When you’re worth billions, apparently buying up entire neighborhoods becomes a casual weekend activity. Enter Jony Ive, the design genius behind the iPhone, who recently dropped a cool $73 million on four houses in the ultra-exclusive Belvedere enclave.

Nestled near Tiburon with stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge, these properties represent more than just a real estate investment. The most expensive home in the bunch boasts five bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, and four fireplaces, with an annual tax bill that’s 28 times higher than the median in the area.

Interestingly, this purchasing spree comes on the heels of Ive’s recent acquisition by OpenAI for $6.5 billion. The tech world is buzzing with speculation about what these properties might be used for, especially given the recent reports about Ive potentially designing OpenAI’s first physical product.

The properties, previously owned by Apercen Partners, have mostly sat empty. One was even previously rented to a tech CEO who was later sentenced to 22 years in prison for fraud – adding an intriguing subplot to the real estate drama.

Ive isn’t alone in this Bay Area real estate game. His OpenAI colleague Sam Altman has been quietly accumulating properties in Russian Hill, while Mark Zuckerberg is known for owning multiple houses in Palo Alto.

While the exact purpose of these Belvedere properties remains a mystery, one anonymous neighbor quipped that “it’ll be hard to throw any parties on this street without valet parking” – a telling comment about the level of wealth and exclusivity in the area.

As OpenAI continues to hint at potential hardware developments, including rumored smart speakers, glasses, and wearable devices, Ive’s real estate moves might be more than just a simple investment. Only time will tell what the design mastermind has planned for these waterfront properties.