Climate House Hunting: Mansions Edition

Glued to real estate posts on The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Dwell, Spaces, The Modern House, or Architectural Digest and wondering how those gorgeous homes will hold up in the next decades? I have you covered.

Heatmap has partnered with my new climate risk platform, Habitable. Every Friday, we add a climate risk score to the real estate listings featured in the news this week and ask: Could you live here as the climate changes?

Using a model developed by a team of Berkeley data scientists at Climate Check, Habitable scores each property for heat, flood, drought, and fire risk on a scale of 1-10. One represents the lowest risk and 10 is the highest. Our rating for each hazard is based on climate change projections through 2050. (You can check your own home’s climate risk here.)

For today’s edition, I apply the Habitable Index to the many, many mansions that came on the market this week. Will climate denier Tucker Carlson’s house on the hurricane-prone Gulf Coast flood soon? Will Ron Perelman ever sell his climate-safe townhouse? Read on and find out out which are the most Habitable mansions in the news this week, from best to worst.

1. Will a positive Habitable score help Ron Perelman finally sell his $60M New York townhouse?

Compass

As billionaire Ron Perelman downsizes his assets, his upper Eastside townhouse is for sale again after being on and off the market since 2021. The massive 16,000-square-feet home is fantastically safe from future climate impacts —- no flood, drought, or fire risk. Even the 7/10 heat risk will be easily managed — the brick building shouldwill keep the temperatures cool inside. For some, keeping cool and dry might be worth a cool $60,000,000?

Featured in the NY Post and listed for $60 million.

2. Plot Twist: No more risky business at the Wolf of Wall Street mansion.

Douglas Elliman

This Long Island mansion was the home base for actor Leonardo di Caprio’s security fraud and drug taking antics in The Wolf of Wall Street film.. The property, however, is surprisingly secure — with minimal risk of flood, fire, or drought. Even the heat risk is minimal. A real hide-away and only 50 minutes to Manhattan.

Featured in the Daily Mail and listed for just under $10 million.

3. Will KKR founder’s Westchester NY family farm flood?

Ginnel Real Estate

Jerome Kohlberg, the late founder of the investment firm KKR, lived in this mansion on 200 acres for more than 30 years. His wife Nancy ran their proper working farm — she raised Scottish Highland cattle, geese, special Black pigs, and even fish (via a professional aquaponics system).

In New York’s Westchester County, the 100-year-old house with an indoor pool and tennis court and a private lake with an old race track will have plenty of water (no drought) and has minimal risk for heat and fire. The flood risk — 6/10 — is a bit high, but with over 200 acres to seep into, maybe a risk worth taking. Featured in WSJ and listed for $11.5 million.

4. Pasadena’s most expensive home offers a little of everything … including drought.

Douglas Elliman

The Knoll House is a polymath. The 12,30-square-foot home features two buildings: one old classic home connected by an underground tunnel to another super modern 20,000-foot entertainment center. The entertainment “wing” includes a 46-seat movie theater and a spa. The property also has a putting green, a pub, and Tiki bar along with a little drought, a little fire, a little heat, and a tiny bit of flood. All this … at a price!

Featured in the Daily Mail and listed for $38.5 million.

5. Only white houses allowed in this very hot panhandle planned community.

Zillow

Think Truman Show meets The Matrix. An all white master–planned community in the Florida Panhandle has attracted Americans who desire a homogenous, anesthetized environment. And other than scorching heat, the outside world (i.e.: climate change) is unlikely to threaten this 5,000 square foot property with soaring (white) open-plan modern interiors. It’s at little risk for drought or fire and far enough off the beach to avoid sea-level rise. The one fly in this perfectly manicured landscape, however, is that the Florida Panhandle is the most-prone to hurricanes — more than any U.S. state. Hang on to those coordinated blue and white parasols …

Featured in WSJ and listed for $12.5 million.

6. Al Green former beach house is in the eye of the storm.

Zillow

The waterfront Florida Panhandle property (see above listing for Hurricane forecast for the Panhandle!) once owned by the Rev. Al Green just sold for $13.25 million.

Can the new owners live here? The 6,600-square-foot four-story mansion with two pools has extreme flood and heat risk.ith no sea wall protection, it will also take the brunt of the next hurricane. Enjoy it while you can.

Featured in WSJ and sold for over $13 million.

7. Tucker Carlson meets his match with his new Florida home.

Zillow

Ousted Fox News host Tucker Carlson just bought the house next door to his home on Gasparilla Island in Florida — also on the Hurricane-prone Gulf Coast — for $5.5m. There is no denying the extreme flood and heat risk of the property. This barrier island is following the trajectory of Carlson himself: sinking fast.

Featured in The Dirt and sold for $5.5 million.

8. The address, Waterway Drive, says it all.

Tidal Realty Partners

Location. Location. Location. Waterway Drive in Sneads Ferry North Carolina (meaning lower ferry) gives away the ending of this story. It’s a stunning, immaculate home (for now) on four private acres seemingly dropped in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Island living but with a private bridge. We can all call this one: 10/10 for flood and 8/10 for heat as the house sizzles in the North Carolina Sun. Good thing there is a kayak launch. Whoever buys this will need to stock up on inflatables.

Featured on Zillow Gone Wild and listed for $2.4 million.