Trump’s childhood home, overrun by feral cats, sells for cheaper price
In this DML Report…
President Donald Trump’s childhood home in Queens, New York, a Tudor-style house at 85-15 Wareham Place in Jamaica Estates, sold for $1.9 million—$400,000 below its $2.3 million asking price. Built in 1940 by Trump’s father, Fred Trump, the 2,000-square-foot, five-bedroom property hit the market in January 2025 after Trump’s second-term inauguration, drawing attention due to its historical tie. The sale, handled by Trump International Realty despite Trump’s claim of no involvement, closed at a discount after sitting unsold for over two months, reflecting a cooling luxury home market in NYC.
The house, where Trump lived until age 4 before moving to a larger mansion nearby, has changed hands multiple times since 2016, when it was first listed for $1.65 million during his presidential campaign. It sold for $1.39 million in 2016 to Michael Davis, then flipped in 2017 for $2.14 million to a Chinese investment-linked LLC, and was briefly an Airbnb rental at $725 nightly in 2017 with a Trump cardboard cutout. A 2019 auction attempt at $2.9 million failed due to no bids, and this latest sale to an unnamed local Queens family marks its lowest price in years, far from the $10 million Trump once boasted it could fetch.
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Real estate experts pegged its market value at $1 million to $1.2 million, citing Jamaica Estates’ median home price of $1.15 million and the property’s lack of standout features beyond its Trump connection. Despite the initial buzz, listing agent Ifeanyi “Ivan” Okwuobi noted buyer interest waned without Trump memorabilia included. Additionally, due to its state of disrepair, it was also overrun by numerous feral cats. The sale underscores a pragmatic deal in a high-end market hit by 7% mortgage rates and excess inventory, with no evidence supporting online speculation of Trump repurchasing it himself.