Interview with Pricey Pads’ Mitchell Cal

In the world of high-end real estate, there are few websites more popular than Pricey Pads, which gives readers an in-depth look into the world’s most beautiful homes. From Hollywood mansions to Dubai penthouses, Pricey Pads scours the globe for the most luxurious real estate around and often scores exclusive photographs and video tours. We recently had the pleasure of interviewing the founder of Pricey Pads, Mitchell Cal, about the story behind his website and his passion for luxury homes:

1. What is Pricey Pads and why is it so popular?

I originally started Pricey Pads as a place to save all of my favourite homes. Within months of the site going live it was attracting traffic from around the globe. Three years later and we have a very solid following that’s increasing each day!

2. What first attracted you to this industry?

I’ve been interested in architecture & real estate since a very young age. When I was about 7 or 8 years old my favourite style was Victorian. As a kid I would frequently design homes & floor plans. It’s something I’ve always been passionate about… Not exactly sure what sparked the interest!

3. In terms of architecture, design, and price, what changes have you noticed in the luxury real estate industry since you first got started?

In the last few years I’ve seen many homes priced well over the $80 million mark, something that wasn’t very common in prior years. It almost seems normal now. In the UK it seems very common for wealthy owners to modernize the interiors of historic mansions while keeping the original character on the outside. In terms of architecture & design, “green” buildings are becoming more and more popular. I’ve even heard of some homes that create all of their own energy.

4. What is the single most gorgeous home you’ve ever featured on your site?

Well, my all time favourite home has to be Dean Gardens – I even had the opportunity to tour it with the owners in 2010! Having said that, there are so many other properties that catch my eye – both big & small. I have a very hard time pinpointing my favourite style since there are aspects of them all that I love.

5. For the kids who want to make it big, what are the most common careers you’ve noticed among people who buy luxury real estate?

Nowadays all you need to do is make an App and you can make it big! A lot of the very high end properties are bought up by owners of major companies, or people involved in stocks and such. In recent years a few American properties in the $50 million – $100 million range have been purchased by the daughters of wealthy billionaires from the United Kingdom & Russia.

6. You can only pick one: LA, NYC, or Miami?

Out of those three it would have to be Los Angeles. What’s not to love?

To see more luxury homes from Pricey Pads, visit its official homepage at PriceyPads.com, its Twitter account @PriceyPads, or its Facebook page at facebook.com/PriceyPads. We’d also like to thank Mitchell Cal for taking part in this interview! All photos courtesy of Pricey Pads.