Bill Gates' master bedroom in Wellington opens up on this delightful courtyard (Click on the photo for the gallery)
Microsoft boss Bill Gates, America’s richest man, has agreed to pay $600,000 to rent a house in Wellington for the winter, Gossip Extra has learned!
Microsoft boss Bill Gates (Splash News)
Gates, 55, whose wealth is estimated at $59 billion, wife Melinda Gates and their three children are scheduled to move in a 7,300-square-foot, eight-bedroom house in the exclusive South Shore enclave of Mallet Hill.
— Gates has option to buy Wellington rental
The rental runs from December through May, according to two real estate sources.
Gates’ move is designed to support his eldest daughter Jennifer‘s passion for show jumping. The 15-year-old is on the junior circuit and owns several prized ponies. She’s expected to compete in the upcoming Winter Equestrian Festival.
— Click here for all the photos of the house
According to county records the house, at 13808 Fairlane Court, sits on about 5 acres and features a barn and a horse-training arena. It’s also at walking distance to the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, home of the winter festival.
“Bill Gates had his people look all over Wellington in September,” one source said. “But they liked this particular house because it’s in a secure neighborhood with one guarded access road and only 20 or so neighbors.”
Gates will be able to remain among billionaires since New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, No. 12 on the Forbes 400 richest Americans with $19.5 billion, owns a place a few doors down. It’s mainly used by his daughter, Georgina Bloomberg, a rising star in the equestrian world.
The property Bill Gates is renting this winter (Click on the photo for the gallery)
Gates’ temporary digs are owned by well-known Wellington developer George Banks, who’s been trying to sell it for years. The property is listed for $12.9 million. Singer Madonna considered buying it last year but instead bought a horse farm in The Hamptons, N.Y.
The world class wine cellar is included (Click on the photo for the gallery)
Gates, meanwhile, seems to have a thing for the area. In 2009, reps armed with a $65 million-line of credit fanned out in Palm Beach and Martin counties to find bargain waterfront real estate. One of Gates’ investment companies, Cascade Investment, eventually purchased a $5 million house in Jupiter Island.
