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Monday, 2 July 2007, 11:31 GMT 12:31 UK

Saudi prince's $135m US home sale

Screen grab from the Joshua & Co website The Aspen, Colorado home of Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan is still up for sale, one year after it was given the biggest price tag in US history.

The Hala Ranch has a price tag of $135m (£67m), which made it the most expensive single family home in the US.

The main residence has 15 bedrooms and 16 bathrooms and at 56,000 square feet it is bigger than the White House.

It also features its own hair and beauty salon, an indoor swimming pool, steam room, gym, and heated stables.

The estate has its own water treatment plant, garage facilities including petrol pumps and a car wash and extensive security facilities.

It is located in a fashionable ski resort that has been the home to many celebrities.

But the housing slowdown in the US seems to be causing problems for even the richest of house sellers, as the house has been on the market for a considerable period of time.

Funding allegations

Prince Bandar was Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to the US for 22 years, but is now secretary general of the Saudi National Security Council and so is spending less time in the US.

The BBC and the Guardian newspaper say that BAE Systems made payments worth hundreds of millions of pounds to Prince Bandar as part of the Al-Yamamah arms deal between Britain and Saudi Arabia in the 1980s.

Since the Hala Ranch went on sale it has been overtaken by other properties.

Forbes Magazine says that the most expensive home in the world is The Pinnacle in Big Sky, Montana, which was bought this year for $155m.

The Pinnacle is slightly smaller than Hala Ranch, at 53,000 square feet, but it does have underground parking for 20 cars, a heliport and an ice rink.

The strong pound has also sent British property up the rich list.

The £70m price tag on the newly built Updown Court in Surrey, which has five swimming pools, means it also costs more than Hala Ranch.



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Related to this story:
US to probe BAE over corruption (26 Jun 07 |  Business )
US housing slump hits new builds (26 Jun 07 |  Business )
Profile: Prince Bandar (07 Jun 07 |  Middle East )

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