Larry Page drops $173M on Miami mansions amid California billionaire exodus trend as wealth tax looms
Google co-founder and billionaire Larry Page has solidified his move out of the Golden State, as he reportedly purchased two Miami-area homes for a combined $173.4 million.
People familiar with the situation exclusively told the Wall Street Journal that Page paid $101.5 million in December for a waterfront, compound-like property that was the previous home of the late restaurateur Jonathan Lewis. Then, on Jan. 5, he bought a nearby home for $71.9 million from heiress Sloan Lindemann Barnett and her husband.
The Journal also cited sources who said Page’s Google counterpart, Sergey Brin, is in discussions about a Miami home purchase.
"When a billion-dollar-level buyer makes a move like this, it tells you everything you need to know: Miami is the upgrade. It's both a lifestyle play and a financial strategy," Douglas Elliman’s Dina Goldentayer told Fox News Digital.
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"Billionaires from California and New York are done with high taxes and heavy regulation. They want privacy, efficiency and freedom," she continued. "Miami gives them all of that, plus world-class living. Deals like this just reinforce that Miami is the place high-net-worth individuals choose when they want it all."
The buys back up Page’s recent exit from California, as the clock ticks on the state’s billionaires who may soon be facing a proposed wealth tax.
Public filings reviewed by Fox News Digital earlier this week from the California Secretary of State’s office show several business entities linked to Page were moved out of the state in December, ahead of the Jan. 1, 2026, residency date tied to the proposed tax.
Those filings indicate his family office, Koop LLC, and his influenza research fund, Flu Lab LLC, no longer operate in California, while a flying-car venture, One Aero, now lists its primary address in Florida.
While the initiative has not yet qualified for the November 2026 ballot, the proposal — backed by the Service Employees International Union–United Healthcare Workers West — would impose a one-time 5% tax on the net worth of California residents worth more than $1 billion.
Since the proposed legislation was announced in October, ONE Sotheby’s International Realty saw a 19% increase in web traffic from California, top South Florida agent Michael Martinez told Fox News Digital.
"I’m seeing continued inbound interest from California and the Northeast, with buyers asking for privacy, security and turnkey waterfront or estate properties," he said. "More showings with high-net-worth buyers, more off-market conversations, and buyers [are] moving faster when a truly irreplaceable property becomes available."
"I’m getting calls every day and showing properties consistently to qualified buyers. The newest wave is coming from the West Coast, people who want to get ahead of the proposed California billionaire tax and set themselves up in Florida now," Goldentayer said. "These buyers believe in Miami long-term, and they know inventory of trophy estates is limited."
The compound on Biscayne Bay in Coconut Grove spans 4.5 acres in one of Miami’s most exclusive communities. Realtor.com previously reported that Lewis originally brought together 10 parcels of land in the 1980s to create the estate.
It comprises two primary houses: one with a 1920s Mediterranean style, designed for Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan, and a more modern home built for Lewis’ father in 2002.
The second property was reportedly an off-market sale and sits less than 1 mile away from the compound.
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"A trade like this recalibrates the entire neighborhood as it hits $7,000 per square foot. We’ve seen this in Miami Beach, Bal Harbour, Golden Beach and now we are seeing it in Coconut Grove," Goldentayer noted.
"Coconut Grove is one of the most coveted pockets of Miami for a reason. It’s private, it’s walkable, and it has that old-Miami charm you can’t manufacture," she added. "Camp Biscayne specifically is an ultra-prestigious community where you have access to everything, including incredible restaurants, shops, and schools — yet you’re behind gates with total privacy. The estate offers scale, security and long-term value. That’s exactly what buyers at this level gravitate toward."