Back in 2020, Elon Musk, who is now entering political office as co-lead of incoming President Donald Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency, took a drastic new direction, selling off six gorgeous homes to live a far more Spartan existence
As the richest man on earth, you would imagine that Elon Musk spends his time moving from one opulent palace to another. However, his actual living situation may come as a surprise to some.
Billionaire Musk, who will serve as co-lead of incoming President Donald Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency, once presided over an impressive real estate portfolio of six dream homes. However, he ultimately decided to strip back in favour of a more minimal lifestyle.
The 53-year-old businessman, who is believed to be worth $208.4 billion, took to his social media platform X, then known as Twitter, in 2020, promising that he would be making a huge lifestyle change. He told followers: “I am selling almost all physical possessions. Will own no house”
Keeping to his word, Musk went on to sell all six of his enviable Californian mansions, worth a combined total of more than $100 million (£84 million). Now, he primarily lives in a modest $50,000 (£40,730) tiny home in Boca Cica, Texas, close to his SpaceX headquarters.
As reported by the New York Post this unexpectedly modest home is actually a foldable, 20-foot-by-20-foot prefabricated home built by Las Vegas-based housing startup company, Boxabl. It is said to resemble an ordinary studio apartment, according to Chron.com, with one room divided into a lounge and bedroom area.
Although Musk rarely offers a glimpse behind the closed doors of his surprisingly ordinary home, a social media post shared by his biographer Walter Isaacson, shows a home which appears to focus on simplicity rather than extravegance. Isaacson wrote: “In 2020, Musk decided to sell his five grand houses and to have as his primary residence be this spartan two-bedroom house in Boca Chica, TX, where we would meet, and he would sit at this wood table and make phone calls.”
According to Home & Texture, these environmentally friendly tiny homes, which are usually less than 400 square feet, have become very popular in recent times, with a 100,000-unit waitlist.
The tech mogul was the proud owner of a 16,251-square-foot LA estate built in the style of a French château. Complete with a two-storey library and home theatre, the breathtaking period property was sold in December 2020 for an extraordinary $29 million (£23.6 million), as per Architectural Digest.
Musk also owned the home of Hollywood icon Gene Wilder, a 2,750 square-foot compound overlooking the Bel Air Country Club. While making his social media announcement, Musk declared: “Just one stipulation on sale. I own Gene Wilder’s old house. It cannot be torn down or lose any [of] its soul.” The house was sold to Wilder’s family for $7 million (£5.7 million).
The Wall Street Journal reports that four of Musk’s former homes, which were located within close proximity to each other, were listed together on Zillow. These included a six-bedroom ’50s property, a ranch house, an incomplete modern building and a Colonial-style home. These four properties were listed on Zillow with a price tag of $62.5 million (£59.9 million) and sold to Ardie Tavangarian, developer and owner of the conglomerate, Arya Group.
The sixth and final property sold by Musk, according to Maison Global, was a grand Mediterranean-style residence known as Guignécourt, which boasted a ballroom with gold leaf detail and a 20-foot ceiling. This one went for $40.8 (£33.2 million) in 2021.
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