The Amazon Titan, Jeff Bezos, is trading the rain-soaked Pacific Northwest for the sun-drenched allure of Miami’s real estate scene. The 59-year-old tech mogul made a splash on Instagram when he unveiled his plans to relocate to Miami in the near future. In his social media announcement, Bezos shared a nostalgic clip from the early days of Amazon, reflecting on his roots in Seattle. “Seattle has been my home since 1994 when I started Amazon out of my garage,” he fondly reminisced. Notably, Bezos revealed that his father, Miguel Bezos, played the role of the cameraman in the video, adding a personal touch to the post.

“My parents [Miguel and Jacklyn] have always been my biggest supporters. They recently moved back to Miami, the place we lived when I was younger (Miami Palmetto High class of ’82 — GO Panthers!).” Bezos went on to explain the driving force behind his upcoming relocation, stating, “I want to be close to my parents, and [fiancée] Lauren and I love Miami.” He also highlighted the shifting focus of his aerospace company, Blue Origin, towards Florida’s Cape Canaveral. While expressing his deep attachment to Seattle, Bezos acknowledged the bittersweet emotions surrounding the move. “As exciting as the move is, it’s an emotional decision for me. Seattle, you will always have a piece of my heart.” In the video clip from 1994, a young Bezos guided a tour of Amazon’s early headquarters in his three-bedroom Seattle home. The scene showcased a cluttered yet promising office space filled with papers, books, fax machines, and dated computers. Bezos humorously quipped, “That’s about it. It doesn’t take long to tour the offices of Amazon.com.”

This monumental decision to relocate follows Bezos’ recent acquisition of a luxurious seven-bedroom mansion on a private island in Miami’s Biscayne Bay. The opulent property, nestled on a man-made island, was secured in September for an impressive $79 million, according to Bloomberg. This purchase came on the heels of Bezos’ earlier acquisition of a neighboring home in June, which he acquired for $68 million.

Together, these two properties span approximately 1.8 acres on the exclusive Florida island, marking a significant footprint in Miami’s real estate landscape. Before embarking on this real estate adventure, Bezos took another significant step in his personal life when he proposed to his girlfriend, Lauren Sánchez, in late May. Friends close to the couple expressed their excitement, describing it as “her dream come true.” Bezos and Sánchez made their relationship public in 2019, following Bezos’ divorce from his wife of 25 years, MacKenzie. Miami is now poised to be the backdrop for the next chapter in Bezos’ extraordinary journey.

Source: People