The sale of President Donald Trump’s childhood home last month marked the end of a long saga for the property.
While it was sold for $835,000, the sale came with a significant loss from its previous sale price of $2.14 million in 2017.
The home, a Tudor-style building in Jamaica Estates, Queens, had fallen into severe disrepair over the last eight years.
What was once a symbol of the Trump family’s roots has now become a neighborhood nightmare.
A Nightmare for Neighbors
Before its recent purchase by Brooklyn-based 1388 Group Inc., the house had been abandoned for several years, much to the distress of the neighbors.
They told Daily Mail about the problems they had endured due to the neglected property, including flooding, power outages, pest problems, and even break-in attempts.
The front yard had become overgrown with weeds, and feral cats had taken over, making life for the nearby residents increasingly unpleasant.
From Family Home to Abandoned Eyesore
Trump lived in the five-bedroom house with his mother and siblings until he was four years old.
Located within a short distance of Manhattan, the house once represented the suburban charm of Jamaica Estates.
However, after multiple ownership changes, the property became a shell of its former self.
Neighbors recalled that the house had not been properly maintained for years, with no one living there to care for it.
The Descent into Chaos
The first signs of trouble came when the 2017 buyers, a company named Trump Birth House LLC, left the house abandoned soon after purchasing it.
According to neighbors, this led to a string of unfortunate events.
One of the most troubling occurred in 2018 when a power outage, stemming from a circuit problem in the house, left many homes in the area without air-conditioning, TV, or internet during a brutal heatwave.
In 2021, a burst water pipe flooded neighboring homes, with one resident recalling how the water damage was so bad that mold grew throughout the affected areas.
Additionally, in 2024, an attempted break-in at the property left some neighbors feeling unsafe.
Security footage showed two men attempting to break into the house, only to flee when they couldn’t get inside.
The Struggle of Concerned Neighbors
Frustrated neighbors took to social media to express their grievances, including one resident who created an account on X to share disturbing photos and videos of the home’s disrepair.
From citations posted on the door to overgrown yards, they hoped to attract a more responsible buyer.
Many neighbors even used their own money to hire landscapers, desperate to restore some order to the mess the house had become.
Longtime resident Deborah Ayala-Braun shared heartbreaking images of the property with Daily Mail, detailing how she had to deal with overgrown weeds and piles of leaves.
She and others considered purchasing the house themselves just to take control of the situation.
As the years passed, they saw their neighborhood’s once-pristine charm deteriorate due to the state of the Trump residence.
A New Chapter with a New Owner
Finally, the property has a new owner, and there are signs of cleanup underway.
Neighbors are hopeful that the new owner, Huisha Zhen, will take better care of the house than the previous owners.
However, the house’s troubled history has left residents skeptical, as they’ve seen this pattern of neglect before.
The Troubling History of the Property
The home’s turbulent history includes numerous ownership changes, including one involving Michael Davis, a real estate developer who sold it to Trump Birth House LLC for $2.14 million in 2017.
The property was briefly turned into an Airbnb, with some guests throwing late-night parties, much to the dismay of the neighbors.
In 2019, attempts to sell the house for $2.9 million failed, and by 2021, a crowdfunding campaign was launched to buy back the house and return it to Trump.
The Gutted House and Uncertain Future
As of March 2025, when Daily Mail visited the property, there were dumpsters filled with debris, and workers were clearing out the house.
Some residents had even observed that dumpsters had already been hauled away, signaling the beginning of major renovations.
Yet, the lack of proper work permits raised concerns among locals, who were skeptical of the new owner’s intentions.
One resident summed it up poignantly, saying that the house was being “gutted the way Trump is gutting America.”
Property Values Plummet Amid Ongoing Turmoil
As the property’s new owners work to clean up the mess left behind, neighbors are left reflecting on how this saga has affected their own homes.
Lucy, a longtime resident, was initially excited about the sale but was soon deflated upon learning the new owner paid far less than expected, causing her property value to drop.
The ongoing decline of the house that once held such significance for Trump’s family continues to weigh heavily on the neighborhood, leaving a trail of frustrated residents in its wake.