The Wall Street Journal looks at what it sees as a growing trend

Posted Oct 24, 2026 4:06 PM CDT

In some of America's priciest ZIP codes, ultrawealthy buyers are purchasing nine-figure mansions only to demolish and replace them with something more in line with their taste. The Wall Street Journal's Katherine Clarke showcases the example of cosmetics billionaire William P. Lauder, who bought Rush Limbaugh's Palm Beach estate for $155 million in 2023. Clarke points out the 24,000-square-foot home dated to the early 1990s and featured a Versailles-like grand salon.…