The Obama family will be moving to Washington, D.C.’s Kalorama neighborhood come January. According to National Journal, the family has opted to rent a stunning historic home, pictured below. They will stay in the District at least until Sasha finishes her last two years at Sidwell Friends School.
“The leafy neighborhood is famous for its historic residences and grand embassies, making it a good fit for the president and first lady, who will need privacy, space for their security detail and easy access to the city’s political movers and shakers,” said Redfin Washington, D.C. agent Steve Centrella. At over 6,000 square feet, the family should have plenty of room to spread out.
The home was last sold in 2014 for about $5.3M, but no word on their monthly rent. At $1.37 million, the median sale price for a Kalorama home is well above the city-wide median of $520,000, but POTUS can afford it if they decided to buy instead of rent. In 2014, Obama had assets of at least $2 million, and that’s a lowball estimate. In addition to his $400,000 annual salary as president, he earned at least $64,000 from book sales. We’ll get an update on his 2015 finances soon.
The Obamas won’t be entirely ensconced among the District’s political elite. The community has apartments and moderately priced condos, too.
But he will have some famous neighbors. Kalorama is a short jaunt from the Clinton’s Washington, D.C., home. Donald Rumsfeld resided here, but the President won’t have to worry about an awkward run in since the Republican former defense secretary sold the property in 2014. The late Senator Ted Kennedy called this White House lookalike home.
Presidents Woodrow Wilson, William Taft, Franklin Roosevelt, Warren Harding and Herbert Hoover were all Kaloramans at some point.
“The neighborhood is primarily residential and ambassadorial, but is close to the more bustling hubs of Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan and Woodley Park,” said Centrella. “There are a few local gems nearby the family might enjoy. Mrs. Obama has been known to grab a coffee at Open City in Woodley Park. Washingtonians might remember that reservations at Mintwood Place became the hottest ticket in town after the Obamas dined there a few years back.”
Steve thinks the President might enjoy So’s Your Mom, an order at the counter deli with top-notch sandwiches. And while the First Lady has the space to tend her own private garden, she might enjoy meeting some neighbors at the Kalorama community garden.
It will be interesting to see how the Obama family adjusts to civilian life. Will they avoid the limelight and enjoy the chance to keep a low profile for a while? Or will they get out and interact with the community – setting trends as they go?
Of course, when it comes time to put down permanent roots– either in Washington, Chicago, Hawaii, or elsewhere– a Redfin agent will be more than happy to help them find their dream home.
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