Republican presidential nominee John McCain took a lot of ribbing a week ago when he botched the question, “How many houses do you and Mrs. McCain have?” His answer landed somewhere between “I don’t know” and “I’ll have my staff get that for you.”
In his defense, McCain couldn’t give a straight answer because it’s complicated. One main reason is because his wife, Cindy Hensley McCain, the multi-millionaire beer distributor heiress (she’s a Budweiser gal), is the one with all the money and the houses (they are under holding companies or trusts controlled by Cindy). Also, they have purchased a couple of condos in the same buildings and in one case, combined them into one uber property, which also leads to the confusion. Even media sites and blogs are at odds:
New York Times: 11
Politico: 8
Politifact: 7 8
The Swamp: 8
Washington Post: 6
So, their real estate empire is a bit difficult to sort out. But, here’s an attempt to break it down, state-by-state:
ARIZONA
(3 properties):
2211 Camelback Rd., Phoenix, AZ
Unit 1105 and 1106
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Overview: This is a 12-story luxury condo complex with 90 units in the Biltmore area of Phoenix known as “The Residences at 2211 Camelback.” Self-described as “a sanctuary within the heart of the city’s preferred cultural district, teeming with couture boutique shopping, exquisite dining, world-class resorts and spas, championship golf, and a liberal array of fine and performing arts venues - heralds Phoenix’s newest landmark of sophisticated urban living.”
The Scoop: This 7,000-sq-ft home is considered to be the McCain’s primary residence. They purchased a high-floor apartment for $4.67 million in October 2006 and then, another unit was purchased for $830,000 in Aug. 2007 and the two units (1105 and 1106) were combined. This combination could add to the confusion as to how many homes the McCains own.
4326 N 25th St, Unit 102, Phoenix, AZ
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Overview: Known as the Biltmore Lofts, these are described as “ultra-modern architectural design.”
The Scoop: According to property records from Maricopa County, Arizona, the McCains purchased this loft (with cash) for $700,000 in June 2007 for their daughter, Meghan (who writes McCainBloggette.com) before they put it on the market for $730,000. It’s owned by Wild River LLC, and is listed as rental property on McCain’s 2008 Senate Financial Disclosure Report.
11455 E Hidden Valley Ranch Rd., Sedona, AZ
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Overview: Regarded as McCain’s answer to W’s Crawford ranch, this retreat is where McCain likes to barbecue, ride ATVs, and generally spend time wining and dining guests.
The Scoop: The McCain ranch poses a dilemma to document since public records for Yavapai County, Arizona, show three adjacent parcels that belong to the “Cindy Hensley McCain Family Trust” including parcel 407-24-004P and 407-24-004H and 407-24-004L. While it is referred to as his ranch in Sedona, many dispute it by saying it’s actually located in Cornville, AZ, or Page Springs, AZ.
See more Cornville, AZ, real estate
See more Sedona, AZ real estate
CALIFORNIA
(3 properties):
8263 Camino Del Oro (Unit 379), La Jolla, CA 92037
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Overview: This property is held in the Hensley Survivors Trust, according to public records.
The Scoop: This is the property where the McCains ran into tax trouble by failing to pay their tax bill for four years. Our Zestimate values it at $963,000 (as of Aug. 26). According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the 1,429-square-foot condo has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a two-car garage, and was built in 1972. County tax records indicate Cindy McCain’s parents, the Hensleys, bought it new. Also, the condo has an annual tax obligation of $1,574 because it is assessed at $140,855, a value kept low by tax-limiting Proposition 13.
1710 Avenida Del Mundo, Coronado, CA 92118
(Units #802 and #204 — for sale!)
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Overview: This monstrous complex, called the Coronado Shores Condominium Association, sits right on the beach and consists of 10 buildings, each 15 stories high with as many as 140 units in each structure.
The Scoop: According to PolitiFact.com and McCainvMinnesota.com, the McCains own two condominums in the complex under the name Dream Catcher Family LLC. One unit (#802) was purchased in 2004 for $2.6 million and the second unit (#204) was purchased in March 2008 for $2.1 million. What’s interesting is that unit 204 appears to be for sale, with the sale including unit 205, which is owned by the Stephen F. Kasbeer Trust, the same folks who sold unit 204 to the McCains. Here’s a Prudential, CA, video tour of the property. (Looks like Kasbeer and his wife donated some money to McCain in 2000).
VIRGINIA
(1 property):
1300 Crystal Dr (#1702S), Arlington, VA 22202
See condos for sale at 1300 Crystal Dr, Arlington, VA
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Overview: Yes — yet another condo and one would imagine, the place where John McCain holes up when he’s in town doing his work on Capitol Hill as a U.S. Senator.
The Scoop: According to public records, this 2,089-sq-ft, three-bed, three-bath condo was purchased by the Cindy Hensley McCain Trust back in 1993 for $375,000. Our Zestimate is $883,000.
CINDY McCAIN’s CHILDHOOD HOME
7110 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85020
While the McCains no longer own this home, it is worth noting due to its celebrated history. According to an AZcentral.com article by Wall Street Journal’s Christina S.N. Lewis, this was Cindy McCain’s childhood home and the home the McCain family shared for 20 years. The McCains sold it in 2006 for $3.2 million to real estate investor Jane Popple. It is now listed for sale for $12 million. Yowza! Architectural Digest did a big photo spread of this McCain residence back in 2005. In the master bedroom, the initials “MC,” for “McCain,” were hand-carved into a mantelpiece, which was made in Guadalajara.
So, there you have it, 7 homes owned by the McCains — that we know of — with two for sale.
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