Trump’s Notorious Mar-A-Lago Estate Listed as Sold for $422 Million “Was Incorrect” Admits Zillow, but Was the Listing Accidental or Politically Motivated?

Jo ShawOct 15, 2023

Minute Read

Speculation arose following a Zillow update, which allegedly suggested that former President Donald J. Trump had sold Mar-a-Lago for $422 million. The listing on Zillow’s website initially showed the sale of a 5,061-square-foot residence in Palm Beach, Florida, on Friday, August 4

Zillow Admits Listing Was “Incorrect”

However, Zillow has since backtracked and issued a statement that the listing was “incorrect.” According to Zillow’s website, the property last changed hands in 1995 for $12,000,000.

Mar-A-Lago Has Not Been Sold, Stated Eric Trump

Image Credit: Joseph Sohm / Shutterstock.

Only a few hours after the report, Trump’s son, Eric Trump, released a statement, “Mar-a-Lago has not been sold nor will it ever be. This rumor is asinine.” The notorious estate has been in the public eye many times for various reasons. Now, rumors are circulating that the property was transferred or sold to a company that Donald Jr., Trump’s son, owns.

Zillow Corrected Listing

After Zillow corrected the listing, a spokesperson working for the company released the following statement, “Zillow strives for accuracy on our site, and if we become aware of inaccurate information, we will update it immediately. After an investigation, it appears that the information provided was incorrect. We’ve corrected the information on this property.”

The Property Was Not Listed Under the Name Mar-A-Lago

Trump’s home, however, was not listed by Zillow as “Mar-a-Lago,” The listing just included the address of Trump’s Palm Beach residence. The information provided on Zillow states the property’s most recent sale took place on April 6, 1995, coinciding with the date when Trump converted the residence into the Mar-a-Lago Club. According to Zillow’s records, the property was purchased for $12 million at that time.

Who provides Property Data on Zillow?

But who provided the inaccurate information? As Zillow’s statement said, “…it appears that the information provided was incorrect.” On their website, Zillow stipulates that property data “may’ve been provided by a third party, the homeowner or public records.”

Property Listed Just One Day After Trump Surrendered to Atlanta Authorities

The news of the sale quickly gained widespread attention, primarily because of its timing, occurring just one day after Trump turned himself in to Atlanta authorities on multiple felony charges.

The Timing Struck All of Us

Jason Weisser, a former prosecutor and current partner at Schuler Weisser Zoeller Overbeck & Baxter, told WPTV, “The timing, I think, is something that struck all of us,” “You know, just days before the indictment in Georgia, here you are transferring your Mar-a-Lago property, and you’re transferring it to a company owned by your son.”

Property Has Not Been Transferred

Image Credit: mark reinstein / Shutterstock.

Trump’s son then posted an update on the social media site X, stating, “Zillow has corrected their listing. Mar-A-Lago has not been sold or transferred in any regard.”

There Are Possible Reasons for a Sale

Weisser further told WPTV that there could be possible reasons for a sale if there were any truth to it. “If he feels that there’s a possibility or probability that he might owe a judgment to a creditor, this would be a way that he could move assets so that they couldn’t get that from him,” said Weisser.

Palm Beach County Property Records Show No Sale Since 1995

Property records in Palm Beach County do not indicate any sales of the property since 1995, when Trump transformed it into a club. However, it seems that the company, Mar-a-Lago Club, Inc., is indeed operated by Donald Jr., according to records available on Sunbiz.

Was It a Mistake?

Should the listing be brushed off as a simple mistake? Real estate listings on platforms like Zillow typically necessitate verified documentation and MLS data. The listing seems to have been activated by someone within the company. This then raises concerns about potential vulnerabilities in the platform.

Or Politically Motivated?

Furthermore, Richard Barton, the founder & CEO of Zillow, has a track record of supporting Democratic causes. Will Zillow now lose public trust? Is there any other incorrect or manipulated data, and is their listing data secure?

Mar-A-Lago’s Controversial Past

Mar-a-Lago has a contentious past, marked by events that occurred on the premises, such as allegations of sexual harassment, rape, and the recruitment of young women by Epstein. A lawyer representing the Trump Organization asserted that Trump and Epstein were not friends and did not socialize back in 2016. However, the emergence of photos and video clips depicting the two of them socializing at Mar-a-Lago came to light after Epstein’s arrest in June, which was followed by his apparent suicide in August.

If Walls Could Speak, Mar-A-Lago Would Certainly Have a Lot to Say

In addition to two photos capturing Epstein, Trump, and their companions on February 12, 2000, and another photo taken at the venue in 1997, NBC News unveiled video footage recorded at a 1992 gathering at Mar-a-Lago. This footage showcased Trump, Epstein, and numerous women, including some NFL cheerleaders.

Virginia Roberts Giuffre Says She Was Recruited Directly From Mar-A-Lago

One of Epstein’s accusers, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, claimed she was recruited by his “madam” directly from Mar-a-Lago.

Recruited by Epstein While Working as a Locker Room Attendant

In public statements and court documents, Virginia Roberts Giuffre has asserted that Ghislaine Maxwell recruited her into a sex trafficking operation overseen by Epstein. At the same time, she was employed as a locker room attendant at Mar-a-Lago.

Maxwell Approached Her at Mar-A-Lago

Giuffre, who was 16 at the time, alleges that Maxwell approached her at Mar-a-Lago and persuaded her to provide massages to Epstein at his Palm Beach residence.