See the exclusive island where Jeff Bezos has paid $237 million for 3 mansions. It’s Miami’s ‘Billionaire Bunker.’
September 12, 20240
Jeff Bezos owns three homes on Miami’s Indian Creek island.
Karwai Tang/WireImage via Getty Images; Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
In 2023, Jeff Bezos said he would be moving to Miami after living in Seattle for 29 years.
Bezos owns three mansions on Miami’s Indian Creek island. The seller of one just sued his broker.
Peek at the enclave, also known as “Billionaire Bunker,” and see why it attracts the wealthy.
Florida has long been attractive to those seeking a fresh start, thanks in large part to its business-friendly policies, lack of state income tax, and irresistible warm climate.
Jeff Bezos is among them. After 29 years in Seattle, the Amazon founder said at the end of 2023 that he would be moving to Miami.
In November, Bezos took to Instagram to explain why the Sunshine State was the perfect place for him.
“I want to be close to my parents, and Lauren and I love Miami,” Bezos wrote of his and his fiancée Lauren Sánchez‘s decision to relocate. “Also, Blue Origin’s operations are increasingly shifting to Cape Canaveral. For all that, I’m planning to return to Miami, leaving the Pacific Northwest.”
Bezos and Sanchez are moving to Miami’s ultra-exclusive Indian Creek neighborhood, a collection of homes surrounding a golf club on a highly secure island. The area, informally called the “Billionaire Bunker,” is also known for its privacy and exclusivity.
Bezos has amassed an impressive collection of homes on the island: In June 2023, he purchased a $68 million mansion, followed by an adjacent property for $79 million in October. By September 2024, he added a third mansion purchased for $90 million.
The latest wrinkle: The businessman who sold Bezos the $79 million property — Leo Kryss, a cofounder of the Brazilian toy company Tectoy — is suing his brokerage for not revealing Bezos was the buyer. Kryss claims that if he had known Bezos was purchasing the home, he would have kept firm on his full asking price of $85 million, $6 million more than it actually sold for.
With a net worth that Forbes pegged at about $203 billion on Thursday, Bezos is currently the second-richest person in the world — after Elon Musk — and has more than enough money to buy almost any home he desires.
Bezos is in good company on Indian Creek: High-profile figures including football legend Tom Brady and Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump’s husband, also own property there.
Take a look inside the neighborhood.
In December 2022, Business Insider toured the neighborhood to learn why celebrities are drawn to its high levels of privacy and security.
An aerial view of Indian Creek Island.
Google Maps
The Florida legislature incorporated Indian Creek in 1939 under a now-defunct law that allowed 25 or more neighbors to form a town, according to the Florida Auditor General.
To enter the island, you must be a resident or have your name added to a verified visitor’s list.
Boats at dock.
Hannah Towey/Insider
The town has its own police force. About 15 police officers secure the island by land and sea, according to the Indian Creek Village police directory.
The Uber driver dropped us off on the other side of the bridge.
Construction vehicles on a lot.
Hannah Towey/Insider
Tom Brady is building an “eco-mansion” on the island.
In 2020, the seven-time Super Bowl champion and his ex-wife, supermodel Gisele Bündchen, acquired the two-acre lot for over $17 million, Page Six reported.
The home has since been demolished to make way for an “eco-mansion” that Brady commissioned.
In July, Brady nabbed a $35 million loan for his two-story estate, likely replacing a previous $35 million construction loan he obtained in June of last year. According to The Real Deal, the new loan has a lower interest rate that starts at 5.63%, compared to the previous rate of 8.25%.
The Real Deal reported that the mansion is still under construction and plans to include a separate gym, cabana, waterfront pool and spa, sports court, and other luxurious amenities.
Every home on the island has stunning views of Biscayne Bay and many feature private docks.
A home on Indian Creek Island.
Hannah Towey/Insider
Discretion is a top priority for the millionaire and billionaire community residents, with some mansions hidden from view.
According to Goldentayer, this “quintessential privacy” coupled with extensive security measures is a major draw for high-profile individuals.
Unlike other high-end Miami neighborhoods, residents do not have direct beach access.
Some of Bezos’ Indian Creek properties are still undergoing construction.
Todd Michael Glaser/Dina Goldentayer ᐧ
Bezos’ Indian Creek holdings include a $68 million mansion bought in June 2023, a $79 million property adjacent to the first bought in October 2023, and a $90 million property bought in 2024.
The seller of the second property has filed a lawsuit — but Bezos isn’t involved.
Real-estate brokerage Douglas Elliman handled the $79 million sale of the property — which has a seven-bedroom mansion with a home theater, a wine cellar, a library, and a pool — and received a commission of over $3 million.
Kryss, the property’s former owner, initially listed it for $85 million in May 2023 but ended up selling it for $79 million.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Kryss is suing Douglas Elliman for the $6 million difference, alleging he was misled about the buyer. He contends that knowing Bezos was the purchaser might have led him to price the home higher.
Jay Parker, the Florida CEO of Douglas Elliman, denies knowing that Bezos was the buyer.
Kryss did not respond to requests for comment sent by Business Insider; Douglas Elliman declined to comment.
According to a Rocket Homes housing market report, Indian Creek’s median listing price in July 2024 was $13.5 million.
Another home on the island.
Hannah Towey/Insider
Kushner and Trump rent an apartment in the Surfside neighborhood, which is only about a mile away.
The two-story, six-bedroom duplex spans 7,000 square feet and is located in the oceanfront complex Arte Surfside. The unit includes two gourmet kitchens, personal direct beach access, and wraparound terraces.
Indian Creek Country Club dates back to the 1920s.
A field on the island.
Hannah Towey/Insider
Indian Creek Island Road is the neighborhood’s single street — and it’s a dead end.
“There’s no action here,” Goldentayer joked during our tour. “But you’re 10 minutes from the action.”
