To buy this Bay Area home, you’ll need Anthropic equity

In a surprising twist to real estate transactions, a 13-acre estate located in Mill Valley, just north of San Francisco, is being offered in exchange for shares in Anthropic, an AI startup. The property’s owner, Storm Duncan, who is also an investment banker, has taken to LinkedIn to promote this unconventional deal. Duncan describes the offer as a strategy to diversify his investments, noting that he feels overly concentrated in real estate while lacking in AI assets. He pointed out that a potential buyer, particularly a young employee from Anthropic, might find themselves in the reverse situation, making this an intriguing proposition for both parties. Prospective buyers interested in the deal are encouraged to reach out to Duncan via email for further discussions. He emphasized that the transaction would remain private, allowing buyers to retain 20% of the potential future value of the Anthropic shares during a lock-up period, rather than requiring an outright sale of their stock. Having purchased the property for $4.75 million back in 2019, Duncan, a veteran of the Bay Area who relocated to Miami during the pandemic, mentioned that the estate is currently leased to a notable venture capitalist, although he chose not to disclose the individual's identity.