When Barack Obama returns from his watersport triumph against buddy Richard Branson, there’s a newly listed property he might want to check out in the Coachella Valley, where the ex-president is long rumored to be house hunting.
The $5.5 million compound in La Quinta, southern California, includes five separate two- and three-bedroom homes, perfect for housing the Secret Service detail Mr. Obama will have trailing him for the rest of his life; it would also offer a crash space to his celebrity chums and individual getaways for his two daughters. What’s more, the home is located inside the gates of La Quinta Country Club and is a short golf cart-ride to the driving range.
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The Obama daughters could even ride a bike to Coachella’s raging annual music festival from their front door.
Bud Buettner, an executive at insurance giant Lloyd’s of London, built the property in La Quinta more than 40 years ago as a family retreat that has since been used by three generations, according to information provided by the listing agents. His family remains the current owners of the property.
The home is listed with Jeff Botsford, Vicky Botsford and Kevin Botsford with Partners Trust, as well as Kathy and Charlie Coulter with Coulter & Associates.
The home hit the market in mid-January, just before Mr. Obama left office and headed to Coachella Valley on vacation.
Buettner envisioned a "tennis oasis," a desire sparked by meeting and making a lifelong friend of tennis pro Jack Kramer. He installed a lighted tennis court not at the fringes of the property, as is the norm, but smack in the middle with all five homes surrounding it. There, he tried his hand against Kramer as well other sports bigwigs like NFL football coach Chuck Knox and former Los Angeles Rams quarterback Pat Haden, according to the listing agents.
The compound is also adjacent to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
As for the homes, each has its own private address, driveway and garage; there are three three-bedroom homes and two two-bedroom homes, many aspects of which were devised by late Palm Springs interior designer and artist Donald Lloyd Smith. In total, there are 14 bathrooms, including his-and-her baths in the largest home’s master suite. Two of the homes have fireplaces.
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Smith, who designed the home of Liberace and worked on the interiors of a number of high-end resorts and hotels in the valley, has a handful of artwork hanging in the five residences.
The property also houses a pool, hot tub and dozens of citrus trees.
The Buettners have decided to sell the home because it’s getting too hard to gather the family together at their Coachella retreat, the listing agents said.