One of the most fascinating things about Barack and Michelle Obama is how wealthy they have gotten. That’s not a slam against the talented couple, of course, but Barack wasn’t wildly wealthy when he was inaugurated in 2008 or during most of his two terms as president. He was generally beloved during those terms, and since leaving the White House, and Michelle have become very wealthy thanks to things like speaking engagements and book sales.
They have put that wealth to good use in many ways…for example, their daughters, Sasha and Malia, will never have to worry about money. In addition to providing for their children, the Obamas have also invested in real estate. They now have the kinds of luxurious homes most of us can only dream of living in, and we have to settle for drooling over them from the outside looking in.
Want to drool along with us? Keep reading to discover how many homes the Obamas own and just how fancy they are!
The Obamas’ Chicago home
Before Barack Obama became president and began buying fancy real estate left and right, he and Michelle bought their home in Chicago, Illinois. With its 3700 square feet and 6+ bedrooms, this is more akin to a small mansion than a starter house. Bought in 2005, this is one home the Obamas haven’t actually lived in for a very long time.
Considering its size, location, and association with a former president, it would be easy enough for the Obamas to sell this house and make a nice profit (especially in our current seller’s market). They have not done so, though, and some have speculated that they might eventually turn the old home into a museum. Should that happen, we’ll be there to check it out on opening day!
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The luxurious Oahu home
Back when Barack Obama was in the White House, future president Donald Trump was a big proponent of the Birther conspiracy claiming that Obama wasn’t actually born in America and therefore wasn’t a US citizen. In truth, Obama is very much a citizen, having been born in Hawaii. Now, when he decides to visit home with Michelle, he can do so in style by staying at their palatial estate in Oahu. Or at least, they will be able to do so if work on the home is ever completed!
Back in 2015, the Obamas bought this home for a cool $8 million dollars. It has luxurious features like multiple swimming pools, but the new owners thought it needed a bit of extra work. The home was still being worked on as late as 2022, and it’s not clear as of this writing if the work was even finished. While it’s admittedly pretty weird to pay so much for a home that you don’t even get to use for a decade or so, we can understand the Obamas’ desire to get this home “just right.”
The vacation home in Martha’s Vineyard
As we noted before, it’s a tad odd that Barack and Michelle Obama bought such a fancy home in Oahu that they have seemingly gotten no use out of. It’s their money, obviously, but in the alternate universe where we had millions of dollars to spare, we’d still want to fully get our money’s worth. Fortunately, that’s exactly what this power couple is getting out of what is arguably their most high-profile home. The Obamas have a vacation home in Martha’s Vineyard, and trust us when we say that this is the kind of place the word “estate” was invented to describe.
That’s because this property sits on 28 spacious acres, giving one of the world’s most famous families some much-needed privacy when they are on vacation. As for the house itself, it’s a whopping 6892 square feet and has its own lake as well as private beach access. Ultimately, this house is the best of both worlds, offering plenty of modern luxuries inside while still affording access to water features that are perfect for a family who enjoys spending so much time outdoors.
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A home (where else?) in Washington, D.C.
Some of the homes Barack and Michelle Obama bought are surprising…for example, nobody could have predicted they would follow in the footsteps of Bill Clinton and others by buying property in Martha’s Vineyard until they did so. However, at least one of their real estate purchases was quite predictable. Given his status as a former two-term president, it should surprise nobody that Barack Obama owns a mansion in Washington, D.C.
This house in Kalorama, Washington D.C is where the Obamas lived right after leaving the White House. It has nine expansive bedrooms, which meant that Sasha got to have her own suite back when she still lived with her mom and dead. Not everyone gets enough space, though: in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Michelle joked that her famous husband got a bit short-changed by the place. “He doesn’t have enough closet space,” she said before following up with another deadpan declaration: “He’s got the smallest room for his office.”
Somehow, we think that “smallest room” is bigger than many people’s entire homes. But what can we say? Clearly, there are privileges to being the president!