Posh Pad 5: Elena Franchuk's Victorian Villa

Elena Franchuk, a businesswoman and HIV/AIDS philanthropist from Ukraine, is reported to be the undisclosed buyer who purchased a newly upgraded home in southwest London for 80 million pounds (approximately $161 million). The home is a freestanding, five-story, 10-bedroom Victorian villa, and has recently undergone 10 million pounds (approximately $20 million) of upgrades, including the additions of an underground indoor swimming pool, movie theater, panic room, sauna and gym [source: Daily Mail]. 

Mary Knox Merrill/The Christian Science Monitor via Getty Images
London's Kensington district, where the Franchuk villa
is located.

The home served as a girl's prep school until 1997. In 2006, it was purchased by developers for 20 million pounds. The company put in the 10 million pounds of upgrades and reputedly sold it to Franchuk for 80 million pounds. The selling price breaks the former English record for home sales of 67 million pounds (approximately $135 million) [source: Evening Standard].

If you've seen "The Godfather," you're already familiar with the next house.