NEW YORK (AP) – Donald Trump's childhood home has been sold for nearly $2 million after a major renovation turned the previously dilapidated New York residence into a modern living space. The Tudor-style home, located in the affluent Jamaica Estates neighborhood of Queens, was where Trump lived until the age of four. Built in 1940 by his father, developer Fred Trump, the property has not been owned by the family for many years.
The final sale price of $1.93 million was made public on real estate websites following a contract entered into by a buyer, whose identity remains undisclosed, in July. The seller, Tommy Lin, had acquired the five-bedroom, three-bathroom home for $835,000 just a year prior, after it had been left vacant and neglected for an extended period.
Lin, who is a developer, invested an additional $500,000 into an extensive eight-month interior renovation that introduced various high-end amenities, including a chef’s kitchen, herringbone wood floors, and luxurious, spa-like bathrooms. The transformation marked a significant upgrade from the home’s former state, which included mold damage and signs of distress from neglect.
The property has undergone multiple ownership changes in recent years; notably, it sold for $2.14 million just months after Trump assumed the presidency in January 2017. The recent buyer, operating as Trump Birth Home LLC, briefly listed the home on Airbnb, advertising it with unique features such as life-sized cardboard cutouts of Trump, copies of his famous book “The Art of the Deal,” and framed editions of People magazine featuring Trump on the cover.
In addition to its Airbnb listing, the home was placed back on the market in 2019 with an ambitious asking price of $2.9 million. However, it remained unsold until Tommy Lin purchased it. During the intervening years, the property fell into disrepair, highlighted by severe water damage stemming from a burst pipe, an influx of mold, and even the presence of a feral cat colony that had made the abandoned house their home.
Former President Donald Trump, now 80 years old, established his wealth in the real estate sector, famously constructing Trump Tower in Manhattan, where he resided for decades. He later leveraged his real estate success into a political career. During his presidency, Trump oversaw significant renovations to the White House itself, including the addition of a massive ballroom and the embellishment of the Oval Office with gold-plated fixtures that reflect his distinctive aesthetic sensibility.
