The Obamas’ New Digs: Check Out The Former First Family’s Possible Picks


As the new commander in chief, Donald Trump settles into the White House, former resident and President Barack Obama has reportedly touched down in Southern California’s Coachella Valley.

Obama and his wife, Michelle, arrived at Thunderbird Heights in Rancho Mirage on Friday, Jan. 20, according to the Los Angeles Times. The couple will reportedly stay there with their longtime friends James Costos, the former U.S. ambassador to Spain, and with the White House decorator Michael S. Smith.

This is not Obama’s first time in Rancho Mirage. It’s been a favorite vacation spot for Obama, who traveled there six times during his presidency, according to the Desert Sun newspaper. The trips have led some to speculate that Obama may purchase a home in the area. A home that sits on 3.29 acres in Rancho Mirage was previously speculated as a likely Obama purchase, but was later sold to a couple from Nebraska.

Back in November, the New York Post’s Page Six reported that the Obamas purchased a home there. There were already five properties sold recently in the city, according to Curbed Los Angeles. Rumors swirled that the Obamas purchased a home near the Sunnylands, which is home to former presidents and foreign dignitaries.

Obama can’t complain though because he already has a home on the East Coast picked out. The former First Family’s new digs are located in D.C. and are just three miles away from the White House. The mansion is located on Belmont Road in the upscale neighborhood of Kalorama, reported Cleveland.com. Their new home is a rental that features 9 bedrooms, 8 1/2 baths, and is 8,200 square feet. The home, built in 1928, was last sold in 2014 for $5.925 million, and is now worth about $6 million, according to Zillow.

The home is previously owned by Joe Lockhart, former White House press secretary under Bill Clinton, and his wife Glamour’s Washington editor Giovanna Gray Lockhart. According to HomeVisit.com, the home has undergone a “meticulous renovation and substantial addition” in 2011 and includes “gracious public rooms,” “stunning oversized terrace/formal gardens,” and a “gated courtyard for 8-10 vehicles.”

Check out the Obamas’ new home in the video below, courtesy of Washington Fine Properties.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IexdisLj28

The home is not the only mansion on the block. In fact, Kalorama is one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the District. It’s known for its historic mansions and over two dozen embassies.

The Obamas will move next door to Amazon CEO and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos along with new first daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband, Senior Advisor to the President, Jared Kushner. In March, Obama said that they would stay in D.C. until Sasha Obama graduates high school, according to the Washington Post.

“Transferring someone in the middle of high school – tough,” he stated.

On Monday, a moving van was spotted outside the home, which is located at 2446 Belmont Road NW. The McFadden Group, which represented the sellers in 2014, described the home as a “magnificent Tudor” with “two oversized lots.” While it’s not exactly the White House, it has plenty of white space and outstanding architecture.

“The residence has undergone a meticulous renovation and substantial addition, featuring nine bedrooms, gracious public rooms, refinished hardwood floors throughout and original leaded glass windows that have been restored and rebuilt with custom high-end finishes. The stunning outdoor space boasts two tiers of extensive flagstone terraces, formal gardens and a gated courtyard for up to 10 vehicles.”

The Obamas’ new home will also get some necessary security upgrades, reported PopSugar. A brick wall is being built from the front of the home and the garage is being converted into an office.

However, the D.C. home won’t be the Obamas’ only home. They also purchased a slighter smaller 6,400-square-foot home in Kenwood, on the south side of Chicago, in 2005 for $1.65 million, reports DNAInfo.com. The Obamas also reportedly own real estate in Hawaii, as well as the aforementioned Rancho Mirage.

[Featured image by Darren Hauck/Getty Images]

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