The Bellevue, Washington, home where Jeff Bezos launched Amazon from his garage went under contract thanks to some smart, old-fashioned marketing from a real estate agent.
The immaculate garage of the renovated three-bedroom, two-bathroom home features a replica of Bezos' famous handwritten company logo from the 1990s, an idea hatched by real estate agents Lin Sheng and Mina Chang of Sea to Sky Realty in hopes of attracting buyers to the house, which Bezos reportedly once rented for $890 a month. Bezos set up a home office in the garage, making it Amazon's first official headquarters. Today, Amazon is one of the most recognizable brands in e-commerce.
The real estate agent memorialized the home with a life-size replica of the blue “Amazon.com” sign, as well as historic photos of Bezos and framed photographs and newspaper articles highlighting Amazon's roots and future success.
The 1,540-square-foot house was originally built in 1954 and remodeled and modernized in 2001. Bezos himself probably wouldn't recognize it from the time he lived there. But despite upgraded finishes and features, the garage remains a modest harbinger of historical significance. Now a trillion-dollar company, Amazon hasn't forgotten its humble beginnings. The company recently recreated the garage where it was founded. “While our operations and inventory are quite different today, we didn't want to forget our roots,” the company said. The garage replica features a simple wooden desk, equipped with a bulky 1990s computer and scattered with office supplies. A blue, hand-painted “Amazon.com” sign hangs in the background.
Bezos also frequently speaks about Amazon's first office, which he built in his garage, and shared a recent Instagram post of the space back in the fall, giving a glimpse inside.
The home, which went on the market in mid-January for $2.28 million, has attracted dozens of people, mostly tourists, curious to take photos of the items on display in the garage, the agent says. “The Amazon connection and history is definitely what initially sparks buyer interest,” Shen says. “But in my opinion, the ultimate real buyer interest is rather the location, redevelopment potential and real estate prospects in downtown Bellevue.”
Moving forward, Bezos has shown his love for real estate over the past three decades. He is reportedly worth more than $500 million and recently purchased two multi-million dollar mansions in Miami, where he recently relocated, according to Architectural Digest magazine. In 2021, he purchased the most expensive home in the United States: a $78 million, 14-acre estate in Maui, Hawaii. Bezos also owns homes in California, the District of Columbia, New York, Texas, and Washington.
Tour the inside of Bezos' original residence, albeit a heavily renovated version of his former Bellevue home.