Ben Carson, Donald Trump’s choice for U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, is getting his feet wet with some high-end property moves.
The failed Republican presidential candidate put his mini-mansion in a West Palm Beach country club up for sale for $1.2 million on Friday, according to the property listing.
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Mr. Carson and his wife, Candy, bought the five-bedroom, five-bathroom house in 2013 for $775,000, property records show, meaning the couple is hoping to turn a 55% profit after just a few years of ownership.
From the pictures of the ornate Mediterranean-style villa, it doesn’t look like Mr. Carson is throwing in the now-famous portrait of him and Jesus. But the home, built in 1994, does have large windows, 22-foot ceilings, marble floors, built-in shelves, and comes with membership to the development’s golf course and clubhouse.
"It’s really ornate. There were a lot of classic features built into this," said Arthur Martens, who is listing the home through Engel & Vӧlkers. "It has a very grand feel when you go in."
The home sits on a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, which also has its own pool, an exercise room, game room and tennis courts.
The home’s pedigree goes beyond the neurosurgeon-turned-presidential candidate. Mr. Carson bought the home from John Rooney, whose family owns the Pittsburgh Steelers, property records show and Mr. Martens confirmed.
"The media room was basically a Steelers sports bar," Mr. Martens said. Mr. Carson kept some of the Steelers paraphernalia in the media room, including "Black and Gold"-team window treatments.
In June, Mr. Carson bought a one-acre estate on a different golf course 12 miles away, in the prestigious Old Palm Golf Club, for $4.375 million, according to property records.
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His new digs give him about 2,000 more square feet of ostentatiously designed space, including an additional bedroom. The double-height living spaces have elaborate marble fireplaces and arched entryways. Mr. Carson even has his own elevator and can soak in a tub flanked by corinthian columns.
Earlier this week, Mr. Trump confirmed that he will nominate Mr. Carson as HUD secretary, a role in which he will help carry out Mr. Trump’s urban renewal plan and head a department tasked with boosting homeownership.
Mr. Carson likely will make more real estate moves in the coming weeks, as he transitions to working in Washington, D.C.
An email sent through Mr. Carson’s website was not immediately returned.