Despite having unrestricted and unrivaled access to some of the world’s best homes, the business magnate publically vowed to ‘own no house’ and lives in a compact home worth $50,000 in Boca Chica, Texas. ‘I am selling almost all physical possessions. Will own no house,’ Elon tweeted (opens in new tab) in May 2020. Since then, he has offloaded his multi-million dollar estate portfolio – including an eco-friendly futuristic home, and actor Gene Wilder’s estate in California.
Elon Musk’s property portfolio – the billionaire’s most notable properties
From Texas to the west coast, these are the stand-out properties in Elon Musk’s real estate history.
1. Home in Boca Chica, Texas
Elon Musk may seem like an unlikely source of small room ideas, but his current home optimizes just that. The billionaire revealed that his main residence is a $50K house that conveniently sits within walking distance of SpaceX’s factory. However, despite its prime location, Elon shared that it was ‘very small’ in an interview for Fullsend podcast (opens in new tab). ‘It’s a tiny, small, small house… it was right next to the rocket factory. So, I can just literally walk to the factory, it’s half an hour away,’ he says. Elon also shared that he had converted the space into a three-bedroom home after converting the garage into a third bedroom. ‘It used to be a two-bedroom, but I converted the garage into a third bedroom,’ and if he is by himself, he finds it is ‘fine’ to live in. ‘When friends come to stay in it, they can’t believe I live in this house… I find if I am by myself, it is fine,’ he adds.
2. Boxabl, Texas
Contrary to widespread speculation, Elon Musk does not reside in a Boxabl, (opens in new tab) the famous pre-fabricated tiny home that gained global fame through its connection to the billionaire. Instead, he uses it as his guest house. In the Full Send interview (opens in new tab), Elon shared that he does own a prototype Boxabl Casita. However, his main home is a 2-bedroom house, as suggested above. ‘My main house – if I have a main house – is the one in South Texas, in Boca Chica village… [the boxable] seems good; I don’t actually stay in Boxabl. The house that I bought cost less than a boxable, it was 45K or something, but I’ve done a lot with the place,’ Elon says. ‘If a friend comes and stays, then they can stay in the Boxabl if they want.’ The billionaire also shared that he had a ‘small birthday party’ there once.
3. Bel-Air mansion, Los Angeles
Before downsizing, Elon Musk owned several properties around greater Los Angeles – with a collective worth of over $70 million, according to Rethinking The Future (opens in new tab). The CEO of Tesla reportedly purchased a $17 million estate in Bel-Air in 2012 but had already rented the property with his two sons since 2010. According to the Los Angeles Times (opens in new tab), the seven-bedroom home was a trove of luxury home ideas – complete with a wine cellar, two-story library, theater, and an expansive motor court. The colonial-style mansion also overlooks the exclusive Bel-Air Country Club in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains. Elon Musk reportedly sold the home in June 2020 for $29 million to Chinese billionaire William Ding.
4. Gene Wilder’s former home, Los Angeles
In October 2013, Elon Musk purchased actor Gene Wilder’s former home (on the same street as his previous Bel-Air mansion) for $6.75 million. According to Insider (opens in new tab), the Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory actor had lived in the 2,756-square-foot, three-bedroom, three-bathroom ranch-style home for more than 30 years, until 2007. When Elon listed the home in May 2020 (for $9.5 million), he declared that the next owner could not tear it down or remove its ‘soul.’
5. ‘Boomerang-shaped house’, Brentwood, California
This futuristic property was arguably Elon Musk’s most contemporary home – featuring its ultra-modern decorating ideas – both inside and outside the property. The hillside home, which sold for sold the house for $4 million in August 2019, is a celebration of Californian luxury – complete with floor-to-ceiling windows, an expansive chef’s kitchen, and a large saltwater pool and spa overlooking the city. A report by Forbes (opens in new tab) also celebrated the eco house for its sustainable qualities, including a dual tankless hot water system, dual-zone climate control, and irrigated drought-tolerant landscaping.
