Opulence on stage for a million or more

The numbers are eye-popping. Two, three, four, five million dollars for a luxury home.

In Spokane County, a couple who made money investing in gold mining is ready to downsize.

They have listed their mansion on 60 acres for $3.25 million, one of the more highly priced homes currently up for sale in Spokane County.

Located on Saltese Lake Road, the house is 9,406 square feet in size with four bedrooms and four baths.

The house is extremely well built and designed for entertaining, according to its listing.

The kitchen is made for a chef. Out back are a barn and two shop spaces.

The owners had previously built a mansion in the Mica area of southeast Spokane County, and then developed their current home on Saltese Lake Road in 2007, acting as the general contractors.

Their workers’ efforts are lauded.

“They were craftsmen who put this together,” said broker Mark Hensley of John L. Scott Real Estate.

So far, the house has been shown to three potential buyers, including one from La Jolla, California, and another from Mercer Island, Washington.

Hensley said he learned that a house with so much land and of such quality would be priced in the $9 million range in the Seattle area.

In fact, the owners spent more money having the house built than they are currently asking for the property, he said.

When it comes to the ultraluxury home market, the trick is finding the right buyers, Hensley said.

“It’s hard to put a price on these homes,” Hensley said. To find buyers, the agent has to cast a wide net regionally and nationally.

“It is really a marathon and not a foot race to find the right buyer,” he said.

But Hensley said he embraces the challenge.

The sales material found on line at salteseviewranch.com calls the home a “stunning masterpiece” with crystal chandeliers and an artfully crafted staircase.

The entry to the home is behind two gates and a large fountain.

The kitchen and accompanying butler’s pantry are equipped with a freezer that registers below-zero Farenheit. The expansive enclosed veranda has its own kitchen. There is also a second dining area.

Luxurious finishes are found throughout. The master suite has a jetted tub, marble floors, corner shower with temperature controls and two large closets.

As with nearly all luxury homes, the view is stunning.

A home in Post Falls is listed at $8.99 million with 452 feet of water frontage.

Real estate broker John Beutler said location and view are the two things common among luxury homes. He works listings in North Idaho, where numerous luxury mansions are found and for sale. Waterfront and boat slips are typically part of the package, and he said architectural style is an important ingredient.

In Spokane, a large French-style country estate south of 57th Avenue is up for $5 million. The owners asked for anonymity because of their private nature, but that property on 80 acres comes with a vineyard planted in pinot noir and pinot gris, totaling less than 2 acres.

Beutler said the million-dollar-plus market is a thing of its own. In reality, there are many luxury homes in the $400,000-to-$600,000 range that are just as appealing and comfortable.

The thing about the more expensive homes is they were often created to appeal to the original owners, which makes finding a buyer tricky.

“It was somebody else’s dream when they built it,” Beutler said.