In 2005, Céline Dion bought a Florida beach house for $12 million and rebuilt it into a $72.5 million mansion with a private water park; years later, she sold it for $38.5 million

Real estate is often hailed as one of the most reliable ways to build wealth, and there are plenty of examples to support that theory. However, it does not always work out that way. French-Canadian singer and performer Céline Dion learned that firsthand after building a sprawling 5.5-acre, 17,000-square-foot mansion with a private water park in Florida.

Dion listed the lavish property for $72.5 million in 2013. However, the mansion remained on the market for years. After several price reductions, it was eventually sold for $38.5 million — almost half of its original asking price.