Bill Gates says he will never downsize from his mega-mansion with 24 bathrooms despite being a single empty-nester
Bill Gates may have more money than he could ever spend, but there’s one thing he’s not willing to let go of: his sprawling Lake Washington estate, Xanadu 2.0.Despite being single and an empty-nester, the Microsoft co-founder, 69, has no plans to downsize from his massive 66,000-square-foot compound, which he originally purchased in 1988 for a mere $2 million.It’s now worth upwards of $130 million.“My house in Seattle, I admit, is gigantic,” Gates, who long held the title of the world’s richest person, told The UK Times.“My sisters have downsized.
I can’t.I like the houses I have.”“My kids like to come back — that is a luxury.
I don’t cook, I don’t make my own bed, but I don’t mind if no one has made it — I wouldn’t notice.”Xanadu 2.0 — which he named as an ode to the 1941 film “Citizen Kane” — is the epitome of billionaire luxury, featuring six kitchens, 24 bathrooms, an indoor trampoline room, a private library and a swimming pool equipped with an underwater music system.It took Gates seven years and $63 million in renovations to craft the estate to his exact specifications, making it more of a personal retreat than just a home.The mansion has been a key part of Gates’ life for decades, despite his ex-wife Melinda once calling it “a bachelor’s dream and a bride’s nightmare.”She even admitted in a 2008 interview that she had second thoughts about moving in.But for Gates, the house is more than just bricks and mortar — it’s an investment that has skyrocketed in value over the years.And he’s not alone in his attachment to real estate.Billionaire investor Warren Buffett has held onto his Omaha home for over 65 years.
Bought in 1958 for just $31,500, the five-bedroom house is now worth around $1.4 million.Despite its modest size compared to Gates’ tech-fueled palace, Buffett insists he wouldn’t trade it for anything.“All things considered, the third best investment I ever made was the purchase of my ho...