They say, “Home is where your story begins,” and President Donald Trump’s story began in a modest Tudor-style house in Queens, where he lived until the age of four. Back in 2017, this now-famous Trump birth home sold for $2.14 million, more than double the average price of comparable homes in the area. “The value is intangible, it’s not about the house or the bricks or the lot size,” said Misha Haghani, principal of Paramount Realty USA.
While Trump’s significance has soared over the years, the same cannot be said about his childhood home. Built in 1940 by his father, the property recently sold for just $835,000, less than half its 2017 sale price. The five-bedroom home, once filled with early Trump family memories, now stands neglected and overrun by feral cats.
Crowdfunding campaigns and failed attempts to turn the home into a tourist attraction only worsened its fate, ultimately leading to a steep devaluation. According to The Economic Times, the house at 85-15 Wareham Place is now undergoing a gut renovation by a new owner known for flipping properties.
“A beautiful house was left abandoned, and no one took care of it for all this time. No one occupied it, no one used it, and it was left as an eyesore. We, the community, had to take care of it,” a local resident told The New York Post. As the 47th president of the United States, Trump has moved on to greener pastures, and whiter houses. He’s long upgraded from his humble beginnings to the palatial 1920s-era Mar-a-Lago estate, and of course, the White House itself.
Trump’s royal admiration: A “Nice house” moment in Qatar
On a recent visit to Qatar, the 78-year-old real estate tycoon, who owns a sprawling global portfolio, appeared enamored by the palatial residences of Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Despite owning several Trump Towers in countries like the U.S., India, the Philippines, Turkey, and Uruguay, Trump was visibly captivated by the grandeur of the Al Wajba Palace. It is, after all, the possession of one of the world’s wealthiest families, the Al Thanis, worth $325 billion.
Located in Doha’s Al Rayyan area, Al Wajba is a premier royal residence of the ruling Al Thani family. It once served as the retirement home of former ruler HH Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Emir. With its pristine white façade, glittering chandeliers, soaring ceilings, polished marble floors, and traditional Mashrabiya lattice screens, the palace is a masterclass in Arabian opulence. It also features retractable skylights and bullet-proof glass, blending modern security with architectural heritage.
During his private tour of the palace, Trump was personally guided by the 44-year-old Emir. At one point, the former U.S. President reportedly quipped, “Nice house.” This palatial venue has hosted luminaries including Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall in 2013 and was the site of the wedding of Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, Qatar’s Minister of Interior, in December 2024. For a man known for his love of grandiosity and gilded aesthetics, Al Wajba’s extravagance was undeniably Trump-approved.
