An Inside Look at the Obamas' Old Vineyard Retreat That Sold for $37M

Blue Heron Farm, the former Martha’s Vineyard summer retreat of President Barack Obama and his family, has sold to Les Wexner, 87-year-old founder of L Brands, for $37 million, brokered by Maggie Gold Seelig of MSG Real Estate and Brian Dougherty of Corcoran Property Advisor. The estate, located in Chilmark, Massachusetts, covers about 30 acres and features a 7,000-square-foot main house with classic white clapboard and a wraparound porch, a guesthouse in traditional Cape style, a boathouse, a 150-year-old barn moved from Pennsylvania, a riding ring, tennis and basketball courts, gardens, an apple orchard, and a private stretch of waterfront on Tisbury Great Pond.

Seaside house with slate roof and landscaped yard.

The property was previously owned by the family of Lord Norman Foster, the renowned British architect behind landmarks like London’s Gherkin and Wembley Stadium. Foster and his wife, Lady Elena Ochoa Foster, bought the estate in December 2011 for $22.4 million through a limited company, after it was previously owned by Mollie and William Van Devender, who had rented it to the Obamas for their summer stays starting in 2009 through 2011.

After acquiring Blue Heron Farm, the Fosters invested in major upgrades, including renovating the main house, planting new trees, and adding a pool and pool house.

Modern living room with a sofa, chairs, a marble table, and a bookshelf.

The property’s history stretches back to 1991, when philanthropist M. Anthony Fisher began assembling the land and building out the estate. Fisher and his wife were killed in a plane crash in 2003, and the Van Devenders purchased the property in 2005 before eventually selling to the Fosters.

Blue Heron Farm is no stranger to high-profile guests: the Obamas spent three summers there, and Bill and Hillary Clinton attended a dinner party at the estate in 1998.

obama summer house marthas vineyard outside

The property was purchased by a trust tied to billionaire Les Wexner's family. Wexner, the 87-year-old founder of L Brands (which included Victoria's Secret), is the buyer behind the Blue Heron Farm Nominee Trust. The sale was completed on July 10, 2025, for $37 million—$2 million below the original asking price—making it the highest residential sale ever recorded on Martha's Vineyard. Attorney Matthew Zeiger, who is based in New Albany, Ohio (where Wexner lives), was named as trustee for the property.

marthas vineyard obama summer home dining room

In the context of Martha’s Vineyard’s real estate market, Blue Heron Farm was a standout. The median home price on the island in April was $1.1 million, but properties with major pedigrees still command top dollar—Diane Sawyer’s home sold for nearly $24 million in 2023. The sale of Blue Heron Farm benefited the Martha's Vineyard Land Bank, which collects a 2% fee on real estate transactions to fund local conservation efforts. At the $37 million sale price, the Land Bank received $740,000.