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Homes of Titans Who Rule the Tech World
March 23rd, 2011 10:45 AM

Homes of Titans Who Rule the Tech World

By: Lauren Riefflin, PR/Marketing Coordinator | November 3, 2010

After learning of Steve Jobs’ soon-to-be demolished historic home, and Mark Zuckerberg’s life as a month-to-month renter, we decided to see what other types of real estate today’s tech titans like to call home. Here’s where some of the biggest (and richest) tech-industry moguls take a break from their web-ruled world.

Flickr photo: TikTik

Bill Gates, Microsoft
Medina, WA (above)

Most widely known as chairman and co-founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates is the richest person in America and the 2nd richest in the world. With a net worth of over $54 billion, it is safe to say that Mr. Gates can live absolutely anywhere he pleases. And, out of that “anywhere,” he resides in a 66,000-sq ft, 8-bedroom, 25-bathroom compound near Seattle in Medina, WA.  Gates’ 5-acre estate sits on the edge of Lake Washington and includes both a family and guest wing, 6 kitchens, a 60-foot swimming pool, domed library, 1,000-sq ft dining hall and is said to be chock full of tech-savvy amenities (i.e., secret bookcases and underwater music system). The home’s Zestimate® value is currently over $145,000,000.

Steve Jobs, Apple, Inc.
Palo Alto, CA (above)

The face of Apple, Steve Jobs, joins his fellow CEO cohorts in the Northern California residential district.  One of the original co-founders of Apple, Jobs worked as the Pixar CEO for several years before returning to the Apple executive team in 1996.  So where does the mind behind the iMac, iPod and iPhone take a break from his iLife? Tucked away on a Palo Alto corner of Waverly St, Jobs enjoys family time in his 1930s Tudor-style home (source: paloaltoonline). The 5,768-sq ft house sits on over a half acre and boasts 7 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms. Jobs is also homeowner to an historic, Spanish colonial home in Woodside, CA. Originally built in the 1929 for copper mining mogul Daniel Jackling, public record shows that Jobs first purchased the house in 1984. Since 2001, however, Jobs has been fighting preservationists in an attempt to tear down and replace the  30-room mansion (see fascinating photo gallery here) with a more modern home. According to Apple Insider, the appeal to his demolition permit was finally removed in August 2010.

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook
Palo Alto, CA (above)

One of the youngest members of Forbes’ Richest Americans is Facebook co-founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. The 26-year old Harvard dropout has an estimated net worth upwards of $6.9 billion and, joining other tech-CEOs like Steve Jobs and Larry Page, Zuckerberg lives in the pricey area of Palo Alto, CA, adjacent to YouTube co-founder Jawed Karim. Despite the billionaire status Zuckerberg shares with his tycoon neighbors, one factor he doesn’t have in common is a giant mortgage payment.  As previously reported by Zillow, Zuckerberg let Oprah’s camera crew into his home revealing a happy (and humble) lifestyle as a month-to-month renter just a few blocks away from his office at Facebook Headquarters.

Michael Dell, Dell Inc.
Austin, TX (above)

Dell Inc., is the  second-largest PC manufacturing company in the world. While the company sits just behind Hewlett-Packard, the founder, chairman and CEO of Dell Inc., Michael Dell, takes the cake when it comes to homes, living in perhaps the most expensive residence ever built in the state of Texas. Nicknamed “the castle,” this 33,000-sq ft mansion sits on over 20 acres and includes 8 bedrooms, 8 full bathrooms, 13 half bathrooms, a restaurant-quality kitchen, conference room and indoor and outdoor swimming pools. The billionaire (estimated net worth of $13.5 billion) enjoys this expansive property with his wife, Susan, and four children.

Mark Cuban, Broadcast.com
Preston Hollow, TX (above)

Broadcast.com co-founder, Mark Cuban, made his billions when he sold the Web radio company to Yahoo! in 1999 for $5.9 billion. As the owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, Cuban makes his primary residence in Dallas, living in one of the most expensive properties in Dallas County. The 24,000-ft mansion is located in Preston Hollow, TX, and is filled with 10 bedrooms, 13 bathrooms and more than enough room for wife, Tiffany, and their three children.

Evan Williams, Twitter
San Francisco, CA (above)

Founder to several Internet companies, Evan Williams is most notably known as CEO of Twitter — a position he stepped down from in October 2010. Also, as Twitter’s co-founder, Williams’ most recent real estate move was from a SoMa penthouse to a Noe Valley property in San Francisco (pictured above). Purchased for 2.4 million, the modern Victorian home spreads over 3,000 sq ft and has 5 bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms, fenced yard and charming guest house.


Lawrence “Larry” Ellison, Oracle
Woodside, CA (above)

Oracle founder and CEO, Larry Ellison, started the computer tech company in 1977. Ellison racks up an approximate $1.84 billion salary, placing him at the top of The Wall Street Journal’s list of best-paid CEOs.  In addition to making sizable charitable donations, Ellison shows no shame in spending his self-made millions on personal items. His prized possessions include a private yacht, private jet, numerous exotic cars and a Woodside, CA estate, inspired by ancient Japanese architecture (pictured above). Ellison’s unique property spreads over 23 acres, includes a 7,800-sq ft main house, 9 other buildings and sits on a 2.3-acre, man-made lake.  Before constructing the custom compound, Ellison sifted through a 5,000-sq ft Manhattan penthouse, 8,000-sq ft Atherton mansion, and spent over $180,000,000 on 12 properties in Malibu. His most recent real estate investment includes a $10.5-million splurge in January 2010 on the historic Astor’s Beechwood Mansion in Newport, RI. Ellison’s Woodside, CA property remains as the software tycoon’s main residence.

James “Jim” Clark, Netscape
Miami Beach, FL (above)

Founded in the early 90s, Jim Clark and Worldwide Web browser creator Marc Andreessen, founded computer services company, Netscape Communications. Though he made his millions in the Silicon Valley scene, Clark has since married Australian model, Kristy Hinze (36 years his junior) and spent his most recent years in 6,200-sq ft penthouse at the Setai building in Miami Beach, Florida. The Thai-inspired home has 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and floor-to-ceilings windows and a rooftop terrace.  For those looking to swoop up the digs of this CEO, you’re in luck. Mr. Clark’s luxurious pad is on the market for $27 million.

Eric Schmidt, Google
Atherton, CA (above)

Recently in the news explaining blunt statements about the company’s “Street View” tool, Google CEO and former Apple, Inc. board member, Eric Schmidt, enjoys his non-Google time with his family in the affluent neighborhood of Atherton, CA. Located on a large, private lot, Schmidt’s home is valued around $3.7 million and has approximately 4,840 sq ft with 5 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms (source: valleywag). VirtualGlobetrotting also reports that Schmidt purchased a $20,000,000 Montecito, CA property from Hollywood couple Ellen Degeneres and Portia Di Rossi in 2007.

Meg Whitman, eBay
Atherton, CA (above)

Not too far from Schmidt lives former eBay CEO, Meg Whitman who recently lost the race for California governor to Jerry Brown. Once named one of Fortune’s top 5 most powerful women, Whitman has since retired from the boards of eBay, Procter & Gamble and DreamWorks, all in preparation for the governor’s race, which she lost to Jerry Brown. Public records show that Whitman’s home contains 3,700-sq ft and is located in Atherton, CA. With an estimated net worth of over $1 billion, one can assume this isn’t the priciest pad Whitman could afford.

http://www.zillow.com/blog/homes-of-titans-who-rule-the-tech-world/2010/11/03/


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Posted by Jennifer Stepanek on March 23rd, 2011 10:45 AMPost a Comment

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