(Newser)
–
You could be President Obama's next-door neighbor, assuming you've got $899,000 burning a hole in your pocket, plus however much it costs to build a house. The empty double lot next to Obama's Chicago home is going up for sale, AFP reports. The real estate agent gave the Obamas first dibs on purchasing it, but they declined, the agent says. Though it's not formally listed yet, the owners, who purchased the corner lot in 2008 for $675,000, have settled on the asking price. The Secret Service has been maintaining it and making sure no one unauthorized enters.
In addition to putting you in the proximity of a president, the lot comes with a side of scandal: Former Obama fundraiser Tony Rezko, who is currently in prison on fraud and bribery charges, bought it in 2005 after Obama bought his home, and then sold Obama some of the land. (Two years ago, the house next to the Obama home on the other side sold for $1.4 million, considerably higher than market value.)
