A real estate mystery is quietly unfolding on the north end of Palm Beach — and it’s making headlines. The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reports that an unidentified buyer (or group) has spent around $250 million snapping up four prime properties, piecing together what could become one of the most expensive private estates in the country.
The collection includes nearly 3 acres of oceanfront with 360 feet of beach access, previously owned by billionaire cosmetics heir William Lauder. The buyer didn’t stop there — they’ve also purchased two homes across the street for $18 million and $30 million, well above typical market prices, raising plenty of eyebrows.
While the buyer’s identity remains under wraps, the rumor mill is buzzing with familiar names — from Microsoft-linked billionaires to associates of the Gates family. Whoever it is, they’re following a familiar Palm Beach playbook, much like Ken Griffin and Jeff Bezos, assembling a mega-compound on one of the country’s most coveted stretches of sand.
