Here’s Where the Trump Family Is Shopping for Homes Right Now—and Why

By Jennifer Kelly Geddes
Jan 21, 2021

Donald and Melania Trump have officially left the White House. So where will they live next?  And what about family members who have followed the former president to Washington, DC?

Apparently, the Trump clan is moving en masse to Florida.

Reports have circulated that Trump is looking to buy property in Palm Beach to augment his private country club estate, Mar-A-Lago.

Meanwhile, his eldest son, Donald Trump, Jr. has reportedly bought a house in Jupiter, while his newly engaged younger daughter, Tiffany Trump, is checking out properties in Miami.

Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, have already purchased a plot of land on Florida’s Indian Creek Island.

So why are so many Trumps looking to live in the Sunshine State?

“Florida has no state income tax, which has huge appeal,” says Cara Ameer, a bicoastal real estate agent in Florida and California with Coldwell Banker.

“Florida is a natural fit for the Trumps, as Donald has long-standing roots with his private club and other golf and resort properties.”

Another potential draw for Trump? Florida leans conservative, with 51% of residents voting for Trump in the 2020 election (he also took Florida in 2016, with over 48% of the vote).

Why the Trumps are moving to Florida

The Trump tribe isn’t alone in flocking to this sunny climate. In fact, according to data from the US Census Bureau, from July 2019 to July 2020, Florida added the second highest number of people, after Texas, increasing its population by 241,256.

“Obviously, taxes have been the driving force behind the most recent migrations to Florida,” says Jennifer Lenz, a real estate agent at Dolly Lenz Real Estate.

The sun is almost as important, she adds, explaining, “Weather-weary northerners are lured by endless sunshine and year-round access to golf, boating, and beaches.”

Adds Ameer: “It’s quite possible the Trumps will spend most of the year in Florida, and then retreat to cooler states in the summer. Don Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle already have a Hamptons home.”

Let’s take a closer look at where the Trump family is buying—or in some cases, shopping to buy—and what their new post-White House digs may be like.

Donald and Melania Trump: Palm Beach

New construction and water access, too

(realtor.com)

Recent reports have indicated that the former president and his wife are not only checking out estates in Palm Beach, but poking around private school options in the area for their teenage son, Barron.

Why not just settle down at Mar-A-Lago? Turns out they can’t live there full time. According to an agreement Donald inked in 1993, Mar-A-Lago is to be used solely as a social club, not a residence. That said, they will remain there until they find alternate new digs.

As for exactly where they may land, that remains to be seen.

“South Ocean Boulevard, which is dubbed Billionaires’ Row, would be the most fitting place for the couple,” says Dolly Lenz of the eponymous real estate firm in New York City.

As on New York’s Fifth Avenue, properties here regularly sell for more than $100 million.

Deep pockets are required to reside in Palm Beach, which has a median list price of $1.79 million. The above photo fits the presidential bill, as it sits squarely on Billionaires’ Row and is available for $56.5 million. It comes with six bedrooms, a dock, deeded beach access, and a gorgeous pool overlooking the waterway.

If the Trumps truly want to splurge, there’s another option.

“If they’re feeling nostalgic, they could purchase a new spec home that just hit the market for $140 million, built on land formerly owned by President Trump,” Lenz continues.

The 2.25-acre plot of land under this house was once part of a larger parcel that Trump sold in 2008 for $95 million.

If it’s sold at the list price, she adds, “[This house] would become one of the highest sales ever in the state.”

Wherever the Trumps settle down, an entourage of home security will no doubt descend on the area to keep this former first couple safe—which might not sit so well with the neighbors.

“Lifetime protection from the Secret Service will be an omnipresent force, which is a turn-off in a tony neighborhood,” Lenz says.

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner: Indian Creek Island

Ivanka and Jared have purchased Lot No. 4.

(realtor.com)

In December, Donald Trump’s elder daughter shelled out more than $30 million for just under 2 acres on Indian Creek Island, which also goes by the name “Billionaires’ Bunker.” This tony spot is just 65 miles south of Palm Beach, which means that trips to see Donald and Melania will be a breeze.

Since it will take many months—or years—to build their dream mansion on this land, the former first daughter and her husband recently signed a lease to rent a condo at Arte—a pyramid-shaped building in the Surfside neighborhood of Miami.

This 16-unit building sports a heated indoor pool, private rooftop tennis court, and 24-hour security—although additional protection will be hired as well.

Indian Creek Island is already the home of many other boldfaced names, including the star quarterback Tom Brady and his supermodel wife, Gisele Bündchen, and the billionaire Carl Icahn.

“Security is tight in this premier community; you can’t just get out of your car and take pictures,” Ameer says.

The bottom line? People move to this island in order to avoid being part of the scene, which suggests that after a crazy four years in the limelight, this couple simply wants to be left alone.

Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle: Jupiter

The waters off Hobe Sound on Jupiter Island are pristine.

(realtor.com)

According to the New York Post, Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle concentrated their home-shopping efforts in Jupiter, and inked a deal to purchase a $9 million waterfront property in Admirals Cove.

The area, especially Jupiter Island, is an ultra-wealthy enclave with lovely homes on the water. It’s where Don Jr.’s ex-wife, Vanessa, and their five kids live. Jupiter is even closer to Palm Beach than Indian Creek Island—just 23 miles.

“Jupiter is a boater’s dream,” says Ameer. “So I could see this couple focusing their search on sprawling waterfront estates and buying a yacht, which is a must-have to hobnob up and down the Intracoastal Waterway and see nearby family members.”

Jupiter’s median list price isn’t stratospheric like Palm Beach, but at $512,000, it’s still a fancy place to drop one’s bags. One property on more than 8 acres might appeal to Don Jr. and Guilfoyle, since it features 17 bedrooms and 22 (!) bathrooms and is listed for $41.5 million.

Jupiter is already a high-profile community, thanks to the huge number of living sports legends who reside in the area (Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, and Michael Jordan, to name just a few).

Tiffany Trump: South Beach, Miami

A Miami Beach pad with a jaw-dropping view

(realtor.com)

Tiffany Trump won’t be left behind by her family’s rush to Florida. According to The Post, she’s reportedly shopping for a property in the Miami area.

Fresh out of law school and newly engaged, this 27-year-old apparently already lives in South Beach at the posh Setai Hotel, and has reportedly been checking out homes along Miami Beach, the city’s most famous strip of sand.

Unlike her older family members, who crave privacy and gated communities, Tiffany is expected to choose a well-appointed pad in a large luxury building.

“I think a building with good security and top-of-the-line amenities in the Miami Beach or South of Fifth areas would be perfect for her, as these areas have the most luxurious condos in all of South Florida,” says Ameer.

One to try: This Miami Beach penthouse condo is available for $16.5 million and has three bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms on 6,000 square feet. Oh—plus 8,000 additional square feet on the rooftop terrace with a private plunge pool (#nottooshabby).