You don't have to go all the way to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. for the White House experience. Just take a trip to Dallas, where, for $15 million, you can purchase your very own 16,041-square-foot estate your guests may mistake for the real thing -- if it weren't so darn hot outside.
"It's a beautiful piece of property," says listing agent Joan Eleazer of The Eleazer Group. Located on "the premier street in Preston Hollow" -- a high-falutin' neighborhood that is home to superstar residents such as Mark Cuban, George W. Bush (who is, we're sure, a wee bit jealous), and British singer George Michael -- the mansion is surrounded by glamour and elegance in all directions. In fact, Eleazer says, "Some homes are even larger than this."
But in terms of dcor and design, it's hard to trump this presidential replica. The owners traveled through Europe to find the perfect finishes and details, from sconces to antique fireplaces, for their luxurious home.
"They totally rebuilt and reconfigured the house," says Eleazer. They updated the exterior, swapping its red brick for a white stucco limestone, which "very much does resemble" the White House.
If our current president decides to retire to Texas -- an enormous if, to be sure -- he'd feel right at home in this refined estate, entertaining diplomats and heads of state in the dining room with its 18th-century Louis XIV fireplace, decanting centuries-old bottles of wine stored in the antique brick cellar.
For informal talks, guests can step outside for a quick game of tennis or a moonlit stroll along the 3.3-acre lot's manicured gardens. Don't worry about someone spotting you on your walk: Eight-foot walls surround the grounds.
Prefer your entertaining a little less serious? Take the elevator to the second level, which features an opulent 19th century-inspired theater room with seating for 24 of your closest friends and dignitaries. Plop into the plush seats that come with a holder for your drink, which can be mixed at the nearby bar.
"It's really like a true theater," says Eleazer.
Once your guests leave, you can relax in the master suite, where the paneled walls and oak fireplace will make you feel like French royalty. His-and-her closets? Please. You'll find his-and-her bathrooms, with an antique marble fireplace and double Jacuzzi for the lady and Versailles-inspired marble flooring and a custom mahogany shoe closet for the sir, giving each spouse "a little retreat of their own," says Eleazer.