(I know this doesn't pertain to QAC, but it is an interesting tid bit for real estate buffs).
Wrestler Hulk Hogan is selling his palatial French Country-inspired estate in Bellair, Fla., located just west of Tampa. And Dracula could be on the market, too.
The creation of Hogan's 17,145-sq. ft. mansion was a family affair. The wrestler's wife Linda coordinated the venture while his mother-in-law, an interior designer, created an interior fit for a king. His brother-in-law, a builder, was responsible for the contracting work.
Some perks include an in-ground swimming pool, massive gym, a view of the Intracoastal Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico, private docks, two separate garages, and a library featuring hand-carved antique pine paneling and built-in bookshelves. The home is gated and set on nearly two acres.
In the Transylvania region of Romania, meanwhile, Archduke Dominic Habsburg and his family have retained a private investment firm, Baytree Capital, to create a long-term strategic plan for the enhancement and preservation of historic Bran Castle.
The castle has tremendous historical significance, both real and mythical. It is known throughout the world as Dracula's Castle, an association that can be traced back to Irish author Bram Stoker, who used Bran Castle as his inspiration for the settings of his classic 1897 novel, Dracula.
The castle is one of Romania's top tourist attractions, mostly because of its connection to vampires. Archduke Domonic Habsburg's grandmother, Queen Marie, and her family lived in the castle in the early part of the 20th Century. The 700-year-old castle was seized from the family by the communist regime in 1948, and was converted into a museum in the late 1950s. It was returned to the Habsburg family by the Romanian government in 2006.
