Did Obama Buy 'Magnum, P.I.' House in Hawaii?

The lavish Honolulu "Magnum, P.I." home may be the landing pad for President Barack Obama once he's finished living in the White House, after the famous property was sold for $8.7 million in a mysterious deal involving one of the president's prominent friends and a key donor.

The White House insists Obama isn't a party in the deal for the beachfront property on the southeast coast of Oahu to a group called Waimanalo Paradise LLC, reports Fox affiliate KHON.

Listing agent Mary Worrall, who sold the home on the behalf of the family that had owned it since it was built back in the 1930s, told KHON that all parties in the transaction had to sign confidentiality agreements, so she could not disclose who was buying the property and what their plans were for it.

But a review of the deed and mortgage showed the buyer is a limited liability company, Waimanalo Paradise, which was formed just last month. The contact and mailing address for the company is Chicago attorney Seth Madorsky, a top Obama donor.

In addition, the papers were signed by Judy Grimanis, who is an executive assistant at a private capital firm in Chicago run by Obama friend and frequent golfing partner Marty Nesbitt. Grimanis' name also popped up as that of a person who had worked for companies owned by Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker.

Nesbitt told KHON that he is the "sole purchaser and did not have any partners or co-investors in the transaction."

The mortgage was then transferred to a Colorado company, Hoaloha Holdings, another LLC set up last month, for a $9.5 million note, about a million dollars more than the sale price, signaling that extra may have been borrowed for renovations to the landmark property.

The house, "Pahonu," was built in 1933, reports Politico, and was called "Robin's Nest" on the famous 1980s TV show, where it was used as the fictional home of red Ferrari-driving private investigator Thomas Magnum, played by famously mustachioed Tom Selleck.

The property features a restricted beach, with a home that has five bedrooms, five-and-a-half bathrooms, a four-car garage, tennis courts, and even a turtle pond, according to its listing on Zillow.

The house, though, is in visible need of repairs, reports ABC affiliate KITV.

Residents of Waimanalo, the area where the property is located, have mixed feelings about the rumors that the Obamas may be moving into their neighborhood in a few years, even though they are used to tourists coming to look at the famous house.

"We enjoy this. I don't know if it will be the same. If it's the same, it's all good," Waimanalo resident Uncle Nawai told KITV. However, he's worried about the impact his possible new neighbor could have.

"He's going to be protected by the Secret Service all the time, there will be all kinds of traffic woes," said Nawai.

Waimanalo resident Lee Siegel said he and others are also wondering about the security situation that could surround the Obamas.

"People are wondering what the security situation will be like, and will they be stopped every time they come home," he said. "I'm thrilled about it. I'm a fan. I think it is great, not just for Waimanalo and me, but for the state."

There is also a lot of speculation going on about the changes coming to the famous property, where property owner Eve Anderson moved out this past weekend.

"She moved out this weekend, probably to prepare for fixing things up — like putting in a basketball court and a heliport," said Siegel.

The purchases of post-presidential homes are often handled by the leaders' friends, reports Politico. When former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura bought their Dallas home, the sale was made through his personal accountant, Robert McCleskey, a longtime friend from Midland, Texas.

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Did Obama Buy 'Magnum, P.I.' House in Hawaii?

Sandy Fitzgerald ✉

Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.

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