By Gina Martinez
An anonymous buyer is rescheduling the auction of President-elect Donald Trump’s childhood home in Queens to Jan. 17, just days before Trump is set to be inaugurated.
The five-bedroom, Tudor-style Jamaica Estate’s home, located at 85-15 Wareham Place, was where Trump lived for the first four years of his life.
The home was originally on the market for $1.65 million in July and the price dropped to $1.399 million, at which point the owner decided to auction it off instead and let buyers decide the value of the property. The auction was then postponed until after the election.
The original seller postponed the auction, set for Oct. 19, the night of the third presidential debate between Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
The auction was rescheduled due to the significant attention drawn to the auction after the election, according to Misha Haghani, founder of Paramount Realty USA, which is holding the sale. It was then that an anonymous buyer purchased the home for an undisclosed amount and is now offering it at auction again.
“We’re offering an opportunity to buy a piece of history,” the seller said. “Who knows what it’s worth? There are no comps for a property as rare as this.”
Trump himself expressed interest in buying the home during his September appearance on “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon.
When showed a picture of the home, he recalled his happy upbringing there, saying “I had great parents, I had great brothers and sisters. I had a really good childhood. It’s sad looking at that. I want to buy it, it’s beautiful.”
Haghani said the home is incredibly special.
“This is the childhood home of the next president of the United States and was built by his father—a property as prominent as this has intangible value that goes beyond just the real estate—it’s like art and that’s why an auction is the perfect platform in which to sell it.”
After the election real estate super broker Dolly Lenz told the New York Post the house could sell for upwards of $10 million.
“The house has at least tripled in value if not 10 times in value,” she said. “Think of all the billionaires who could turn this into a museum. That’s the highest and best use for this house. It’s an amazing opportunity for somebody.”
Anyone interested in participating in the auction must contact Paramount Realty USA, must place their bids in writing and present10 percent of their offer via check or wire before the Jan. 17 deadline.
Reach Gina Martinez by e-mail at gmart
