Although Palm Beach was in all likelihood not the inspiration for Margaritaville, Jimmy and Jane Buffett did live in one of two houses and an empty lot listed collectively earlier this month as a $47.8 million oceanfront compound. For "at least a decade", according to the New York Social Diary, the Buffets—in an historic Federal style Marion Sims Wyeth-designed estate at 540 S. Ocean Boulevard—lived next door to their "elusive" billionaire neighbor Jon L. Stryker. According to real estate records Mr. Stryker lived at 61 Middle Road, another Marion Sims Wyeth design, this time in the Mediterranean Revival style. Anywho, after those ten or so years, Mr. Stryker purchased the Buffets' house for $18.5 million in 2010, and at some point along the way acquired the lot at 530 S. Ocean Boulevard, completing the compound. And only three years later, Stryker's selling the whole spread. Maybe he got bored.
After some scrounging around online, we scored a few photos of 61 Middle Road, one shot of 540 S. Ocean Boulevard thanks to the Palm Beach Daily News, and none of 530 S. Ocean Boulevard because, well, it's an empty lot.
· 540 S. Ocean Boulevard, Palm Beach [Zillow]
· Palm Beach Real Estate Roulette [Palm Beach Daily News]
· The priciest properties in Palm Beach [Palm Beach Daily News]