For $7 million you could have a three-bedroom apartment, a Hamptons weekend house, or an entire Texas zoo (animals included)
If you're looking for a real break from city life, you may want to consider not just a scenery change, but a whole new career. Say, zookeeping, for instance. And you can start by buying an entire zoo. Yes, $7 million dollars is a lot of money, even in New York City, and while it'll get you coveted spots like a three-bedroom condo in the West Village or a seven-bedroom house in Westhampton, it could also make you the new owner of Bayou Wildlife Zoo outside Alvin, Texas.
The listing on Realtor.com (which we first spotted via Luxury Listings) emphasizes the fact that all 500 animals are included with the 80-acre zoo. We're talking giraffes (including a newborn!), zebra, alligators, kangaroos, and a white rhino. Of course, feeding said animals doesn't come cheap. According to the web listing, the monthly cost is about $6,000 a month. But it's not all bad, either. The zoo rakes in about $1 million in annual sales and runs at a more than 30 percent profit margin, according to its agent. Per the zoo website, admission costs $20 per adults, and $10 for children.
The nearly 11,000-square-foot main building has its own apartment. There's also a fleet of Jeeps, 16 barns and seven trams, two miles of trails, 15 lakes and ponds, native trees and 3,500 feet of Dickinson Bayou waterfront.
The current owner, Clint Wolston, who reportedly spent 30 years building the zoo, tells Realtor.com that there have been several interested buyers but deals fell through when they couldn't get the traditional financing needed. Apparently, he just wants the next buyer to keep the animals safe, and ideally to continue operating the zoo as a public attraction.
This is a pretty extreme step to take for a pet-friendly home, but hey, for some animal lovers it may just be a dream come true.
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