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The view from one of Robert's pads via Neal Ward Realtor

Today we share some real estate porn via Tiburon, California speculator and writer Thom Calandra's Facebook page.

Surely there's a tech founder in the Bay Area who wants to own this truly spectacular $49 million pad that belongs to mining tycoon Robert Friedland, Executive Chairman of Ivanhoe Mines - TSX:IVN (I own shares).

Mr. Friedland long ago diversified out of natural resources and into luxury real estate, a theme I wrote about last week (here). Last year, Friedland sold his Penthouse Apartment in Vancouver's Pacific Rim Hotel to a member of the Dubai Royal Family for $25 million. Friedland never slept in that apartment, preferring to stay in a hotel nearby while in Vancouver so as to keep the unit's "never lived in" appeal. Mr. Friedland also owns homes in Beijing, Singapore, and is constructing luxury hotels in Thailand and Japan, to complement the Amalfi Coast Hotel he purchased a couple of years ago.

So despite the fact that Friedland's share price is near an all time low, don't think for a second he's hurting.

More info: Neal Ward Properties