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Published on November 18, 2024
Governor Newsom Purchases $9M Kentfield Estate Amid Mixed Local ReactionsSource: Government of California, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Governor Gavin Newsom and his family have purchased a new property in the affluent town of Kentfield in Marin County, paying around $9 million which is significantly above the median price for homes in the area, this can be seen as especially notable given the home's features and locational desirability. The 5,609-square-foot residence at 224 Woodland Road boasts six bedrooms and five and a half bathrooms. It is described as having a "sleek design, a coveted location, and resort-like grounds," according to a listing on Compass. Known for its privacy and serenity, this luxurious home offers expansive views of Mount Tamalpais and includes amenities such as a swimming pool and spa, perfect for California's modernist lifestyle.

The Newsoms had the home bought through an LLC, a common practice for purchases of this caliber, and the address of the gated estate is kept confidential due to security reasons; the privacy is further assured by the estate's location in the "coveted flats of Kent Woodlands," an area well-known for its high-profile residents, which was a detail shared by Compass. This area, while once considered secondary to nearby Ross, now attracts a mixture of celebrities, tech industry magnates, and venture capitalists, and it has top-tier public schools that presumably played a role in the Newsoms' decision to relocate, as their four children are enrolled in Marin County schools, as reported by SFGATE. Kentfield, particularly the Kent Woodlands area, has become more than just a "divorced stepchild of Ross," said William Barrett, a real estate agent in West Marin, as per The San Francisco Standard.

Following Newsom's sale of his previous Kentfield home in May 2021, the family's decision to stake a claim in Marin County again is part of a continued trend of California governors maintaining residencies outside of the state capital. Gavin Newsom's office has stated that despite the new acquisition, the family will continue dividing their time between Sacramento and Marin counties, which enables the governor to work seven days a week throughout the state, according to SFGATE.