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Jeff Bezos purchased 4 properties in and round an unique Seattle-area enclave in 2019.
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Neighbors, although, say they’ve not often seen Bezos, the planet’s second-richest individual.
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“He acts like he owns” the neighborhood, one resident mentioned.
Each spring, the residents of Hunts Level, a rich neighborhood exterior of Seattle, come collectively for a day of service referred to as Cleanup Day. Hedge-fund managers, tech titans, and high-powered attorneys be part of collectively to plant bushes, weed gardens, and choose up trash. There is a continental breakfast, a barbecue lunch, and a bouncy home for the youngsters.
One resident, although, is notably absent: Jeff Bezos, the Amazon founder and second-richest man on the planet.
“I’ve seen a billionaire choose up trash on Cleanup Day. Not Jeff Bezos,” one resident informed Enterprise Insider.
Hunts Level is an prosperous enclave of fewer than 400 individuals east of Seattle. It is no stranger to billionaires and the enterprise elite, counting former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Costco cofounder James Sinegal amongst its residents.
In 2019, a brand new billionaire got here to city: Bezos. Then the richest individual on the earth, and now the second richest, Bezos bought a $37.5 million waterfront estate on the heels of his divorce from novelist MacKenzie Scott. Bezos additionally snapped up three smaller homes nearby for his workers, Enterprise Insider beforehand reported.
Bezos introduced earlier this yr that he is leaving the Seattle space to make Miami his main residence. Whereas the acquisition of the Hunts Level properties had not been reported earlier than this week, over his 4 years on the unique peninsula, the billionaire has made an impression — primarily by his absence, eight residents mentioned in conversations with Enterprise Insider.
A spokesperson for Bezos didn’t reply to a request for remark.
Within the tightly-knit neighborhood, Bezos’ absence from occasions like Cleanup Day, the Fourth of July get together, and fundraising occasions for an area youth charity, Bellevue Lifespring, have been remarked on. (Although he did not attend the occasions, Bezos did donate to Lifespring, mentioned two residents concerned in that charity.)
Bezos’ workers, although, are neighborhood fixtures. His chef cooked meals in a extra modest home to the south of the peninsula and delivered them to Bezos’ primary residence in a “very cute” golf cart, one resident mentioned.
Bezos’ safety guards lived in a home overlooking the neighborhood’s solely entrance and exit. They have been nice neighbors, mentioned the identical resident, who recalled them bringing misaddressed packages to her doorstep.
“We did really feel much more safe realizing that he had all these individuals watching his property,” one other resident mentioned.
That additional safety, although, has sometimes created issues.
Twice, Bezos safety guards referred to as the police to report suspicious individuals who, after police questioned them, turned out to be workers and contractors of different über-wealthy individuals on the road, based on 911 name data obtained by Enterprise Insider.
Their omnipresence may very well be overbearing, one resident informed Insider. “Jeff Bezos acts like he owns Hunts Level,” they mentioned.
Bezos, whose colossal gates are practically at all times closed, based on that very same resident, is himself not often seen.
“He isn’t a lot of a neighbor,” mentioned one resident. “He is so busy with all this nationwide stuff.”
He by no means appeared to stay on Hunts Level full time, two neighbors mentioned. Enterprise Insider has beforehand reported he owns properties in Los Angeles, Miami, Washington, DC, and Texas.
Bezos’ absence is all of the extra notable provided that his monumental wealth is not significantly distinctive in comparison with a lot of his neighbors — a few of whom are far more accessible.
“There are numerous spectacular individuals that do not act spectacular,” one resident mentioned.
Steve Ballmer, for instance, can be value triple-digit billions, along with his wealth pegged at $129 billion by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, whereas Bezos’ net worth is estimated to be $169 billion.
In distinction to Bezos, Ballmer’s gates are normally open, one resident mentioned. His property is listed in his identify, not a maze of LLCs, county data present. Plus, he solutions his personal door, as Enterprise Insider found firsthand.
“Nothing to say,” Ballmer mentioned, swiftly shutting the door, when Enterprise Insider knocked to ask how he bought alongside along with his neighbor Bezos.
Know extra about Jeff Bezos? Wish to share a tip? E-mail reporters Madeline Berg at mberg@businessinsider.com or Katherine Lengthy at klong@businessinsider.com, or attain out through the encrypted messaging app Sign at +1-206-375-9280.
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