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Yesterday β€” 27 December 2024Main stream

See the exclusive island where you can be neighbors with Jeff Bezos. It's Miami's 'Billionaire Bunker.'

Jeff Bezos and Indian Creek
Jeff Bezos owns three homes on Miami's Indian Creek island.

Karwai Tang/WireImage via Getty Images; Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

  • A lot next to one of Jeff Bezos's South Florida mansions is for sale, and the listing price is $200 million.
  • Bezos owns three properties on Miami's Indian Creek island.Β 
  • Take a look at the enclave, known as "Billionaire Bunker," and see why it attracts the wealthy.

A lot has opened up in one of South Florida's most expensive enclaves β€” and for a cool $200 million it can make you neighbors to Jeff Bezos.Β 

After 29 years in Seattle, the Amazon founder announced he would be moving to Miami at the end of 2023. He chose the ultra-exclusive Indian Creek neighborhood, a collection of homes surrounding a golf club on a highly secure island. The area, informally called the "Billionaire Bunker," is known for its privacy.

Bezos owns three properties in the community: In June 2023, he purchased a $68 million mansion, followed by an adjacent one for $79 million in October of that year. By September 2024, he added a third mansion to his collection, purchased for $90 million.

Now, the waterfront lot next to one of his homes is for sale. The empty 1.84-acre property is listed for $200 million β€” many times more than its last sale price of $27.5 million in 2018 β€” and includes plans for a 25,000-square-foot house.

The real-estate agent representing the sellers told Bloomberg that Bezos's presence on the island is one reason for the premium.Β 

"Those prices just didn't exist before he came to Indian Creek," he said.

But Bezos isn't the only big name on Indian Creek. High-profile figures, including football legend Tom Brady and Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump's husband, also own property there.

Take a look inside the neighborhood.

In December 2022, Business Insider toured the neighborhood to learn why celebrities are drawn to its high levels of privacy and security.
An aerial view of Indian Creek Island.
An aerial view of Indian Creek Island.

Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images

Indian Creek Island, located in Biscayne Bay about 15 miles from Miami, is accessible only by a single bridge connecting it to the mainland.

The neighborhood has about 40 homes spread throughout its 300 acres, according to real-estate brokerage Miami Luxury Homes.

Despite only having a few dozen homes, Miami's Indian Creek Village has its own mayor and local government.
Billionaire Bunker / Indian Creek Village (Miami)
An aerial view of Indian Creek Island.

Google Maps

The Florida legislature incorporated Indian Creek in 1939 under a now-defunct law that allowed 25 or more neighbors to form a town, according to the Florida Auditor General.

One bridge leads to the island, on which privacy and security are paramount.
Billionaire Bunker
A bridge connecting the island to the mainland.

Hannah Towey/Insider

The island has been home numerous ultrawealthy and high-profile residents, includingΒ Wall Street tycoon Carl Icahn, supermodel Adriana Lima, and singer Julio Iglesias.

The island's entrance is heavily guarded, with the Indian Creek Village Police headquarters immediately to the left.
Billionaire Bunker
Boats at dock.

Hannah Towey/Insider

The town has its own police force. About 15 police officers secure the island by land and sea, per the Indian Creek Village police directory.

To enter the island, you must be a resident or have your name added to a verified visitor's list.

Construction is common on the island.
Billionaire Bunker
Construction vehicles on a lot.

Hannah Towey/Insider

Tom Brady is building an "eco-mansion" on the island.

In 2020, the seven-time Super Bowl champion and his ex-wife, supermodel Gisele BΓΌndchen, acquired the two-acre lot for over $17 million, Page Six reported.Β 

The home has since been demolished to make way for an "eco-mansion" that Brady commissioned.

In July, Brady nabbed a $35 million loan for his two-story estate, likely replacing a previous $35 million construction loan he obtained the year prior.Β 

The Real Deal reported that the mansion is still under construction and plans to include a separate gym, cabana, waterfront pool and spa, sports court, and other luxurious amenities.

Every home on the island has stunning views of Biscayne Bay and many feature private docks.
37 Indian Creek Island Road
An aerial view of Indian Creek Island.

Todd Michael Glaser/Dina Goldentayer

The area is home to aquatic wildlife like manatees, sea turtles, and sawfish, and dolphins are occasionally sighted.Β 

A national park protects its southern expanse and other ecosystems, including Florida's coral reefs.

Some mansions are well-hidden from the street.
Billionaire Bunker
A home on Indian Creek Island.

Hannah Towey/Insider

Discretion is a top priority for the millionaire and billionaire residents, with some mansions hidden from view.Β 

Real-estate agent Dina Goldentayer said this "quintessential privacy" coupled with extensive security measures is a major draw for high-profile individuals.

Β 

Unlike other high-end Miami neighborhoods, residents do not have direct beach access.
Billionaire Bunker
Many island residents have private docks.

Hannah Towey/Insider

It's less than 10 minutes to Surfside Beach, which fronts the Atlantic Ocean north of Miami Beach.

Bezos's first two home purchases are side by side on the west side of the island, while his most recent property is in the southeast.
Indian Creek Village
Some of Bezos' Indian Creek properties are still undergoing construction.

Todd Michael Glaser/Dina Goldentayer ᐧ

Bezos' Indian Creek holdings include a $68 million mansion bought in June 2023, a $79 million property adjacent to the first purchased in October 2023, and a $90 million property bought in 2024.

The seller of the second property has filed a lawsuit β€” but Bezos isn't involved.

Real estate brokerage Douglas Elliman handled the $79 million sale of the property β€” which has a seven-bedroom mansion with a home theater, a wine cellar, a library, and a pool β€” and received a commission of over $3 million.Β 

The former owner is suing Douglas Elliman for the $6 million difference between the listing and sale price, alleging he was misled about the buyer, The Wall Street Journal reported.Β 

Jay Parker, the Florida CEO of Douglas Elliman, denies knowing that Bezos was the buyer.

The former owner did not respond to requests for comment sent by Business Insider; Douglas Elliman declined to comment.

Indian Creek's median listing price in July 2024 was $13.5 million, according to a Rocket Homes housing market report.
Billionaire Bunker
A home on Indian Creek Island.

Hannah Towey/Insider

That price does not automatically include admission into the neighborhood's ultra-exclusive country club.

Indian Creek Country Club dates back to the 1920s.
Billionaire Bunker
The Indian Creek Country Club.

Hannah Towey/Insider

In the early 2000s, the country club was accused of discriminating against Black and Jewish residents, local outlets reported. The club denies the allegations.

Beyond the private homes and country club, there's not much else on the island.
Billionaire Bunker
A field on the island.

Hannah Towey/Insider

Indian Creek Island Road is the neighborhood's single street β€” and it's a dead end.

"There's no action here," Goldentayer said. "But you're 10 minutes from the action."

Some residents own or rent additional properties off the island.
Billionaire Bunker
Another home on the island.

Hannah Towey/Insider

Kushner and Trump, for example, rent an apartment in Miami's Surfside neighborhood, which is only about a mile away.

The two-story, six-bedroom duplex spans 7,000 square feet and is located in the oceanfront complex Arte Surfside. The unit includes two gourmet kitchens, personal direct beach access, and wraparound terraces.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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