Sunday, October 12, 2014

HFT Pays Off! Quantlab Financial Co Founder Lists Houston Home For $43 Million

From the Wall Street Journal (Sept. 25):

A Houston Chateau Asks $43 Million
In Houston, a château-style home of more than 27,000 square feet will list for $43 million, making it the priciest home ever to list in the city, according to Martha Turner of Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty, the firm listing the property.

Known as "Chateau Carnarvon," the limestone-and-marble house is the residence of Marie and Wilbur "Ed" Bosarge Jr., who is one of the principal beneficiaries of a family trust that owns the estate through an LLC. Mr. Bosarge, 75, is a former math faculty member at Rice University and a co-founder of the Houston high-frequency trading firm Quantlab Financial. A well-known arts patron in Houston, he often wears a beret. 

The Bosarges declined to comment. Ms. Turner said the owners are selling because "they have homes all over the world," and "are not using this Houston house as much as they thought they would."

Located on a roughly 2½-acre parcel in the Memorial area of Houston, the house has eight bedrooms. The trust purchased the partially completed home in 2010, and it took two years to complete. With museum-quality lighting, it was built with the intention of displaying art, she said. A circular reception hall has a 33-foot-tall domed ceiling hand-painted with trompe l'oeil lattices, and floors inlaid with marble and precious stones. A roughly 42-by-25-foot Versailles Room is intended to recreate the look of the French palace, with hand-painted floral appliqués featuring 18th-century musical instruments....MORE
The Houston Chronicle says it is the most expensive listing the city has ever seen and has some pics.

HT that it was on the market: Economic Policy Journal.