The 1983 transfer of Natirar (Raritan spelled backwards) for $7.5 million set the New Jersey real estate sales record for the highest sales price.  Turpin handled the sale of the Kate Macy Ladd estate to King Hassan II, Sovereign of Morocco.  The 500-acre estate is so vast that is fans out across three different municipalities: Peapack-Gladstone, Bedminster and Far Hills.  Situated at the end of a mile-long drive, Natirar’s main house is a 28,000 square foot brick mansion commanding spectacular views from its hilltop vantage point. Panoramas from the library overlook look the North Branch of the Raritan River as it flows along two miles of the property’s borders.

Harvard-educated architect Guy Lowell designed Natirar’s Tudor-style mansion, a 40-room residence which was completed in 1912.  Lowell also designed the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and the New York County Court House on Manhattan’s Foley Square.  He was assisted by Henry Hardenberg of New Brunswick, who designed academic buildings at Rutgers University and Manhattan landmarks including the Dakota apartment building the Plaza Hotel.

For many years Natirar was the site of the Kate Macy Ladd Convalescent Home for women. Kate Macy Ladd maintained a summer rest home at Maple Cottage, one of the estate’s outbuildings, for 35 years.  In her husband’s will it was stipulated that Natirar would be converted into a convalescent home for women upon his wife’s death.  The will further stated that residents would stay free of charge, with all fees covered by the Kate Macy Ladd Fund.  From the time the home opened in 1949 until its sale in the 1980s, over 20,000 women benefited from the couple’s generosity.  Under the terms of Mr. Ladd’s will, use of the home as a convalescent facility was to be discontinued after May 21, 1983.

After the home was sold to King Hassan in 1983, it remained mostly vacant.  King Hassan reportedly never spent one night in his palatial estate, and never hosted any events or parties there.  Reports say that he visited Natirar just three or four times before he died in 1991, when the estate was inherited by his son, King Mohammed VI of Morocco. In the ensuing years it was still a quiet place; a handful of staff members lived in an outbuilding and one person resided in a few of the estate’s rooms.

The estate was sold to Somerset County for $22 million in 2004.  Most of the land is county-owned parkland and open space; about 90 acres are used for a luxury spa, resort and culinary center owned by Richard Branson aptly named, “The Club at Natirar”

The sale of Natirar represents one of the most notable of the many record-setting sales Turpin has handled throughout the years.

One of Turpin’s most memorable sales during the 1980s was Lamington House in Bedminster.  In 1981, Lamington House was sold to automobile magnate John Z. DeLorean, founder of the DeLorean Motor Company, and his then wife, model and actress Christina Ferrare.  At the time, the sale set a state record at $3.5million for the home and surrounding 433 acres.  Few other Bedminster homes have the storied history of Lamington House.

Noted architect Mott B. Schmidt designed the manor house in 1939 for John K. Cowperthwaite and his wife, Victoria Brady, daughter of financier James Cox Brady. A long line of Cowperthwaites lived at Lamington House in the decades that followed.  When it was sold to DeLorean in 1981, ownership was transferred by John K. Cowperthwaite, Jr. the third generation of the family to live there.  In a 2002 article appearing in The Star-Ledger, company president Jack Turpin described Lamington House as “exquisite.”  It has also been referred to as one of the most stunning residences in the East.

Reminiscent of an English country manor, Lamington House is a stately design of red brick with a four-column Corinthian entry portico and pediment, said to be a replica of the north portico of the White House.  Interior appointments include antique marble fireplaces, a circular main staircase and a circular library with a secret panel disguising the entrance to a gentlemen’s bar and gun room. 

The Georgian Revival mansion is now the centerpiece of Trump National Golf Club, owned by celebrity businessman Donald Trump.

While the news media seems to have gone on a feeding frenzy over the recent report on existing home sales, many of us in the industry were not that surprised. After all, most people who purchased a home at virtually any time during the spring months would have timed it to close by the end of June in order to take advantage of the tax credit. Please see what our friend, Steve Harney, of Keeping Current Matters has to say about the recent NAR home sales report.

http://kcmblog.com/2010/08/26/everybody-calm-down-armageddon-is-not-upon-us/

Built in the Tudor Revival style that was so popular in this country during the 1920s and ‘30s, a regal estate property in Bedminster Township has all the hallmarks of this distinctive architectural form.  Built in 1925, the exterior features decorative half-timbering, steep rooflines, narrow windows and massive chimneys that characterize Tudor Revival homes.

The Tudor sensibility is carried through within the gracious interior of this lavish country estate.  Antique chestnut paneling, diamond-paned windows, ten fireplaces, ceiling beams, arched doorways and gleaming wood floors are among the rich accents.   Situated beautifully upon a 13-plus acre property, the scenery and home are reminiscent of an English manor in the Cotswold countryside. 

New and original features were blended seamlessly during a meticulous restoration of this 17-room home.  Grandly styled for an elegant lifestyle, the seven bedroom floor plan contains a fantastic chef’s kitchen with center island workspace and extensive butler’s pantry, newer baths, and new heating and air conditioning systems.  The luxurious master bedroom presents a dressing room, fireplace and full bath with steam shower and tub. 

Outdoor amenities are equally gracious, with a tennis court and a serene in-ground swimming pool surrounded by rolling acreage and far-reaching views of the Somerset Hills.  The home’s bluestone terrace is generously-scaled for summer parties.  This estate borders protected land, ensuring that the views will remain the same for generations.

As far as locations go, Bedminster Township is known for its exceptional equestrian properties and unmatched convenience.  This property is close to schools, shopping, recreation, dining and a network of major highways including Interstates 287 and 78.  There is train service to Manhattan from neighboring towns, and Newark Liberty International Airport is about 30 miles away.