Rare Private Presidential Home Sold in Princeton

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Grover Cleveland isn’t one of the most renowned leaders in United States history, but a buyer was still willing to pay a pretty penny for the rare opportunity to own a former president’s private residence.

Cleveland’s former home at 15 Hodge Road in Princeton, New Jersey sold for $5.3 million, Mansion Global reported. The sellers listed the home last spring for slightly under $6 million.

Dubbed “Westland,” the property last traded hands a decade ago for $4.3 million. The seller could not be reached for comment by the outlet, while the buyer’s information was not disclosed.

The sale of the 6,400-square-foot home breaks down to $828 per square foot. The property includes six bedrooms and seven bathrooms.

The home was built before the Civil War for Sen. Robert F. Stockton, a naval commodore who was a descendant of a Declaration of Independence signee. The property spans one-and-a-half acres; the Colonial-style home had its facade restored two decades ago to resemble the property’s Cleveland era. Features include 12-foot ceilings and oversized windows.

Cleveland shacked up at the Princeton abode at the conclusion of his second presidential term, living there for the last decade of his life. The property is a National Historic Landmark and has a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.

Maura Mills of Callaway Henderson Sotheby’s International – Princeton had the listing. Queenston Realty’s Carina Krall procured the buyer, who was “attracted to the home’s majestic appearance and feel, its history, its location in a diverse and exciting community, its condition, and its warmth for everyday living,” according to Mills.

It’s exceedingly rare for a presidential home to remain a private residence long-term, as they are often repurposed for civic use. Incidentally, another president’s former home in Princeton, a Tudor Revival built for Woodrow Wilson, is being marketed for $6.5 million.

— Holden Walter-Warner