The 5-acre Wellington property that Bill Gates is renting (Click on the photo for more)
The news that Microsoft boss Bill Gates is coming has his soon-to-be-new neighborhood in Wellington abuzz this AM. Especially now that Gossip Extra has new information: The $600,000-lease on the Mallet Hill property includes an option for Gates, America’s richest man, to buy the $12.9 million-Tuscan mansion, according to an impeccable source.
- Microsoft boss Bill Gates (Splash News)
As Gossip Extra reported exclusively yesterday, Gates teenage daughter Jennifer is expected to train and compete in show jumping at the Winter Equestrian Festival, a short distance away from the Fairlane Court house.
— Click here for all the pictures of the house
“The attention that someone like Bill Gates brings might be good for property values,” said rookie Mallet Hill resident James Kelley. “I assume he’ll be like everybody else who lives here, quiet and keeping to himself.”
Gates’ new ‘hood is one of the area’s safest, with only one gated access road. Each of the 20 or so $1.5 million-plus homes sit on 5 acres of land and most are built for horse people, with private training arenas and world-class barns.
“It’s a great place to live,” Kelley said. “There are a lot of people of his caliber in this area, so he’ll feel comfortable.”
Do residents worry that their lifestyle may be altered with the kind of security that a guy like Gates drags around?
“Not at all,” said neighbor Jesse Pasmore. “We are all thrilled about it. But it’s not that big of a deal.”
The owner of Gates’ rental, Wellington developer George Banks didn’t return calls for comment. Deals with Gates often include confidentiality clauses.
For more:
— Bill Gates and his family to attend Welly equestrian events
— See all the photos of the house on Realtor.com
