Sale of Sacramento-area home

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, have listed their Sacramento-area home for $7.5 million, as the governor prepares to leave office in January 2027, according to multiple reports. The approximately 12,700-square-foot property on Tobia Way in Fair Oaks was listed Monday, with the listing handled by Sotheby's International Realty and first reported by the Sacramento Bee.

The home sits on about 8 acres in Fair Oaks, an unincorporated community bordering the American River, and includes seven bedrooms. The listing describes the property as a "showcase of Santa Barbara-inspired architecture" with a resort-style pool, hot tub, cold plunge, tennis court, and a 5,000-bottle wine cellar.

Newsom spokesperson Izzy Gardon said the family began transitioning to Marin County in 2024, when they purchased a home there to provide continuity for their children's education. "The sale of their Sacramento home is the next step in that transition," Gardon said. The Newsoms' children are all now enrolled in school in Marin County, as reported by SFGATE, which cited Politico.

The Fair Oaks property is roughly 15 miles from the State Capitol. Newsom's office said he is the third consecutive California governor to split his time between Sacramento and another part of the state, with former Gov. Jerry Brown commuting from his home in Oakland for part of his time in office, while former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger commuted from Los Angeles throughout his tenure.

The sale comes as the governor enters the final months of his second term. California limits governors to two terms, meaning Newsom was unable to seek reelection.

The property and its purchase

Newsom bought the Fair Oaks home in December 2018 for $3.7 million, shortly before taking office as the 40th governor in January 2019, as reported in a series of accounts. The family had quickly abandoned the historic governor's mansion, which is a 150-year-old property that was home to 13 governors. According to SFGATE, the last governor to live in the official mansion before former Gov. Jerry Brown was Ronald Reagan, who resided there for a few months in 1967. Brown moved into the mansion in 2015 after a $4 million renovation.

Newsom said he chose not to live in the official mansion to move to a "more kid-friendly" home. Some accounts have also noted that in a 2012 interview, he described Sacramento as "just so dull." The estate on Tobia Way has been used largely for events such as a Christmas party that reportedly irritated neighbors in the gated community, according to the New York Post.

Newsom has said the decision to sell comes as the family transitions to Marin County. In 2024, they purchased a home in Kentfield for $9 million, as reported by SFGATE. According to the Los Angeles Times, that property is a $9.1-million estate, where the family primarily lives and their four children attend school. News and his wife also spend time in the Fair Oaks home while working at the state Capitol.

The listing agent, Matthew Hindy of Nick Sadek Sotheby's, declined to comment, SFGATE reported.

Wealth and scrutiny

The listing at $7.5 million is more than double the $3.7 million paid in 2018, as noted by several outlets. The purchase was made through an LLC tied to Newsom's cousin Jeremy Scherer, who worked for the governor's PlumpJack hospitality firm, according to the New York Post.

The couple's finances have drawn scrutiny this year. In June, Newsom accused the Department of Justice of launching a baseless investigation of him and his wife at President Trump's direction. The Post described the probe as something Newsom called a "political hit job." The Times reported that the Newsoms allowed reporters to view their tax returns from 2019 through 2024, which showed they had earned at least $11 million since he took office. Their reported income was highest in 2021 when they sold their Marin County home for $5.9 million, the Times reported. The New York Post reported that they earned between $1.7 million and $2 million annually between 2022 and 2024, largely reflecting the governor's wine businesses, his roughly $200,000 government salary, and his wife's nonprofit income.

Newsom has been mentioned as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, as noted by multiple sources. He was raised in San Francisco, served as mayor from 2004 to 2011, and was lieutenant governor from 2011 to 2019 before being elected governor. Jennifer Siebel Newsom is a documentary filmmaker and founded a nonprofit in 2011 advocating for more women in leadership roles.

Newsom's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Los Angeles Times.