10 Most Expensive Residential Communities in the US

The most expensive residential communities in the US are neighborhoods in which the most affluent part of our society resides. Most people don’t realize but some of these magnificent communities are right next to area where less affluent people live as well.

These most expensive residential communities range from small Miami islands neighborhoods with a few dozen residents living in extraordinary Miami mansions to the celebrity-infused compounds in and around the Los Angeles area.

Below are 10 of the most expensive communities in the US, where the wealthier people live in magnificent homes, from three beautiful communities in South Florida to the tranquil beaches of Hawaii.

1. Beverly Park, Los Angeles

   The multimillion-dollar mansions in this community have housed actors, media kingpins and athletes. Prices of these properties can exceed $30 million.

2. Brentwood Country Estates, Los Angeles

   Completed in 1991 by the Hilton family of hotels fame, this exclusive community offers 24-hour guarded gates. There are only about a dozen home sites in this private subdivision, with only one remaining unsold: a 4.3-acre lot listed for $29.5 million.

3. Kuki'o, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

   With Michael Dell and Charles Schwab among the 300 residents, this community is highly exclusive.  Lots can be priced at $15 million each.

4. The Sanctuary, Boca Raton, Florida

   If you're seeking a community where even the ocean is patrolled around the clock, look no farther than the Sanctuary in Boca Raton. Home prices can reach $22 million.

5. The Vintage Country Club, Indian Wells, California

   The ultra-exclusive Vintage Country Club in the Coachella Valley is where Bill Gates was admonished for appearing at a practice tee in a T-shirt. Some home prices here top $20 million.

6. John's Island, Vero Beach, Florida

   This gated, barrier-island community has served as a refuge for Fortune 500 executives, politicians and industrialists since 1969. Prices can reach $15 million.

7. Indian Creek Village, Indian Creek, Florida

   Indian Creek is not just a gated community. It's a 300-acre gated island and a tiny village and no one gets past the island's solitary gatehouse without an invitation. Prices for these homes can exceed $20 million.

8. Emerald Bay, Laguna Beach, California

   One of several gated communities in Laguna Beach with 20 of the homes worth more than $20 million and eight waterfront properties having stratospheric values of more than $35 million.

9. Conyers Farm, Greenwich, Connecticut

   Gated communities are rare in the Northeast region but this refuge has a minimum of 10 acres per home, community polo facilities and 24-hour security. Home values range from about $8 million to $34 million.

10. Reed Estate, Seattle

    One of several gated enclaves overlooking Lake Washington, this tiny community features estates with private lanes and stately traditional homes of 5,000 to 15,000 square feet.  Some of the homes have been listed for more than $15 million.

Contributed by MLR Realty