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26.04.2021 23:56:19
The mansion, known as ‘Xanadu 2.0’, was originally bought in 1988 for $2million.
See full version: Bill; Melinda Gates ‘lived in separate wings of $130m Washington mansion for past five years’, says ex-employee
The mansion, known as ‘Xanadu 2.0’, was originally bought in 1988 for $2million.
“There was an affair almost 20 years ago which ended amicably,” a spokeswoman for Gates told the Journal, adding that his departure from the board was not related to the relationship. [links]
Board members are said to have carried out an investigation into the billionaire’s romantic relationship with a Microsoft engineer in late 2019 after she claimed in a letter she had a sexual relationship with Gates for a number of years. [links]
The most expensive home in Medina is assessed by the King County Assessors office as being worth $131,239,000, Ketter tells CNBC Make It. This home — presumably Gates "Xanadu 2.0," which has 24 bathrooms and a trampoline room — has a $1,040,627 total property tax in 2019. Of that, $83,318 will go to the City of Medina. more
Of that, only Westneat continued: "I hear some really important people live in Medina. Maybe now that it's their town that's said to be in 'dire straits,' these questions will finally get some traction.".63486 goes to the city of Medina, Ketter says. (Another $2.42782 goes to local schools, The property tax rate in Washington state is set as a rate, not a percentage, Medina's director of finance Julie Ketter tells CNBC Make It. For Medina, the property tax rate is $7.92925 per $1,000 of assessed value..12266 goes to the port, $1.21906 goes to the county, But comparatively, the majority of the homes in Medina are not as expensive: The median value of a home in Medina is just over $2 million, Ketter says..37441 goes to the library, "You may find it hard to imagine that the City doesn't have enough income to sustain current service levels, particularly in this economy. While property values continue to rise, the City's tax revenues don't rise in tandem," reads a June 2019 Medina city newsletter..21762 goes to emergency medical services, The problem is, even though Medina home values are increasing, the city's income is not rising at the same speed, the city says..09660 goes to a flood fund, "We're on an unsustainable path," the newsletter says..20700 goes to regional transit and $2.62992 goes to the state school fund.) more
Therefore, in 2019, Medina will bring in only $2.8 million in property taxes, the City says. A 1% increase of that is an additional $28,000, which is not enough to cover rising expenses. "Fire services alone increased by nearly double that amount in 2019," the newsletter reads.
Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates are the richest people in the world, worth $119 billion and $107 billion respectively, according to Bloomberg. more
The Gateses’ mansion, called Xanadu 2.0, is a stately pleasure-dome indeed. The sprawling 66,000 square-foot complex sits on Lake Washington in the Seattle area, in the same pampered neighborhood as the home of fellow uber-rich person Jeff Bezos. It’s estimated to be worth more than $130 million.
Bill began construction on the property before the couple met. Melinda wasn’t thrilled with it at first. “If I do move in,” she recalled telling Bill in a 2008 interview with Fortune magazine, “it’s going to be like I want it to be — our house where we have our family life.”
The couple have kept details about the home private, but visitors’ accounts and media reports over the years have given the world a glimpse of what it’s like inside the home of some of the wealthiest people on the planet. more
The sand at the beach by the lake was reportedly brought in from Hawaii, according to an intern who viewed the home in 2007. Microsoft published the intern’s report about visiting the estate for a barbecue. “The whole house is built out of this beautiful orangey wood,” they wrote. “The landscaping is just insane.” here
In April 2020, the Gates paid $43 million for beach house in the town of Del Mar, near San Diego. The 5,800 square foot home has six bedrooms and four bathrooms. It is a city landmark and has 120 feet of private ocean frontage. One of the most impressive amenities is the Jacuzzi, which has enough room for ten people at once. The property has a firepit near the Jacuzzi as well as an ocean-facing deck and a swimming pool. here
Wellington, Florida here
Bill and Melinda own a $59 million ranch in Wellington, Florida. Wellington is an equestrian community in South Florida, where the International Polo Club can be found. Daughter Jennifer Gates is an accomplished equestrian, so it makes sense that the family would own a home in Wellington. here
Part of that fortune includes incredible mansions in Washington, California, Florida, and Wyoming. None of them are small or cheap, as is to be expected when you're one of the richest people in the world. The least expensive of the Gates family mansions is their $9 million Wyoming spread. The most expensive is their main residence on Lake Washington in Medina, Washington which is valued at a minimum $150 million. Washington is a community property state where assets built during a marriage are typically split 50/50. Bill and Melinda bought or built all their homes after their 1994 marriage, so neither can claim complete ownership of any piece of property.
In fact, Xanadu 2.0, may well be one of the most high-tech homes in existence. The home has a climate sensor program and digital art catalog. Gates' guests are given a pin that reacts with sensors across his home, adjusting temperatures and lighting to their fancy in any room. Speakers tucked behind wallpaper follow guests room-to-room playing the songs of their choice. To top it off, $80,000 worth of computer screens throughout the home allow for total control of artwork and photographs displayed in every room. more