Platinum Luxury Auctions and William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty have announced the pre-auction sale of the property known as Sunset Hall. The Ridgefield, Connecticut residence was scheduled for a live, luxury auction® sale on May 19th. Though previously listed for $5.75 million, the home was offered “without reserve,” meaning the auction’s highest bidder would become the new homeowner, regardless of the amount of the hid bid price. Miami-based Platinum, a firm specializing in the non-distressed auction sale of multimillion-dollar properties on behalf of their private owners, collaborated with listing agent Laura Freed Ancona of William Pitt SIR for the sale.
“The auction process is such a powerful motivator for the buying audience, it can induce a sale prior to the planned auction,” stated David Ashcroft, Platinum’s director of business development and a spokesperson for the transaction. “In fact, pre-auction sales represent five to fifteen percent of our annual sales, historically. In some cases, the pre-auction buyer is a pre-existing, interested party.”
Such was the case with Sunset Hill. The buyers, a married couple who the parties declined to identify, had previously viewed the property prior to it being scheduled for the auction sale. “They simply could not be convinced to put pen to paper, however, until the threat of the auction,” added Mr. Ashcroft.
The Georgian-style estate sits on 7 manicured acres in Ridgefield, a posh community within Connecticut’s Fairfield County. Original owner James Stoker (U.S. Ambassador, banker and active supporter of the YMCA) built the mansion in 1912 on one of the highest elevation sites in Ridgefield, which now provides for views of the Manhattan skyline on a clear day.
Stoker wasn’t Sunset Hall’s only high-profile owner. Subsequent owners include the brother of Harry Houdini, Brooklyn multi-millionaire and beer baron Samuel Rubel and famed actor Robert Vaughn. The estate was even anointed as home to the United Nations in 1946.
In total, the property offers 10 bedrooms, 8 full and 4 half baths. The main residence boasts nearly 12,000 sf, while a separate guesthouse adds 1,500 sf. Property features include a tennis court, 65-ft heated pool, a 4,000-sf limestone pool terrace, 9 fireplaces, a marble-floored, 50-ft ballroom, formal dining and a gourmet kitchen. The residence has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1984.
Inquiries on the sale can be directed to a Platinum associate at 800.262.5132. Additional details can be found at SunsetHallLuxuryAuction.com.
