Believe it or not, Jared Kushner gives his father-in-law, former president Donald Trump, a run for his money when it comes to real estate, and then some! As well as his stake in his family's $7 billion (£5.8bn) property business, which boasts everything from luxe townhouses to sprawling office complexes in New York and beyond, Kushner has amassed an enviable personal portfolio with his wife, Ivanka Trump, too. Click or scroll on and let's take an in-depth look at the former White House advisor's remarkable rise to property moguldom and check out his many holdings over the years...
Jared Kushner was born on 10 January 1981 in Livingston, an affluent New Jersey locale around 20 miles from New York City. The eldest child of wealthy Garden State property developer Charles Kushner and his socialite wife Seryl, Jared enjoyed a privileged upbringing alongside siblings Joshua, Nicole and Dara.
Not long after his first child was born, Charles dropped $60,000 (£50k) on this stone and wood new-build in the Rikers area of Livingston, that's around $203,000 in today's money. The seven-bedroom, seven-bathroom home would prove ideal for the growing family. Rocking an airy open-plan design, the spacious property is kitted out with a grand entry hall, enormous living spaces and a whole lot more besides.
Pictured in 2022, the sunken family room, which had a cream carpet and beige sofa when the Kushners were in residence, looks dated now, as does the rest of the mansion. Charles eventually sold the property in 2012 for $1.6 million (£1.3m), $395,000 (£325k) short of the asking price, but significantly more than what he paid for it in 1981.
Here's one of the very 80s-looking bedrooms. Raised in the Jewish faith, Jared spent his formative years in Livingston and attended a Modern Orthodox yeshiva high school approximately a 30-minute drive from the Rikers property. But the stone and brick manse wasn't his only childhood home.
Cue the Kushners' Manhattan residence. The plush apartment occupies an entire floor of this postwar co-op at 857 Fifth Avenue on the Upper East Side, overlooking Central Park. Jared cut his political chops in New York City, but actually started out as a staunch Democrat, following in the footsteps of his father, who hobnobbed with the likes of Bill and Hillary Clinton and Al Gore.
In fact, Jared's first ever political donation, which he made in 1992 at the age of 11 no less, was to the Democratic Party. A year later, his parents bought this seven-bedroom, seven-bathroom beach mansion on the Jersey Shore for $760,000 (£625k). Jared's third childhood home, which is reportedly still owned by his folks, is now worth $11.3 million (£9.3m) according to Zillow.
After graduating from the Frisch School in 1999, Jared went to Harvard to study government, despite his reportedly lacklustre grades and SAT scores. During his time at the university, Jared lived in Kirkland House, one of the college's 12 undergrad residences. His admission to the top college raised eyebrows since his father, Charles, is said to have pledged a donation of $2.5 million (£2.1m) the year prior to his son's enrolment. Risa Heller, a spokeswoman for Kushner Companies, rejected any inference of wrongdoing when bribery allegations resurfaced in 2016.
Jared graduated from Harvard in 2003 and made a beeline for New York City, moving into a rental apartment in the Hilary Gardens high-rise at 300 Mercer Street with his Harvard roommate, Nitin Saigal. Situated in the Noho part of Greenwich Village, the building is packed with five-star amenities, including a fabulous rooftop pool.
The apartment would have looked something like this, not bad for student digs. Eyeing up a law career, Jared Kushner enrolled on New York University's joint JD/MBA programme. But the postgrad student's destiny was turned upside down in 2005 when his father was sentenced to two years in prison for tax evasion, illegal campaign contributions and witness tampering. Charles was pardoned by President Trump in 2020.
Jared took over the running of his dad's real estate empire, Kushner Companies, which had been going since the 1980s, abandoning his legal ambitions to concentrate 100% on property. Jared moved the focus of the business from New Jersey to New York City and began making a number of headline-grabbing acquisitions, including the New York Observer newspaper.
Jared snapped up the publication in 2006 for $10 million (£8.2m). Yet the purchase was small-fry compared to the novice real estate tycoon's next major acquisition. In January 2007, Kushner Companies bagged Manhattan's imposing 666 Fifth Avenue skyscraper for a staggering $1.8 billion (£1.5bn), smashing the record for the highest price paid for an office building in the US at the time.
Jared had certainly arrived, but purchasing the address at what soon turned out to be a thoroughly unfortunate time (right before the economy crashed) proved to be a costly mistake. The ground lease for the unlucky tower was unceremoniously offloaded by Kushner Companies in 2018 for just under $1.3 billion (£1.1bn), though ownership of the land was retained. It has since been renumbered 660 Fifth Avenue.
Shortly after he bought 666 Fifth Avenue, Jared met his future wife Ivanka Trump at a business lunch in the Prime Grill Steakhouse opposite Trump Tower. The duo instantly hit it off and began dating, becoming a serious item in next to no time. Here, they are with mutual friend Jason Binn at the Met Gala in May 2007.
Jared officially assumed the role of CEO in 2008, managing the Kushner firm's ever-growing portfolio, including the landmark Puck Building, which had been acquired by his father in the 1980s. The rookie real estate mogul oversaw a complete overhaul of the historic Nolita block, installing six penthouses, one of which is now occupied by Jared's brother Joshua, his supermodel wife Karlie Kloss and their son, Levi.
In April 2009, Jared bought his first home. Described by the listing agent as a "sexy apartment," it's a two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom loft in Noho's handsome 21 Astor Place building. Funnily enough, it closely resembles the Puck and is literally a block away from his shared Mercer Street apartment. The real estate boss paid $3.2 million (£2.6m) for the unit.
The 2,042-square-foot duplex has all the trappings of the quintessential Manhattan loft with high ceilings, exposed brick walls and a roomy open-plan layout, which is punctuated by an array of cool features, including floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and a statement designer staircase in shiny steel.
Among the other standout features of the apartment is the sleek kitchen with its minimal cabinetry, marble countertops and top-end appliances, a state-of-the-art surround sound system and a unique arched window. By the time he'd bought the loft, Jared's relationship with Ivanka had moved to the next level, though the duo had been through a rocky patch and split up briefly in 2008. Jared reportedly stated in his 2022 book that this was due to Ivanka not being Jewish.
Ivanka eventually converted to Judaism and the couple got engaged in July 2009. Keeping things super-traditional, the pair continued to live in separate apartments, but in the meantime, Jared converted the upper-level den into a capacious closet for his fiancée, as reported in The Wall Street Journal.
The duo walked down the aisle on 25 October 2009. Their picture-perfect wedding was held at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey and was a lavish, star-studded affair. Ivanka wore a custom Vera Wang dress and the guestlist included Natalie Portman, who was one of Jared's Harvard classmates, as well as big names like Anna Wintour and Rupert Murdoch.
The newlyweds were gifted a bijou cottage in the grounds of the Bedminster Golf Club and the property has since become one of their favourites. Ivanka has posted a number of pics of the house on her Instagram over the years. This snap is from 2013. Given the cottage was pretty basic and crying out for an overhaul, the pair embarked on a much-needed renovation.
In 2015, the couple were given permission to expand the property by 2,500 square feet. A basement and side extension were added, along with a fireplace, sitting room and chimney. Ivanka documented the project on her Instagram, posting some shots of the end results, including this one of the homely stone fireplace, which makes the room look wonderfully cosy and inviting.
Jared and Ivanka appear to have further extended the enchanting property, which seems to be morphing from a dinky cottage into a veritable mini-mansion. In 2020, the couple applied for permission to expand the master suite, create two new bedrooms, a study and more, according to The New York Times.
Following their wedding, the couple set up home in Jared's loft, but by the time their first child Arabella was born in July 2011, the duo and their daughter were happily ensconced in a far more spacious and family-friendly four-bedroom penthouse in the Trump Park Avenue building. Jared had sold the loft in May of that year for just over $3.9 million (£3.2m).
The couple either leased the 4,164-square-foot property or were granted free use of it by the Trump Organization, according to a Forbes investigation and New York City records. Interior designer Kelly Behun was roped in to makeover the apartment in a relaxed “modern warm” style. Ivanka showcased the refresh in Elle Decor in 2012 and has posted a ton of pictures of the penthouse on her Instagram over the years.
Jared and Ivanka welcomed their second child, Joseph, in 2013, and Theo was born in 2016. The family of five vacated the plush penthouse in early 2017 and sold it to a woman with links to the Chinese state for an inflated $15.9 million (£13.1m), as reported by Forbes. While it raised eyebrows, the transaction was cleared by an external ethics counsel.
Returning to Jared's business dealings, the hotshot real estate head-honcho got to work in 2012 expanding the family firm's Manhattan portfolio, paying $58 million (£48m) for eight hip walk-ups in Soho and the East and West Villages. Further major purchases followed and today, Kushner Companies owns scores of historic apartment buildings across New York City.
In 2013, Jared cinched what Bloomberg described as the firm's most iconic purchase since 666 Fifth Avenue, the cluster of four Jehovah's Witnesses Watchtower buildings in the Dumbo neighbourhood of Brooklyn, which set back Kushner Companies $340 million (£280m). The complex went on to be converted into a tech hub and now houses Etsy's HQ, WeWork office space and more.
The property development side of the business was becoming ever more ambitious and in 2014, Kushner Companies kicked off construction of its first-ever skyscraper, the luxury 53-storey Trump Bay Street residential tower in Jersey City. The building, which has since been renamed 65 Bay Street, was completed in 2016 at a cost of $225 million (£185m) and stands alongside the lookalike Trump Plaza.
In 2015, Kushner Companies paid $296 million (£243m) for a 250,000-square-foot retail condo in this venerable Times Square building, which was the HQ of The New York Times newspaper from 1913 to 2007. Controversially, the firm moved towards foreclosing on the property in 2021 and the building has since disappeared from its website.
The financial health of Kushner's companies has been called into question on numerous occasions. Everything from the extent to which the firm actually owns the properties on its books to how it finances its projects has been questioned, while Jared's management of the business has been widely criticised. Vanity Fair has even gone as far as to label him "the world's worst real estate investor".
Following the election of his father-in-law as US president in January 2017, Jared, now a staunch MAGA Republican, landed a senior White House advisor position and resigned as CEO of Kushner Companies to take up a role in Trump's government in Washington, DC. Ivanka also scored a senior advisor job and the couple moved with their kids to the nation's capital, setting up home in this historic Waddy Wood mansion in upscale Kalorama.
Located a stone's throw away from the Obamas' post-White House home, the elegant six-bedroom, six-and-a-half-bathroom mansion was designed in 1923 by distinguished architect Waddy Wood, hence the name. Rather than purchase the 7,699-square-foot manse, the couple chose to rent it. Over the course of its history, the property had been home to a senator, a fur heiress, a top naval officer, among other VIPs.
After serving as the residence for the ambassador of Gabon, the mansion was extensively remodelled in 2016 by DC architect Christian Zapatka, according to The Washington Post. The designer kept things minimal with a grey colour scheme throughout and tastefully understated furnishings, effortlessly fusing contemporary décor with period touches. During his time in DC, Jared's varied White House role under the Trump administration ranged from acting as Middle East peace envoy to COVID czar.
The family made the place their own, if this pic is anything to go by, though their time at the property came to an end when Jared's father-in-law lost the election in 2020. The family promptly moved out of the Kalorama mansion, making a beeline for Miami, and the historic home was listed for rent at a pricey $18,000 (£15k) a month. While his father-in-law, Donald Trump, announced a new bid for the presidency in November 2022, both Jared and Ivanka have seemingly distanced themselves from his campaign and the political sphere. In an open letter, Ivanka said: "I am choosing to prioritize my young children and the private life we are creating as a family."
Jared and Ivanka have also been conspicuously absent throughout Trump's mounting legal woes, in spite of Jared's previous role as one of Trump's trusted senior advisors. The former president was arraigned in court in Miami on 13 June 2023 over the classified files scandal, but there was no sign of Ivanka or Jared, despite the fact they live just a 30-minute drive from the courthouse. The couple now seems very family-focused as they prepare to move into their new home.
A month before the family vacated the DC property, Jared and Ivanka parted with around $32.2 million (£26.5m) to secure a 1.8-acre waterfront plot on Miami's private Indian Creek Island, a high-security enclave dubbed the "Billionaire Bunker". It's thought that the pair are planning a grand home build on the site. The couple bought the parcel from Spanish singer Julio Iglesias, who is a major landowner on the island. Newly divorced former power couple Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen also own land on the island.
Clearly realising they didn't want to wait years for their dream home, Jared and Ivanka dug deep in April 2021 and paid $24 million (£19.7m) for this spectacular eight-bedroom, eight-and-a-half-bathroom neo-classical palazzo-style mansion on Indian Creek Island, opposite the plot they'd bought in December 2020.
The estate had been on the market for six months before Jared and Ivanka got hold of the deeds. The original listing photos are really quite something, from the shots of the exterior, which seriously impresses with a resort-style swimming pool, reflecting pools and perfectly manicured gardens, to the gorgeous interior pics. Just check out the ravishing double staircase and domed ceiling.
Though the manse was turnkey-ready when it was listed, it had since deteriorated into something of a fixer-upper. Consequently, Jared and Ivanka decided to give the property a total remodel and the project appears to be nearing completion. Interestingly, however, in his professional life, Jared has seemingly turned his back on real estate. While he continues to own a large stake in the family business, he decided against returning to his Kushner Companies CEO role after leaving politics and has instead set up a private equity fund.
Jared and Ivanka certainly seem to be embracing their fresh start after the White House. In early 2021, with their dream home build and renovation project still pending, the couple needed a stop-gap home and ended up opting for a rental apartment in the super-stylish Arte Building. The pyramid-shaped residence is located in Miami's Surfside neighbourhood, which is within walking distance of Indian Creek Island and has just 16 units in total. Rent-wise, tenants appear to pay through the nose. The average rent in the building hovers at around $40,000 (£33k) per month according to CNN.
Each of the units offers private lift access, penthouse-style wraparound terraces, top-end kitchens with Gaggenau appliances and other premium features, while the building's amenities, which include two pools, a yoga studio and a meditation pond, are second to none. However, Jared and Ivanka's condo hit the real estate market in early 2023 and according to The Real Deal, it sold for a hefty $17 million (£14m) and the new landlord took over their lease, which reportedly ended in March 2023.
As recently as August 2023, the couple was seen inspecting their Miami property, checking in on the ongoing – though apparently nearly completed – renovations. As Trump’s legal and political battles continue to heat up, it remains to be seen how much of a haven from the media fallout their new Miami pad will prove to be. In spite of his distancing from Trump’s campaign, Kushner was recently quoted as saying, “My hope and prayers are that President Trump is re-elected and that he’s able to then restore calm and peace and prosperity to the world,” suggesting that perhaps Kushner’s political ties to the former president are not as dormant as we have been led to believe.
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