Laurene Powell Jobs pays $70 million to break San Francisco house price record

By William Gallagher

Businesswoman and philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs has bought a 100-year-old mansion in San Francisco's Billionaires Row, spending $70 million on the 17,300-square-foot home.

Laurene Powell Jobs speaking at a Recode event (Source: Recode)

Powell Jobs, widow of Steve Jobs, is known for running the Emerson Collective, launching the Steve Jobs Archive, and also for buying The Atlantic magazine. For herself, she's reportedly now set a record for buying the most expensive property in San Francisco.

According to The Real Deal real estate publication, Powell Jobs now owns 2840 Broadway Street in the Pacific Heights region of the city. It was a private sale, and despite setting the record, the $70 million she's paid is significantly under the $100 million price the previous owners wanted.

Those previous owners are believed to have bought the property in 2011 for $33 million. It's a four-story Spanish Renaissance Revival mansion, described by Architecture Digest as "the most beautiful house in America."

There's a two-story glass-covered courtyard, and the north side of the house is four stories of glass. From there, Powell Jobs will be able to see the Golden Gate Bridge.

Doubtlessly factoring in to the asking price was that the house is within walking distance of not one but two Apple Stores. Staff at Apple Chestnut Street, and Apple Union Square will probably be seeing her for Today at Apple sessions.