What’s the price for privacy? A home in a gated community, and on a privately owned cul-de-sac in Miami’s affluent Coral Gables neighborhood, now asks $69.9 million for sale.
As reported this month in the Wall Street Journal, the 9401 Journey’s End Road property is repped by Saddy Abaunza Delgado and Valeria Kelly with ONE Sotheby’s International Realty — and owned by broadcasting industry mogul Raúl Alarcón.
Alarcón is the chairman and CEO of Spanish Broadcasting System, an owner and operator of Hispanic radio and network television stations in the US and Puerto Rico.
While the property might not become a record Miami-wide sale, it’s among the priciest listings in Coral Gables thus far. If it sells for its asking price, it would set a record for the neighborhood.
The waterfront Tuscan villa-style seven- to eight-bedroom spread has roughly 11,800 square feet of living space, and stands on a 2-acre lot with around 500 feet of water frontage on a canal leading to Biscayne Bay.
For added glamour, this property also has connections to some famed pop music stars — such as Shakira, Marc Anthony, Romeo Santos and Emilio Estefan, all of whom were Alarcón’s guests at one point or another.
But it’s the exclusivity in particular that’s the biggest selling point, Delgado said. If Coral Gables weren’t private enough, the home is also set on a peninsula lot surrounded on three sides by water.
“There are two gated communities in Coral Gables that are on private streets: This is one,” Delgado told The Post. “The community owns the street. That’s unique: There are several gated communities there, but not like this one. My client chose it because he wanted privacy,” Delgado added.
Another plus is land size: “Two acres for one property is hard to find around Miami.”
Delgado sold the home to Alarcón 15 years ago.
“Journey’s End is a tranquil, secluded neighborhood tucked away in Coral Gables,” Alarcón told The Post via email. “The total privacy and the fact that all visitors must be announced before being allowed in the neighborhood was what initially caught my attention, but the vast amount of land is what sealed the deal.”
“I purchased the home in 2006 for approximately $12 million before totally refurbishing it for my needs,” Alarcón later added.
Built in 2003, the ground-floor layout includes a large kitchen with marble floors and countertops, a butler’s pantry and an adjacent breakfast room. There’s also a formal living room, a bright formal dining room and a family room.
“Many of the finishes include materials imported from Portugal, Spain and Italy. The house has such rich finishes,” said Delgado. “The mantels are from Portugal; wood from France. Everything inside is a jewel.”
Another perk is the ground-floor 12-seat home theater with a panoramic screen and theater-quality audio/visual electronics.
Along with four bedrooms, each with an ensuite bathroom — including a large primary suite — the second floor also includes a standalone spa with a steam room, a sauna, a hot tub, a massage area and a powder room. (The spa was converted from a bedroom and, because it can revert back, the listing counts it as a bedroom.)
Built with a traditional Italian-style central courtyard, the terraced grounds additionally include a coral rock-surrounded pool, a half basketball court, an enclosed gazebo with hurricane-impact windows and air conditioning, and the private marina. The gazebo, Alarcón said, doubles as a home office — and that, along with the media room and the outdoor spaces, are where he’s hosted those A-list figures, oftentimes to preview their upcoming releases.
“Being in the media business, it’s important for me to have a comfortable environment for entertaining artists, as well as newsmakers, elected representatives, clients and industry colleagues in total privacy and comfort,” Alarcón said.
Alarcón added he is not in big hurry to leave: “My home is incredibly special and rich in history and, for these reasons, I’ll be patient in choosing the right buyer who can appreciate the unique nature of the property.”