It’s hard to imagine that the sale of a $35 million home could be considered a “bargain,” but that’s what the Wall Street Journal says the recent sale of former hotel heiress Leona Helmsley’s 40-acre estate in Greenwich, Connecticut has to be considered. After all, while the price tag was one of the highest ever for a home in the tony New York suburb, it’s still a fraction of the initial $125 million price for the mansion when it was first listed for sale in April 2008.

The 22,000-square foot manor house was built in 1918 and has features including a carriage house, walk-in vault and a koi pond. It was also a key element in the tax evasion trial of Helmsley and her husband Harry in 1989, when federal prosecutors charged that the Helmsleys illegally billed more than $8 million of remodeling work at the estate as “business expenses,” paying for work such as the building of a $1 million dance floor from their business and claiming it as a tax write-off.

Leona Helmsley would serve 18 months in prison before dying in August 2007 of congestive heart failure. The estate in Greenwich is one of many real estate holdings sold recently by the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. Another real estate holding recently sold by the trust was New York’s Carlton Hotel. The trust also owns a stake in the Empire State Building.

While the original $125 million price tag was extravagant even by Greenwich standards, the property is one of the gems of the area. Among its amenities are a reception hall with an 86-foot-long gallery, a master suite with an onyx bath and a wine cellar with tasting room.

So what’s the point of having a multi-million mansion if you never live in it? That’s what many people are asking after reading an MSNBC.com article about heiress Hugette Clark, who inherited her father’s Montana mining fortune and promptly became a recluse. However, that doesn’t mean that she’s given up her family’s estates, including very expensive properties in California, Connecticut and New York.

Her father was once a senator and copper magnate reported to be among the richest men in the world whose political career was ruined after it came out that he bought his way to power. Now 104, Clark has chosen to spend her remaining days inside a hospital — her health reportedly deteriorated and she has spent the past 22 years inside of a hospital or nursing home after the death of her mother. She’s shut out the rest of the world, only speak to her attorney and her accountant.

Her seclusion has also meant that her extensive personal properties have sat dormant for decades. She has a $100 million, almost 22,000-square foot estate in Santa Barbara called Bellosguardo which she apparently hasn’t visited in 50 years. However, a team of groundskeepers perform daily maintenance on the estate following handwritten instructions she sent decades ago.

Also sitting unused but well taken care of is her Connecticut “country home” — an almost 13,000-square foot house currently on the market for $24 million and her 42-room apartment overlooking Central Park. In fact, Clark is so reclusive that the caretakers who are in charge of maintaining her estates aren’t even sure if she is dead or alive.

Back in 2007 Architectural Digest ran some pictures of Madonna‘s luxury apartment in Manhattan’s upper west side. The interior design was done by her brother Christopher G. Ciccone. He calls the Art Deco design “Subdued elegance.” The architect was Stephen Wang.

In one of the rooms, there is a built-in mahogany buffet to complement the circa 1930 dining table and chairs by Jean Pascaud.

A Picasso pictures seats in front of Madonna’s office desk. “I love the office because I can use my fax machine and look at my Picasso at the same time,” says Madonna.

The kitchen is a little different than rest of the house theme and sports modern stainless steal setting.

The gym features soundproof walls, so the music cannot be heard in other parts of the house.

Dennis Hopper who died in May 2010 had built an interesting house in Venice Beach (Los Angeles), which is for sale now at $6.245 Million. Designed by Architect Frank Gehry this property features a barn-style house and three townhouses totaling over 15,500 SQ FT. In the exterior, there is a pool, pool house, and bungalow-style guest cottage.

The condominiums are also available for sale separately, with prices ranging from $750,000 to $1.05 million.

Jade Mills of Beverly Hills-based Coldwell Banker Previews International, who has the listing with Jane Gavens said, “With its undulating aluminum and steel exterior, the main residence is an ode to the industrial look,” and “This property represents a truly rare find. It is an artist’s ‘dream-come-true’ with its light-filled interiors and its artistic heritage.”

Dennis Hopper used this house as center of his artistic output and entertained friends like Jasper Johns and Roy Lichtenstein. Dennis Hopper was an actor, artist, photographer, and filmmaker.

Below you will see some pictures of this property.

Reports have been circulating that Lebron James, who recently signed a $110 Million NBA deal, has made an offer on $49.5 million Miami-Dade, Florida mansion. Located in waterfront Gables Estates section of Coral Gables, it is one of the biggest mansions in Miami.

The property which is 20,000+ SQ FT has 8 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, 800 feet of waterfront and a dock large enough to handle a 150-foot yacht. The current owner is auto magnate Alan Potamkin. The property was listed in the market last year in April 2009. The property also includes private guest suites, a lighted tennis court, full gym, giant pool, and billiard and media rooms.

The price tag is $49.5 million, but no one know if Lebron is paying the full price. Below are some great pictures of the property.

So what can $50 million buy you? If you are living in the Hamptons, it can get you a dream home in one of the most desirable locations in the United States. The Hamptons is the beach hideout for New York celebrities like Jerry Seinfeld, Martha Stewart and Puff Daddy along with a virtual Who’s Who of Manhattan’s business power brokers.

While some locations are more traditional summer beach homes others are palatial estates. Recently, Yahoo’s! Shine took a look at one of the more lavish beach homes in the Hamptons, a 31,000-square-foot mansion in Bridgehampton owned by Corcoran Group Senior VP Gary DePersia. Living spaces include a 2,000-square-foot master bedroom along with seven additional bedroom suites and a separate apartment with two bedrooms.

There are plenty of things to do within the mansion. The first floor features a family room and a full movie theater. However, the real fun begins on the lower level, which has been converted to an entertainment pavilion. It includes a two-lane bowling alley, game room and virtual golf course. Extreme sports lovers can also enjoy the rock climbing wall or skateboard half-pipe.

If the $50 million price tag is a bit out of your range, don’t worry: the house is also available for rent. It was recently rented for two weeks for $500,000. While that might be a bit more than staying at a Holiday Inn, there certainly are some incredible perks.