- Many tech moguls have modest beginnings, developing their businesses in garages and sleeping at their offices. But don't be fooled: Many of tech's billionaires now have million-dollar homes and private islands.
- Oracle founder Larry Ellison bought 98% of an island in Hawaii for $600 million, while Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg has a habit of buying up properties surrounding his homes for maximum privacy.
- Some CEOs, however, have stuck to their roots: Apple's Tim Cook lives in a relatively modest 2,400-square-foot home in Palo Alto, California.
- Here's a look at the mansions and estates of tech's elite.
Nearly a fifth of the world's 100 richest billionaires made their fortune in tech. And although some of their success stories start off modestly (and most likely in a garage), many tech moguls are taking their millions and splurging on real estate.
For instance, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Microsoft's Bill Gates live less than a mile from each other in the waterfront city of Medina, Washington, and own two of the country's most expensive estates.
Los Angeles is also another popular spot for tech moguls: Snap CEO Evan Spiegel and his wife, Miranda Kerr, bought their Brentwood home overlooking the city for $12 million, while Elon Musk's Bel Air abode boasts seven bedrooms, a giant screening room, and a tennis court.
Here's a look at some of the homes of the tech industry's elite:
Just outside of Seattle is the waterfront mansion of Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon. In the front, there's not much to see, with the gate and tall hedges blocking the view.
Bezos and his family, which is the richest in the world, live in the tiny city of Medina, Washington, located just outside of Seattle. The sleepy town has long been a haven for tech bigwigs in the area, including Bill Gates and other Microsoft elites.
Source: Business Insider, Business Insider
Bezos in 1998 paid $10 million for the estate, which spans 5.3 acres and includes a 20,000-square-foot house, plus a second 8,300-square-foot dwelling.
The property then underwent a $28 million renovation in 2010, around which time Bezos bought the neighboring 24,000-square-foot house, which was rumored to have sold for at least $53 million.
Source: Puget Sound Business Journal
The Amazon leader's estate is a big change from where he started the company: in the garage of his home in Bellevue, Washington, near Seattle seen here in 2013.
But Bezos' Medina home is not the only property he owns, because, well, he is the richest man in the world.
Bezos also owns properties in Beverly Hills, California; a ranch in Van Horn, Texas; a former textile museum in Washington, DC; and three condos in a historic Manhattan, New York, building overlooking Central Park.
Source: Business Insider
See the rest of the story at Business Insider