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$19.9 Million ‘Yachter’s Paradise’ is Fort Lauderdale’s Priciest Sale of the Year

The seven-bedroom home was sold to former Berkshire Hathaway executive David Sokol

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In a record-setting deal in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a former Berkshire Hathaway executive has scored a "yachter's paradise" for $19.9 million, according to public records.

David Sokol bought the seven-bedroom, 11-bathroom home through SKL Holdings, an Alaska-based LLC of which Mr. Sokol is the manager, according to records. The sale went through last week and, according to deals recorded by Redfin, was the most expensive residential sale of the year in Fort Lauderdale.

The sale could be seen as a bargain, as the waterfront mansion was originally listed for $29 million in January 2016. Built in 2011, it features 12,799 square feet of living space and 400 feet of deep-water dockage, plus a private marina and a boat garage, according to the listing. There’s also a walk-in wine cellar, fitness center, pool and spa, two offices and a large outdoor living and dining area with a kitchen.

Mr. Sokol was the chairman of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, owned by Berkshire Hathaway. He was also the chairman, president and CEO of NetJets, another subsidiary of the Omaha-based holding company. He was widely considered to be in line to succeed Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett before he resigned in 2011 in the midst of a stock-trading scandal. At the time, Mr. Sokol, through his lawyer, denied any wrongdoing.

Mr. Sokol is now the CEO of Teton Capital Group, a private equity firm. He was not immediately available for comment.

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The property was last purchased in 2013 for $14.5 million, according to records. The seller was Sands Management LLC, which was listed as a trustee.

Listing agent Tim Elmes represented the seller; he was not immediately available for comment.

South Florida Business Journalfirst reported the sale.