Hot Home News: Coach Nick Saban, NASCAR's Jeff Gordan, Zsa Zsa Gabor & USA Floating Condos

Online, May 27, 2013 (Newswire.com) - Coach Saban's Lake Home

Whether referred to as "the devil himself," or "Nicky Satan," University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban is never far from the minds of college football fans. His soaring success with national championship seasons at Louisiana State University in 2003 and the University of Alabama in 2009, 2011 and 2012 have made Saban a household name and a football legend.

The highest paid college football coach in the country with a $5.3 million contract, even Forbes' analysts feel he might be underpaid considering the revenue he has generated for the school. Since he took over as coach of Alabama's Crimson Tide in 2007, the football program has accounted for two-thirds of the school's athletic revenues and $45 million in profits. The undergraduate enrollment is up by 33 percent and the faculty count has increased by 400 to accommodate the student growth. NFL rosters are full of Alabama draft choices with four first round picks in both 2011 and 2012 and three selections in 2013. Football is the major draw and fund raiser for the university.

But Nick Saban has other talents besides football. He seems to have a penchant for collecting great real estate. Football coaches and celebrities in the public eye or with high pressure business dealings really need a private place to diffuse. Nick chose Lake Burton in the north Georgia mountains with 62 miles of shoreline that is a 2,775 acre reservoir. It's a sparsely populated area of natural beauty dotted with estates offering peace and quiet on a pristine mountain lake that most residents plan to pass their property to future generations.

Coach Saban's lake estate consists of a 10,000 square foot main house on three levels, 6 bedrooms, fancy pub and billiards room, custom boat house with upper viewing deck and a stone lighthouse. Materials were imported such as Nick's wine cellar gate that came from Barcelona. Every level takes full advantage of lake and mountain views on 1.7 acres and 700' of shoreline. It might be even nicer than Alabama's legendary football lounge and dorm facilities.

Alabama Football Coach Nick Saban is punting his Georgia vacation home to auction on June 6. Formerly listed at $11 million, the auction is no reserve.

See the U.S.A. in Your Floating Condo

If you think the prospect of retirement is too restrictive or, heaven forbid - boring, here's a fresh idea that may change your mind. Everyone fears getting too old to have continuing adventures, but the people at River Cities Condos may have a solution.

Even if you're confined to a wheelchair, you can have a new adventure every day without ever leaving your home. Follow the spring flower blooms as you travel up the waterways to the northern parts of the United States, or outrace the winter as you head south to the wide beaches of the Texas coast. These are floating condos that can go almost anyplace where there is a river or bay.

The first River Cities condo will be the Marquette, built on barges that can be hooked together side-by-side for wide waterways such as the Mississippi River, or can be unhooked and attached end-to-end to navigate and explore the nation's narrow scenic waterways. The boat will always be rolling on rivers and waterways, except while in port for restocking and land excursions.

While the condos are on the move, amenities include swimming pools, hot tubs, gym, walking course, restaurants, lounge, chip golf green and a library. If you don't want to live there full-time, there are many different packages with increments of ownership. If you want to have family aboard that won't fit into your own condo, there are guest condos available for spill over.

The floating condo sales were on hold during the real estate crash, but have now restarted. A $1,000 refundable deposit is required to reserve a unit. Packages range from a low of $54,600 for two months a year in a 528 square-foot studio to $499,000 for full time floating in their largest built-out custom condo. Completion date depends on future sales. So far, 25% of the condos have been sold.

The Marquette will cruise the northern rivers in the summer and the southern rivers and Intracoastal Waterways in the winter.

The Prince & Zsa Zsa Return

Zsa Zsa is the last of the true glamor girls, now at the age of 96. She was born in Budapest in 1917 during World War I, became an actress in Vienna at age 15 and was crowned Miss Hungary in 1936. She eventually moved to the United States along with her mother and two sisters. Sister Eva starred in the long time TV hit Green Acres and sister Magna married Zsa Zsa's third husband George Sanders. Zsa Zsa's beauty was legendary, her personality bubbly and her accent recognized throughout the world. She had nine husbands including Paris Hilton's great uncle, Conrad Hilton. Another ex was Jack Ryan, the inventor of the Barbie Doll. She really is one of the very last of the Hollywood Golden Age movie stars.

While Zsa Zsa had much success as an actress, celebrity and socialite, she has not had much luck in the real estate world. Zsa Zsa purchased her current Bel Air home in 1973 for $250,000. There are several versions on the home's history, including that it was built by John Zurlo, who was a Los Angeles milkman who would, "get up at 3 in the morning and drive out of Bel Air in his milk truck." It seems that Mr. Zurlo eventually rented the home to Howard Hughes for most of the 1960s. According to Zsa Zsa, the house was also owned by Elvis Presley. House guests have included John Kennedy, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Ronald Reagan, Henry Kissinger and both George H. and George W. Bush. The home has its own movie history having been the film site in a number of movies including Argo and the just released HBO movie Behind the Candelabra. But despite the all star credibility, Zsa Zsa can't seem to sell it. She put the home on the market in June, 2011, and it has been an ongoing sad saga ever since.

Zsa Zsa originally wanted $28 million for her home but in a bad real estate market, her real estate agent convinced her to start out at $12.9 million for the 8,878 square feet, 26-room estate. But she had no takers so she upped the price to $14.9 million in 2012. With mounting money problems due to her poor health and a $10 million Bernie Madoff problem, the home was on the brink of foreclosure last year, only to be saved through a social media plea from current husband Prince Frederic von Anhalt.

Prince von Anhalt may have temporarily rescued the home for Zsa Zsa but he's not really a prince and he seems to have made selling the home much more difficult. Such as demands that after selling the home, he and Zsa Zsa could continue to live in the home for three years. Plus a $325,000 a year stipend! Talk about making a rough real estate market even worse!

But miracles do happen, and it seemed that the home was finally sold in April. People in the Southern California real estate business reported that the home had sold to an Asian gentleman, complete with the three year life estate stipulation and the $325,000 annual support payments. Hallelujah! Zsa Zsa's prayers were finally answered!

Or maybe not. Alas, the latest scoop is that the sale seems to have fallen through and the house is back on the market. Once again, the asking price is $14.9 million.

NASCAR Guy's $30 Million NYC Condo

He's only 41 years old but Jeff Gordon started racing at the age of 5 and continued without interruption until he's won just about everything that can be won in NASCAR. Were it not for mechanical breakdowns, he might have won every race he ever entered. Even Dale Earnhardt called him "Wonder Boy." Jeff always had the backing of his parents in fulfilling his dream, who moved from place to place whenever another local would give him more opportunity.

Amazing also that at such a young age he recently started his 700th Sprint Cup race. A four-time Cup Champion, he says he'd like a fifth, but is comfortable where he is now in his profession. Not surprising since he's really done it all and has a gorgeous wife and two small children. His wife, successful actress and model Ingrid Vandebosch, is from the Netherlands, but after a stint in Paris modeling for Dior and fashion magazines, moved to New York for more exposure. That is where they met.

Though it seems incongruous to pair the sophistication of New York to the good 'ol boy image of NASCAR, Jeff proves his flexibility. In fact, his New York condo even has a sushi bar. Yes, that creates a little image short circuitry, but since they make their main home in NASCAR friendly Charlotte, North Carolina, they've put their Big Apple glamor pad on the market.

Having purchased his New York abode in 2007 for $9.57 million, the picture perfect condo now sports unusual high end finishes with treetop views over Central Park. The 3,454 square foot home has 3 bedrooms, 4 baths, media room and a 740 square-foot master suite with an impressive array of closets. After purchase, the Gordons redid the entire condo with the help of an architect.

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