politics
Luxury Home Builder Reports Influx of California Billionaires Relocating to South Florida
High-end builder Manny Angelo Vargas reports an enormous influx of inquiries, purchases and relocations from California as a proposed 5% wealth tax heads to the November ballot. South Florida has drawn figures including Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg, with clients requesting biophilic designs, wellness features and advanced security.
New York PostAudio version
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Manny Angelo Vargas, a builder of custom homes for billionaires and celebrities, told The Post he is seeing an enormous influx of inquiries, purchases and relocations from California. Vargas has built projects for Lil Wayne and Rick Ross and is actively working on projects with half a dozen billionaire families.
There are about a dozen total billionaires that are eyeing opportunities for land acquisitions or home remodels in South Florida, he added.
5 million signatures. Vargas said the billionaire tax was the breaking point of California being anti-business and anti-billionaire. As much as $1 trillion in total wealth has left California starting late last year according to one estimate.
South Florida offers the right mix of weather, privacy, culture and low taxes according to Vargas. Jeff Bezos owns a mega-compound in the Indian Creek gated community in Miami. Mark Zuckerberg purchased a mansion in Indian Creek for $170 million.
California expats are obsessed with biophilic designs that combine indoor and outdoor elements. Most-requested features from California expats include massive walls of plants, koi ponds, garden terraces and underwater art installations. Wellness-obsessed California billionaires request home saunas, cold plunges and carefully controlled humidity.
Vargas said clients want nature and organic materials, wellness and health features, integrating tele-health monitors and systems into gyms. Clients want to invite friends for integrated saunas, cold plunges, and on-site padel courts. Vargas has built custom homes worth as much as $150 million.
