Do You Care How Many Homes Your Presidential Candidate Owns?

How several houses do the 2020 Presidential candidates own? Follow-up: Is this going to sway your vote?


The topic came up while in the ninth Democratic presidential primary debate, once former Mayor Michael Bloomberg attempted to swipe at Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders for owning three homes. It was a fact that Sanders conceded as a matter of practicality: He has one in Washington, D.C., As soon as he's on the Hill, one in Burlington, VT, as well as a summer residence. Hey, Bernie needs a vacation, too!


Bloomberg, for his part, mentioned he has one house in New York City. He owns a townhouse on the Upper East Side, and in 2016, Curbed reported that the former mayor has been steadily purchasing units in the townhouse next door. According to the New York Times, his one (1!) Residence spans at least an estimated 12,500 square feet; by contrast, the average New York City apartment is 700 square feet or less.


Former Mayor Pete Buttigieg also touted his status as a homeowner, by highlighting his single residence in South Bend, Indiana. (His monthly mortgage payment? A chill $450, which is half the cost of the average monthly mortgage payment In the
U.S.) Although the only millennial candidate is also an outlier among his generation: Young folks are owning homes at far lower rates than the generations before them, for pretty predictable reasons. Despite rising student debt, wages have stayed relatively stagnant for decades. And while plenty of young folks are being priced out of too-expensive cities, so are longtime residents affected by gentrification.


So what is a young person with HGTV dreams to do? For starters, don't be afraid to categorize the avocado toast: In the long run, that appetizing moment of joy isn't going to ding your net worth all that much. Plenty of candidates have plans to erase or ease student cash advance debt, help small firm owners, and level the economic playing field for the rest of us.


As for President Donald Trump? Well, there's the New York penthouse, the estate in New Jersey, the three houses in Palm Beach, Florida, and — oh, yeah, the White Residence, just to name a number of. However if there was a key takeaway from debate night, it's this: Each Democratic candidate is exceedingly ready to take that residence off his hands in November.