TopTenRealEstateDeals.com Hot Home News:The Sharper Image Home & Historic Florida Hotel

Online, November 2, 2013 (Newswire.com) - This week's Top 10 homes spotlight at TopTenRealEstateDeals.com includes a look at an Old Florida hotel done by the same people who designed the famous Biltmore Hotel, but has been empty since 1982 and almost went to the wrecking ball. Also, the San Francisco home of Richard Thalheimer, the Sharper Image pioneer who introduced us to the world's first cordless telephone, first palm computer, and virtually every electronic gadget invented since 1977.

Also, Resse Witherspoon has again reduced the price on her California home that was the movie setting for Shangri-La in "Lost Horizon" and Michael Jordan's Chicagoland mansion that did not sell at $29 million is now going to auction.

"Historic Harder Hall Hotel"

The Harder Hall Hotel is someone's opportunity to bring back to life a beautiful and classic Old Florida hotel. Construction on the hotel began in 1925 during the Florida land boom on 14 acres at the edge of Little Lake Jackson in Sebring, Florida and completed in 1927. It was designed by the same architects, Schultze and Weaver, who did the famous Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Florida.

At one time, the hotel was world famous. Vincent Hall started the first golf school in the world there and went on to hold golf and tennis camps for many years that brought people from around the world. In 1954, golf course architect Richard Wilson was commissioned to redesign the course into a championship layout where many tournaments, including PGA Tour events, were held. The course is still in great condition and is open to the public on a fee for play basis. During its heyday, the hotel was host to many famous guests including Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Ali MacGraw and Mario Andretti. The hotel was rescued from demolition in 1990 when it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. It has been approved for an historic properties tax credit.

The hotel has been vacant since 1982 when investors' plans to turn the hotel into timeshares didn't work out. Since then, it has passed from owner to owner and has had a number of failed renovation starts. The City of Sebring purchased it at auction in 2007 and is now offering it for sale to a developer that recognizes its historical past and wants to bring it back to its original grandeur. Sebring is about 90 minutes south of Orlando, home to the Sebring International Speedway, one of the oldest continuously operating race tracks in the United States.

Though still in need of work, the Spanish Colonial Revival hotel originally contained 134 rooms with 50,000 square feet of rooms and halls. There are an additional 35,000 square feet of public areas including the two-story mezzanine lobby with wrought iron railings around the mezzanine and up the grand staircase. The great room and banquet room have 22-foot ceilings with huge French doors overlooking the lake. The ballroom is the same with the original fireplace and a roughed-in bar. When complete, the elegance of Harder Hall can be comparable to the Don Cesar and Vinoy Hotel in St. Petersburg and the Breakers in Palm Beach.

Sebring's historic Grand Lady on Little Lake Jackson, priced at $4.5 million.

"Reese Shaves Shangri-La Price"

Reese Witherspoon's Libbey Ranch was originally built in 1923 for Edward Libbey of Toledo glassware fame as a horse stable. In following years the ranch evolved with other illustrious owners such as Harold Ramis and Kathryn Ireland. Taking into account that it was designed by Wallace Neff with later additions designed by Austen Pierpont, its history alone is intriguing. In 1937, Frank Capra used it as the setting for Shangri-La in his film, "Lost Horizon." Though Kathy Ireland filled the home with her colorful textiles, Reese came in with her own decorator, Kristen Buckingham, who gave it a neutral palette of earthy textures that accentuated the true architectural beauty of the home and blended it into its natural surroundings. The heavy use of stone in the large fireplaces, huge exposed beams, Spanish tiles and century-old hardware that was forged on site gives the home an elegant rusticity.

With a total of 5,481 square feet between the main house and three guest cottages, the compound contains nine bedrooms and nine baths. The main house consists of four bedrooms, four baths and includes large spaces for entertaining. The kitchen also has its own stone fireplace for coziness as well as for the serious cook who enjoys having the ability to cook over a Tuscan-styled grill. In addition to the three guest cottages are a carriage house, swimming pool and spa, horse stables and barn, blacksmith's shop, four car garage, acres of pasture and organic gardens.

Reese Witherspoon's Shangri-La ranch, originally listed at $10 million, now asking $5.9 million.

"The Sharper Image House"

Richard Thalheimer, Yale graduate, attorney and iconic entrepreneur is nothing less than awe inspiring to any budding entrepreneur. While still a college student he opened his first business in 1972 - an office supply store named The Sharper Image to promote the store's quality printing products. In 1977, Richard began adding innovative new products to the store including an affordable runner's watch, the world's first cordless telephone and answering machine. He promoted his product line through magazine ads, television infomercials, and, in 1996, was one of the early retailers to embrace online selling. By 2003 the business had grown to 200 stores worldwide.

In 2006, a hedge fund bought shares in the business and demanded representation on the board, one being the former CEO of Revlon. After a year of ups and downs, the new board felt they could do a better job with The Sharper Image and bought out Thalheimer's stock at $9.25 per share, or $25 million. Within nine months, the new board brought the company to its knees, filed bankruptcy and lost every cent they had put into it. Though Thalheimer's sell out was financially fortuitous, it wasn't easy letting go of his brain child. However, he was already making plans for his next business, RichardSolo.com, an even more upscale Sharper Image.

Thalheimer recently put his six bedroom, seven bath San Francisco mansion on the market. Located on San Francisco's Gold Coast, the mansion has views over the Bay and Presidio Park. Though it appears to be a period property from the outside, the great surprise is inside. After a full interior renovation, the home is now a bright, cheerful yet dramatic contemporary filled with sunlight and all the amenities that you might expect from The Sharper Image pioneer. Within its approximately 6,175 square feet are six bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, chef's kitchen, large spaces for entertaining and an elevator that accesses all floors except the top two bedrooms. The spotless garage will house up to six cars.

Former CEO of The Sharper Image is selling his Gold Coast mansion in San Francisco. Priced at $11.95 million.

"Michael Jordan's Mansion Auction"

Michael Jordan's former mansion, where he lived with then wife Juanita and their children during his championship years with the Chicago Bulls, has been up for sale since 2006. Now divorced, and with the children grown, both have moved on. Michael recently married his girlfriend of six years, model Yvette Prieto, at his Bears Club mansion in Jupiter, Florida.

Of course, the eight acre home with stocked pond and total privacy is great for very wealthy sports fans, but also makes a nice family home with something to do for everyone. The home has at least eleven major points of special interest. These include the primary residence, an over-the-top master suite, chef's kitchen, upstairs library, cigar room with walk-in humidor, home theatre, fitness studio (Michael's equipment stays), pool with pavilion with retractable roof and walls, basketball complex with NBA-sized regulation court, guest wing, and outdoor entertainment. There are also three climate-controlled garages for up to 15 cars.

Michael Jordan's former Chicagoland home includes regulation-size basketball court and #23 entry gate was $29 million. Going to auction on November 22nd.

"Nashville TV's Bad Girl Juliette Barnes "

Sexy and dominant, the character of Juliette Barnes on the hit TV show, "Nashville," is guaranteed to let go with the fireworks again this season as she continues to connive to get her way as she pushes and pulls her way to the top. Already at the top of the charts in the teenage market, and not exactly admired by her musical peers who she treats like servants, Juliette fights to maintain her success as she grows older. Her ultimate goal: To take over the title of "Queen of the Charts" from her older traditional rival, character Rayna Jaymes. According to her script bio, she grew up without a father and received little attention from her drug addicted mother, which naturally resulted in a few socialization issues. Despite being scorned by most of the Country & Western mainstream, Juliette becomes famous with the resources to own just about any home she chooses. The set chosen as her home in "Nashville" is spectacular and now for sale.

An eye-catching contemporary designed by Los Angeles architect, Stephen Kanner, the home consists of 5,325 square feet with four bedrooms and seven baths. A two-story home, it has the main living area on the main floor, the master suite and other bedrooms on the second floor and comes with a finished basement. The home is perched on a hill giving it sweeping views of Nashville's city lights beyond a forest of tree tops, which can be appreciated through the glass walls of the house and from the infinity edge pool and terrace. Design is clean, crisp and minimalist with a studio and guest suites.

House used in the TV blockbuster show "Nashville" as the home of feisty Juliette Barnes. Formerly priced upwards of $3 million, now reduced to $2.1 million.

Real estate is never boring at TopTenRealEstateDeals. Check out today's most entertaining and unusual real estate news stories of the week. News such as AARP's best retirement towns, million dollar homes with big surprises, and a brand new home for Mitt Romney.