second-home markets near the Bay Area start to benefit from an influx of artificial-intelligence wealth.
"White Christmas" singer Bing Crosby's former ranch in Elko County, Nev., has sold off-market for $14.2 million-about twice its original prepandemic asking price.
A French chateau-style home in an affluent Atlanta suburb is listing for $18.25 million. A healthcare executive built the 18,000-square-foot house on land he purchased from Kenny Rogers.
Want to see more deals? Sign up for our Mansion Deals email alert to have the biggest and best luxury home sales and listings delivered to your inbox.
The Luxe Life
Architects are giving Shingle-style homes a modern makeover by moving away from traditional columns and moldings, adding black steel and giving the wood a bolder, more colorful look.
"Severance" star Adam Scott says watching Harrison Ford in "Raiders of the Lost Ark" transformed him. "After my friend and I saw it, I ran to the phone at his house and called my mom to tell her how much I loved the film."
House of the Week
Will the House of the Month be a New Zealand home built off-site and hauled to a remote landscape, a Lake Austin home on a private cove or a European-style compound in California wine country? Vote now.
Your Home
U.S. home price growth rose in June as home-price trends differed throughout regions and inflation cooled.
Mold is driving Americans crazy, and they want their home builders to pay.
We look at four ways to evaluate the financial health of an HOA and decide if it is the right fit for you.
About Us
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Kerry Barger is Mansion's senior platform editor. Say hi at Kerry.Barger@wsj.com or connect with her on LinkedIn.
Candace Taylor is the editor of Mansion. Reach her at Candace.Taylor@wsj.com.