How We Priced a One-of-a-Kind Luxury Home and Sold It for $105,000 Over Asking

By Katie Lucie | Jupiter, Florida Real Estate Advisor

The seller wanted to downsize from a 6,683-square-foot Ecclestone estate, but she needed more than a strong price. She needed a buyer who understood the home’s value, accepted its existing condition and gave her enough time to find her next property. We prepared the home carefully, priced it at $2.2 million and received four offers within seven days. After several rounds of negotiations, we secured a $2.305 million cash contract with the clean terms and closing flexibility she needed.

When a luxury home has few direct comparable sales, pricing should consider resale data, competing new construction, condition, lot quality and features buyers cannot easily duplicate. The objective is to recognize the home’s value while choosing a launch price that can generate qualified demand.

The Sale at a Glance

• The challenge: Price and market a one-of-a-kind luxury home while giving the seller time to find the right downsizing property.
• The strategy: Complete focused preparation, position the home around its architecture and setting, and use both resale and new-construction data to support the price.
• The result: Four offers in seven days and a $2.305 million cash sale, approximately 105% of the $2.2 million asking price.
• The next move: A completely updated, furnished home in Harbour Ridge that reduced the seller’s maintenance without giving up golf, boating or club amenities.

A Home That Was Built to Be a Showpiece

This was not a typical luxury resale.

The home was originally built as a showpiece for Ecclestone, and that was evident from the moment you walked inside. At approximately 6,683 square feet of air-conditioned living space, it was the largest resale residence in Tesoro Club.

The scale was impressive, but the architectural details were what gave the home its character. Marble floors led into expansive living spaces with detailed tray ceilings and a grand staircase. There were five bedrooms, six and a half bathrooms, a substantial office and an elevator.

The primary wing was more like a private suite within the home, with two large closets and separate bathrooms. The kitchen was equally substantial, with premium appliances and enough room to suit the size of the house.

One of my favorite features was the sliding glass-door system. The doors opened at a 90-degree angle, removing the corner and creating a completely open connection between the interior and the pool area.

The setting made the home even more distinctive. The back of the property looked over the golf course and preserve, while the front offered views toward Tesoro’s impressive clubhouse. It also had a three-car garage with a separate golf-cart bay.

This was a grand home in every sense, but it had also been beautifully maintained. The seller was not leaving because something was wrong with the property. She was simply ready for less house and less maintenance.

The Seller Wanted to Downsize Without Giving Up the Lifestyle

The seller’s goal was not just to sell a large home. She needed the sale and her next purchase to work together.

Maintaining a property of this size involves more than the interior square footage. There are major home systems, a pool, extensive landscaping and the ongoing responsibilities that come with a large estate.

She wanted something smaller and easier to manage, but she did not want to give up the benefits of living in a private club community. Golf, boating, amenities and an active club lifestyle were still important.

That meant the terms of the Tesoro sale mattered almost as much as the price. We needed a buyer who valued the home, understood its existing condition and could give her enough time to find the right replacement property.

How Do You Price a Luxury Home With Few Comparable Sales?

Comparable sales, often called “comps,” are recently sold properties used to help estimate a home’s market value. In this case, very little directly compared to the property.

A basic price-per-square-foot calculation would not have adequately accounted for the home’s scale, history, architectural details, premium lot or dual views. At the same time, uniqueness alone does not justify an unlimited price.

I evaluated both resale activity and competing new construction. Resales helped establish what buyers had recently paid within the community. New construction showed what buyers were willing to spend for current finishes, size and a luxury product.

I then considered the features that could not be duplicated easily, including the home’s architecture, lot position, golf and preserve views, clubhouse views, primary wing, elevator and indoor-outdoor design.

We decided to launch at $2.2 million.

The goal was to recognize the property’s value without pricing away the buyers most likely to appreciate it. That decision gave the market room to respond and allowed competition to establish how much the strongest buyer was willing to pay.

Preparing the Property Without Overworking It

This home did not need a major renovation before it could be marketed. It needed focused preparation and careful attention to the details buyers would notice.

The landscaping was refreshed with new flowers, and the palm trees were trimmed. The pool was cleaned. The air-conditioning system and generator were serviced so the major systems were ready for the market.

The seller and I divided the responsibilities and coordinated the work together. Because the house was already beautifully maintained and clean, the objective was not to reinvent it. We wanted every part of the property to look polished when the photography and showings began.

That preparation mattered because a home of this scale gives buyers a great deal to absorb. If visible maintenance had distracted them, they could have started focusing on work instead of the property’s architecture, setting and value.

How We Used the Marketing to Explain the Property’s Value

The photography and video needed to do more than make the house look attractive. Each part of the marketing had a specific job.

Professional interior photography documented the marble floors, detailed ceilings, staircase, kitchen and oversized primary wing. Twilight photography captured the home’s scale and presence while showing how the interior and pool area connected.

Drone photography established why the lot was special. Buyers could see the golf course and preserve behind the home, along with its position near the clubhouse.

The property videos showed how someone moved through the home. That was especially important for demonstrating the grand proportions and the 90-degree sliding doors, which were difficult to understand through still photographs alone.

We also produced a separate Tesoro lifestyle video. The likely buyer was not simply searching for a large house. They needed to understand the golf, amenities, community investment and momentum surrounding the club.

A measured floor plan and 3D tour helped buyers understand the layout before visiting. The custom property webpage brought the photography, video, property information and supporting materials together in one place. Custom brochures, Zillow Showcase, social-media marketing and an open house extended that presentation across the places buyers were most likely to encounter the home.

The Tesoro story was timely. The club’s ownership partnership acquired the community in 2021 and has since restored the Arnold Palmer course, refreshed the landscaping and expanded new-home activity. Refurbishment of the Tom Watson course is underway, with the first nine holes expected to reopen in late 2026. That investment helped buyers recognize the longer-term appeal of owning an important property within the community. Read more about Tesoro Club’s revitalization and the Watson Course refurbishment.

How Four Offers Changed the Negotiation

We received four offers within the first seven days. The initial offers were generally just below or around the $2.2 million asking price.

That demand gave us leverage, but the final result did not happen automatically. We went through several rounds of negotiations and gave the interested buyers the opportunity to improve their price and terms.

The seller did not want to accept a high number only to face a substantial repair list later. The roof was older, so it was important to find a buyer who understood and accepted its existing age and condition.

“Clean terms” in this sale meant a cash purchase without mortgage-financing uncertainty, acceptance of the older roof, fewer potential repair concerns and a flexible closing period. These terms reduced the risk of the agreement being renegotiated or delayed after the seller had committed to her next move.

The final buyer offered $2.305 million in cash, which was $105,000 above the asking price and approximately 104.8% of list price.

The price demonstrated how strongly the buyer wanted the property. Just as importantly, the buyer’s terms gave the seller enough time to make a thoughtful move instead of forcing her into the first available replacement home.

Finding the Right Home for Her Next Chapter

Once the Tesoro contract was secured, I helped the seller search for her next home.

We found a completely updated, furnished and move-in-ready property in Harbour Ridge. It provided the smaller footprint and reduced maintenance she wanted while preserving the club lifestyle that mattered to her.

Harbour Ridge also offered two golf courses and a private marina on the St. Lucie River. She could continue enjoying golf, boating and club amenities without maintaining an estate of the same scale. Learn more about Harbour Ridge Yacht & Country Club.

We closed on the Harbour Ridge home approximately one month before the Tesoro sale. That gave her time to move and settle into the new property before completing the sale of her former home.

The Tesoro residence closed on September 10, 2026, for $2.305 million.

The seller was thrilled with the result and completely elated with the process. She received a strong price and favorable terms, had time to make the move properly and ended up in an updated home that better fits the way she wants to live now.

What Other Luxury Homeowners Can Learn From This Sale

A unique home should not be priced using one convenient comparable sale. The analysis may need to combine resale data, new-construction pricing, lot characteristics, architecture and features that cannot be duplicated easily.

Preparation also does not always mean renovation. This property was already maintained beautifully. Servicing the major systems, refreshing the landscaping and preparing the pool allowed the home’s strongest features to remain central.

Luxury marketing needs to explain more than the number of bedrooms and bathrooms. Buyers needed to see the home’s scale, architecture, views, indoor-outdoor connection and the momentum taking place within its club community.

Finally, the highest offer is not necessarily the best offer. Price, financing, inspection risk, repair expectations and closing flexibility all affect whether a contract actually serves the seller’s goals.

In this case, the right strategy produced more than a sale above asking. It gave the seller the financial result, time and flexibility she needed to move confidently into her next home.

If you are preparing to sell a distinctive luxury property or coordinate a downsizing move, I can help you determine what the home needs, position it correctly and build the sale around what needs to happen next.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you price a unique luxury home when few comparable sales exist?

Pricing may require a combination of recent resales, competing new construction, price per square foot, lot quality, architectural features, condition and buyer demand. No single data point should be used without considering how the property differs from the available comparisons.

Does every luxury home need renovations before it is listed?

No. A beautifully maintained home may only need focused preparation, such as servicing major systems, refreshing landscaping, cleaning the pool and improving presentation. The work should be based on what will affect buyer perception and the seller’s likely return.

How should sellers evaluate multiple offers?

Sellers should compare more than price. Financing, inspection terms, repair expectations, contingencies, deposit strength, closing flexibility and the buyer’s overall commitment can all affect the reliability and value of an offer.

Can a seller negotiate a longer closing while looking for another home?

Yes, if the buyer agrees. In this case, we prioritized a buyer who could accommodate a longer closing. That gave the seller time to purchase her Harbour Ridge home approximately one month before the Tesoro sale closed and complete the move without rushing.

Why does community marketing matter when selling a golf-course home?

The buyer is purchasing both the property and access to a particular lifestyle. Golf, club amenities, social activity, future investment and the direction of the community may all affect demand. Marketing should help buyers understand that value rather than treating the home as an isolated structure.

About the Author

Katie Lucie is a Jupiter native and real estate advisor with Sotheby’s International Realty. She helps buyers and sellers make decisions with better information, direct advice and a clear strategy.

Her work focuses on strategic home preparation, pricing, marketing and negotiation, with particular experience representing luxury sellers, longtime homeowners, waterfront clients and people coordinating a sale with a downsizing or relocation purchase.

Katie represented the seller in this case study and also represented her in the purchase of the Harbour Ridge property. That allowed the pricing, contract terms, closing timeline and move to be managed as one coordinated plan.