Rise of the mega-mansion: what super-buyers can expect from some of North London’s most exclusive properties

Take a peek inside some of North London’s most prized properties where luxury scales dizzying new heights...

Luxurious trophy mansions in North London’s most exclusive neighbourhoods have long been a draw for superwealthy buyers with the world’s most expensive tastes.

But at the top end of the market- where elite buyers regularly snap up sprawling mansions costing in excess of £10 million- the list of home comforts that come ‘as standard’ is increasingly lavish.

Gone are the days when the showpiece home featured an outdoor swimming pool and a walk-in wardrobe. Buyers in the likes of Bishops Avenue- Hampstead’s ‘Billionaire’s Row- now expect hair salons, saunas and massage parlours as well as full-blown leisure and gym complexes.

There is also rising demand for deluxe storage in the form of climate-controlled wine cellars along with flower arranging rooms, cigar parlours and gift-wrapping rooms.

Luxury real estate agent Trevor Abrahmsohn of Glentree, who markets prime properties in Hampstead and the surrounding areas, has noted an increased appetite amongst his clients for grand facades and eye-popping features that were previously only the preserve of five-star hotels.

He said: “People are looking for overt luxury. These buyers will want grand frontages, palladian columns, evident opulence.”

Mr Ambrahmson said the overt opulence of these properties is part of their appeal: “Anyone who is passing by the property they want them to know that they are wealthy, accomplished, they have had great success- and they don’t mind people knowing about it.”

Behind the ornate facades of high-end properties such as Treetops in Compton Avenue, Hampstead which is currently on the market with Glentree for £24 million, buyers can expect to find a home cinema complete with plush chairs and projection facilities fit for a Hollywood movie star.

For the buyer who prizes privacy, many homes on gated roads are now fitted with the latest in home security networks and many boast a ‘safe room’.

Cutting edge interior design is also a pre-requisite for many homeowners hoping to host parties and receptions. In many modern properties colours and furnishings are kept clean and bright.

Buyers looking for a taste of life as a sophisticated regency gentleman head to the stately colonnades of apartments surrounding Regent’s Park whereproperties are brimming with period features, high corniced ceilings and well-stocked libraries. One such apartment(shown below) in Grade II listed Kent Terrace, Regent’s Park is currently on the market with Savills for £4.6 million and boasts 3 reception rooms, six bedrooms and a library.

Garage and workshop space for up to sixteen cars is also increasingly in demand with buyers keen to live life in the fast lane. There has also been a spike in demand for properties with separate staff accommodation for child care, kitchen and house keeping staff.

Mr Abrahmsohn explained the trend for high-spec features and bespoke spaces is a reflection of the increasing number of high net worth and international individuals who are choosing to make their home in the leafy avenues of North London.

“I suppose demand has increased because people become more extravagant in their requirements as net wealth has increased. Homes are now becoming closer to hotels,” he said.