What’s hiding in this $6.5 million mansion?
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Explore this beautiful doomsday compound for sale
It has all the trappings of a luxury country estate that even the pickiest homebuyer could wish for, but there are a few unexpected extras that really set this Michigan property apart from other high-end homes on the market. Now on offer for $6.5 million (£4.75m), the doomsday-ready compound is built to offer protection should disaster strike, with a video surveillance security system throughout, a nine-acre private lake and its own underground bunker that can comfortably hold 20 people. Click on to explore...
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Scientologist owners
The current owner is renowned Scientologist and drug rehabilitation centre owner, Per Wickstrom. He began building the compound in 2013 and over the next five years developed the grounds to include a 20-person bunker, in preparation for a natural disaster or nuclear war (or indeed, a global pandemic). According to local news site WBCK, Wickstrom is selling the property whilst going through a divorce with wife Svetlana, pictured.
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An enviable 323 acreage
The property encompasses just over 323 acres, incorporating a mix of woodland and wetlands. It offers direct access to five lakes, and mature rolling timberland that has remained unharvested for years. The main house resides at 22072 Pine Lake Road, with a half-mile-long driveway. Three additional homes can also be found dotted around the circumference of the acreage, including a Stone House and a Lake cottage.
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Spacious open-plan living
Once inside discover open-plan living; with high ceilings, large windows, sliding doors and decked verandas that provide unspoiled views out across the Deep Lake and beyond, without another person to be seen for miles. Within the 8,364-square-foot indoor living areas, you will find a total of five bedrooms, six full bathrooms and three half bathrooms.
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Luxury interiors
This spacious hallway welcomes you inside, beckoning you towards the expansive winding staircase. Walk up those stairs and you'll find the second and third floors with separate hallways to a master suite and the bathroom-connected 'Jack and Jill' suite. Luxury flooring reigns throughout, in walnut, marble and tile.
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Light and airy space
Across the main floor, you'll find the open-plan living areas, illuminated via large windows, recessed spot lighting and chandeliers. This light and airy space connects the family, dining and kitchen areas to the outdoors via sliding doors.
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State of the art appliances
In the kitchen, you will find many high-end appliances, including a Sub Zero refrigerator, a six-burner Thermador range/griddle, a Thermador dishwasher, a Miele built-in coffee system, a KitchenAid built-in microwave, custom cabinetry and quartz countertops. Conveniently, a Whirlpool washer and dryer can also be found on every level.
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Wood-panelled home office
With tree-framed views out over the veranda, the wood-panelled private office provides a cosy space to hash out a plan for when the apocalypse hits.
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Porch with stunning lake views
The main decked porch boasts dramatic views out across the private lake, providing extra living space to sit and admire the sunset across the entire acreage.
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Lower-level living area
You'll be pleased to learn that the entire lower level features in-floor heating and multiple fireplaces, perfect for chilly winter nights fending off an inevitable apocalyptic snowstorm. You’ll also discover a kitchenette complete with refrigerated drawers, ice maker, and wet bar, should the world be consumed by firestorms instead.
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Fifth bedroom suite
The fifth bedroom suite lies on the lower level, with a large double bed that faces out towards surrounding greenery, with an ensuite bathroom to your right.
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Spa with sauna
On this level you'll also find a large recreational/living space, featuring a mirrored workout room and a yoga room, to keep your fitness levels up during any fallout-related lockdown. The spa hosts infrared, steam and dry saunas, a hot tub built by Endless Pools, a heated towel rack and even a laundry room.
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Home cinema
For those lonely nights spent facing the impending end of the world, this home cinema room comes kitted out with a wall-mounted projector, multi-level seating and luxury recliners with drinks holders in the arms. Now, let’s check out the second floor…
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Second-floor veranda
There you'll discover sliding door access to the sweeping composite decking, affording glorious views out over the nine-acre Deep Lake.
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A private lake
Deep Lake lives up to its name, at 30 feet in depth. The expansive, privately owned body of water is stocked with bluegill, bass, perch, crappie and bait fish.
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Second-floor master suite
The master bedroom suite has beautiful hardwood floors and a statement four-poster bed, as well as large walk-in wardrobes fitted with a wealth of built-in cabinetry and offering plenty of storage options. It also hosts its own bathroom suite.
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Twin bathrooms
The master bathroom is awash with marble and mirrors, all lit by a chandelier. Here you can enjoy a full-sized, jetted soaking bath tub, laundry room and matching twin bathroom and shower rooms, avoiding any arguments between partners.
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Multiple walk-in wardrobes
The entirety of the third floor is currently utilised as one large walk-in wardrobe. But if that wasn’t quite enough space for your hazmat suits and designer threads, there's another, remarkably neat and tidy walk-in wardrobe on the second floor, complete with a window seat for some much-needed reflection time.
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Plentiful parking space
You won’t find yourself short of parking space at 22072 Pine Lake Road, with four uncovered spaces and four garages. Technically, since it’s private land and there are 323 acres available, you could also park a helicopter or two, if you needed to.
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20-person steel bunker
Painted in camouflage and concealed beneath six inches of steel, this huge bunker hides in plain sight within the compound. The 5,000-square-foot underground shelter has an air purification system, solar-power and is connected to running water and electricity, so inhabitants can survive doomsday for months.
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Bunker grow room
This interior grow room can sustain a group of up to 20 doomsday preppers, complete with overhead lightboxes to cultivate fresh produce for self-sufficiency should it become impossible to go outside.
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Two shelter kitchens
Constructed and installed by Rising S Bunkers from Texas, the shelter has not one but two fully functioning kitchens, where you could cook up a post-apocalyptic feast from all the grow-room produce you’ve lovingly cultivated.
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Underground shooting range
The solar-powered steel bunker even comes with a shooting range, presumably to prep for impending attacks by zombies, or simply to practice your aim and dispel some inevitable cabin fever.
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Guest House on the grounds
You may not realise this, but the compound comes with three extra homes. Here we have the Guest House, located at 10257 Crase Road. Originally built in 1971, this single storey 962-square-foot house was remodelled in 2017 and features natural gas, air conditioning, a backup generator and a surveillance system for the surrounding grounds.
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Cottage on the lake
Next up we have the lake house, located near the northeast corner of the property. This lakeside cottage had been home to the caretaker in the past, and is one of the more private houses with direct access to the lake. Here you’ll find three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a large pole barn to the rear for storing equipment.
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Stunning Stonehouse
Originally built in 1925, the three-bedroom Stonehouse was refurbished in 1990 and has its own basement. The charming stone exterior surrounds 1,344 square feet of interior space, and was a rental property in the past.
CLICK ON to see more incredible real bunkers for serving an apocalypse in the lap of luxury...
READ MORE: The luxury bunkers of the super-rich
The demand for luxury shelters has grown rapidly in recent years, with the mega-rich investing in swish bunkers to survive a zombie apocalypse or wait out a nuclear war in style. Packed with everything from swimming pools to golf courses and movie theatres, click or scroll through the planet's most luxurious subterranean shelters.
The Oppidum, Czech Republic
Billed as 'the largest billionaire bunker in the world', the Oppidum is located in the Czech countryside. Sprawling over 323,000 square feet, the complex consists of an above-ground level with a golf course, helipad and automatic defence technology, and a cavernous underground shelter.
The Oppidum, Czech Republic
The Czech government teamed up with the Soviets in 1984 at the height of the Cold War to build the super-secure bunker that can withstand everything from a nuclear attack to a natural disaster, whilst keeping its occupants safe and in the style to which they are accustomed for up for 10 years.
The Oppidum, Czech Republic
Real estate entrepreneur Jakub Zamrazil acquired the bunker in 2013 and has set about transforming it into one of the world's most luxurious subterranean shelters. The underground complex features a large 6,750-square-foot master apartment, seven 1,720-square-foot suites and plenty of premium facilities and amenities.
The Oppidum, Czech Republic
Living spaces in the Oppidum rival the world's finest five-star hotel suites with high-end furnishings and cutting-edge entertainment facilities. Best of all, the living rooms and bedrooms feature virtual window panels that give the illusion of being in the outside world.
The Oppidum, Czech Republic
There's no roughing it in communal bathrooms here as each apartment within the complex has an ensuite luxury bathroom, complete with whirlpool bath, rainfall shower and double sinks.
The Oppidum, Czech Republic
If the occupants find themselves yearning for greenery, they can relax in the subterranean garden, which features simulated natural light to mimic a sunny day above ground. Residents can also take a leisurely dip in the adjacent swimming pool or relax in the treatment spa.
The Oppidum, Czech Republic
Keeping fit and maintaining muscle tone shouldn't be a problem in the Oppidum. The on-site gym is jam-packed with decent workout equipment, from treadmills and elliptical trainers to exercise bikes and chest press machines.
The Oppidum, Czech Republic
If the occupants are in the mood to party, they can hit the facility's ultra-sophisticated bar or nightclub. The complex also boasts a movie theatre, billiards room and an extensive library to keep its residents entertained.
The Oppidum, Czech Republic
Luckily, the Oppidum should never run out of booze as it has a generous climate-controlled wine cellar with space for thousands of bottles. In fact, the complex has heaps of storage space, enough for 10 years' worth of food and drink.
The Oppidum, Czech Republic
There's also a conference and communications room, hospital and dental surgery within the facility. While Zamrazil remains tight-lipped as to who's looking to buy it, it is thought the Oppidum was bought by a single billionaire for an undisclosed price to house family, close friends and staff in the event of a major global catastrophe.
Vivos Europa One, Germany
Dubbed 'the world's ultimate Doomsday escape', Vivos Europa One in Rothenstein, Germany is the brainchild of Vivos CEO Robert Vicino, who has built multiple bunkers across the globe, including Vivos xPoint, which is a more affordable option.
Vivos Europa One, Germany
Like the Oppidum, the $1.1 billion (£880m) Vivos Europa One is a converted former Cold War bunker. Carved out of solid bedrock, the underground shelter is embedded deep within a limestone mountain and can survive a close-range nuclear explosion, a direct airline crash, severe flooding and earthquakes, as well as biological and chemical attacks.
Vivos Europa One, Germany
Still under construction, the elite 227,904-square-foot bunker is invitation-only and each privileged invitee is allocated up to 5,000 square feet of living space. As you might expect, at around $5 million (£4m) a pop, these luxe living 'chambers' don't come cheap.
Vivos Europa One, Germany
Future residents are free to customise their living space. The chambers will nod to high-end yacht design and feature lots of marble, polished wood finishes and leather upholstery, and buyers can opt for extravagant home design extras such as private swimming pools, movie theatres and gyms.
Vivos Europa One, Germany
Bedrooms will be sumptuous and wonderfully comfy, with quality king-size beds, fine wood cabinetry and calming mood lighting, plus the sleeping areas will feature the latest technology, from 4K TVs to smart automation.
Vivos Europa One, Germany
Invitees can even opt for a massive aquarium in their bedroom space, filled with stunning tropical fish. Each chamber will also feature deluxe ensuite bathrooms and wetrooms, as well as a gourmet kitchen.
Vivos Europa One, Germany
Although residents can have a private pool installed in their personal chamber, they'll also get to swim in the sizeable community pool. The pool area leads out into an underground nature garden lit by simulated sunshine.
Vivos Europa One, Germany
Perfect for binge-watching films or TV shows from the pre-apocalyptic days, the Vivos Europa One movie theatre will provide residents with a mind-bogglingly massive library of content, from romcoms to cookery shows. The complex will also house a bar with a micro-brewery.
Vivos Europa One, Germany
A sort of Noah's Ark, Vivos Europa One will have its very own zoo, with a specially selected collection of animals to safeguard their survival should a mass extinction event occur. Besides the zoo, the complex will include a mini museum and artefacts room, as well as a DNA and seed vault.
Survival Condo, USA
Across the pond, the Survival Condo Project has refurbished a former Atlas F nuclear missile silo in rural Kansas and converted the 20,000-square-foot space into luxury subterranean condos and communal areas. The condos start at $1.5 million (£1.2m) for a 920-square-foot space stretching half a floor and go up to $4.5 million (£3.6m) for a 3,600-square-foot penthouse.
Survival Condo, USA
Extremely tough, the silo is protected by two armoured doors weighing eight tonnes each and walls up to nine feet thick, which can withstand a direct nuclear hit, severe flooding, extreme tornado wind speeds, and pretty much anything else humankind or nature can throw at them.
Survival Condo, USA
The underground complex contains all the necessary facilities to keep its occupants safe for up to five years. For instance, a hydroponic farm provides fresh fruit and vegetables, and residents will be able to raise fish in aquaculture tanks.
Survival Condo, USA
Each condo is fully furnished and the interiors have been created by top designers. Conceived with relaxation and entertainment in mind, the apartments are kitted out with massage chairs, 50-inch LED TVs and virtual windows.
Survival Condo, USA
A dedicated library will eventually stock thousands of books that residents can read at their leisure. The complex also houses a classroom for children in the bunker and adults who want to further their education.
Survival Condo, USA
Foodies are well catered to in this survival complex. All condos feature fully equipped kitchens with Kohler sinks and taps, and high-end stainless steel appliances – ideal for cooking the veg and fish from the on-site hydroponic and aquaculture farms.
Survival Condo, USA
The condo bedrooms are generously apportioned and super-snug. A virtual LED window simulates the great outdoors and residents can choose the scene they want to see, depending on their mood.
Survival Condo, USA
Like the Oppidum, the Survival Condo has a large swimming pool deep underground. The tropical-themed space has real palm trees, waterfalls and a fun slide.
Survival Condo, USA
There's even a climbing wall if residents are feeling extra-energetic. For those who aren't keen on rock climbing, an on-site gym is available should they want to pump some iron or run on a treadmill.
Survival Condo, USA
While the Survival Condo lacks a bar or nightclub, it does house a roomy movie theatre. Handy for canine-loving billionaires who don't want to leave their pooches behind, the complex also boasts its very own dog park.
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