Jeff Bezos protégé Andy Jassy, Amazon’s longtime second-in-command and presumptive heir apparent, appears to be following in the footsteps of his internationally famous boss. Quick on the heels of Bezos paying $165 million for Beverly Hills’ iconic Jack Warner estate, the Seattle-based Amazon Web Services CEO and his wife Elana have dropped $6.7 million for a relatively modest L.A. “starter” house in prime Santa Monica, no online coupon clipping or digital deals necessary.
The .2-acre property was not on the market at the time of Jassy’s purchase, but records and dated listings show it includes a Cape Cod-style house with about 5,500 square feet of living space, 4 bedrooms and 5 baths. Built in 2003, the mini-estate last sold in 2014 for $5.5 million to a non-famous businessman.
Beyond a low gate and an attached two-car garage, the front door opens into a cozy foyer and proper center hall layout. Hardwood floors are stained a dark chocolate color, while the library has — or had — wood built-ins painted a deep cherry red. The formal dining room is flooded with natural light through several large windows, and includes walls painted a deep brown and an unusual chandelier also done up in a matching brown.
Other well-scaled public spaces include comfy living and family rooms, each with their own fireplace. The latter space opens directly to the kitchen, which isn’t as big as some might expect in a $6.7 million L.A. home, but does include all the expected stainless appliances and eat-in breakfast bar seating.
Upstairs lie all three of the home’s guest bedrooms, each with their own colorful wallpaper and frilly chandeliers. The master suite, for its part, retains the hardwood flooring found throughout the rest of the home and offers additional luxe amenities — a triple-sided fireplace, separate sitting/office space, private balcony, walk-in closet, and a bathroom with dual vanities and a built-in soaking tub.
Like many properties in tightly-packed but endlessly desirable Santa Monica, the Jassy estate’s backyard is rather small, if simply and elegantly outfitted with a grassy lawn, rectangular plunge pool with inset spa, and a full outdoor kitchen with a built-in BBQ and fireplace that abuts a flagstone patio with ample space for al fresco entertaining.
When they’re not in L.A., the Jassys continue to primarily reside at their longtime Seattle home, a nearly 10,000-square-foot historic landmark in the Capitol Hill neighborhood that dates to 1906 and includes soaring Corinthian columns, clapboard cladding, and Palladian windows. That mansion was acquired by the family in 2009 for $3.1 million, according to records.
Jassy, now in his early 50s, has been with Amazon since 1997 and has served as CEO of the tech conglomerate’s cloud computing arm since 2016, when he was named Financial Times’ person of the year. Often considered Bezos’ most likely successor at the company helm, Jassy is a longtime protégé and mentee of the Amazon founder and world’s richest man.