Richest billionaires in real estate

The first billionaire is generally considered to be John D. Rockefeller in 1916, though some argue it was Henry Ford in 1925.

Fast-forward some 100 years to 2021: As the COVID-19 pandemic continued to rage, a record-breaking 660 people became billionaires globally, growing the previous year's number by 30%.

While the United States has the most billionaires of any country, Americans are somewhat split on their feelings about the billionaire class. According to data from the Pew Research Center, the nation became somewhat more critical of billionaires between 2020 and 2021.

Although support for individual billionaires like Bill Gates is relatively strong, many Americans view the ultrarich—as a group rather than as individuals—negatively. Meanwhile, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is projected to become the world's first trillionaire by 2026.

Real estate billionaires made money in land and property, developing everything from luxury residences to sprawling commercial projects. Their fortunes are rooted in the enduring value of location, development, and urban growth.

Stacker compiled the richest billionaires in real estate using data from Forbes. Data is as of September 23, 2025.

#20. Katharina Otto-Bernstein
- Net worth: $3.5 billion
- Source: Real estate
- Lives in: New York, New York

#19. Richard Peery
- Net worth: $3.6 billion
- Source: Real estate
- Lives in: Palo Alto, California

#18. Edward DeBartolo Jr
- Net worth: $3.8 billion
- Source: Shopping centers
- Lives in: Tampa, Florida

#17. Donald Sterling
- Net worth: $4.4 billion
- Source: Real estate
- Lives in: Beverly Hills, California

#16. Robert Faith
- Net worth: $5.0 billion
- Source: Real estate management
- Lives in: Charleston, South Carolina

#15. Rick Caruso
- Net worth: $5.9 billion
- Source: Real estate
- Lives in: Los Angeles, California

#14. Mitchell Morgan & family
- Net worth: $6.1 billion
- Source: Real estate
- Lives in: Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

#13. Annette Lerner & family
- Net worth: $6.3 billion
- Source: Real estate
- Lives in: Chevy Chase, Maryland

#12. John A. Sobrato & family
- Net worth: $6.4 billion
- Source: Real estate
- Lives in: Atherton, California

#11. Herb Simon
- Net worth: $6.5 billion
- Source: Real estate
- Lives in: Indianapolis, Indiana

#10. H. Ross Perot Jr
- Net worth: $6.5 billion
- Source: Real estate
- Lives in: Dallas, Texas

#9. Ty Warner
- Net worth: $6.9 billion
- Source: Plush toys, real estate
- Lives in: Oak Brook, Illinois

#8. Donald Trump
- Net worth: $7.3 billion
- Source: Real estate
- Lives in: Palm Beach, Florida

#7. Edward Roski Jr
- Net worth: $7.6 billion
- Source: Real estate
- Lives in: Los Angeles, California

#6. Igor Olenicoff
- Net worth: $8.0 billion
- Source: Real estate
- Lives in: Lighthouse Point, Florida

#5. Leonard Stern
- Net worth: $8.3 billion
- Source: Real estate
- Lives in: New York, New York

#4. Neil Bluhm
- Net worth: $8.7 billion
- Source: Real estate
- Lives in: Chicago, Illinois

#3. Jeff Greene
- Net worth: $9.0 billion
- Source: Real estate, investments
- Lives in: Palm Beach, Florida

#2. Stephen Ross
- Net worth: $17.0 billion
- Source: Real estate
- Lives in: Palm Beach, Florida

#1. Donald Bren
- Net worth: $19.2 billion
- Source: Real estate
- Lives in: Newport Beach, California

Keep reading to see the top 10 richest women in America.

You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in education