This told essay is based on a conversation with Luis Noguera. Luis Noguera’s father has sold his luxury home in Miami and received shares in Anthropic, Open AI, or SpaceX as payment. Edited for length and clarity.
My father owns a modern waterfront home in South Florida that is currently for sale. Most sellers expect a cash offer or traditional financing.
We are open to different things.
If the right buyer came along and wanted to use OpenAI, Anthropic, or SpaceX stock as part of a deal, we would seriously consider it.
A combination of cash and private company stock probably makes the most sense. There are still some practical things to think about, such as paying real estate commissions and processing the transaction itself. But we want to be creative because we think owning a piece of these companies can be a better long-term investment than holding on to real estate.
The luxury property in Miami features 5 bedrooms, a private office, and 6.5 bathrooms. Maria Colina Martinez
My background is in technology and data. I spent several years working on data teams in places like San Francisco and keeping a close eye on the AI industry. My father and I recently formalized the structure of our family office and started thinking more intentionally about where we want to invest our capital over the long term.
The house no longer fits that strategy.
We purchased the property many years ago as an investment. It was a newly built home in a gated community with lake views, a pool, and a nearby golf course. I rented it out for several years and made a solid profit.
After a recent tenant moved out, we refreshed the property and started thinking about what’s next.
No one in our family planned to live there. We weren’t particularly interested in continuing with rental management. As we considered this asset, we began to wonder if there were better opportunities elsewhere.
That led us to consider AI stocks.
A lot of people talk about the hype surrounding companies like OpenAI and Anthropic, and I can see why. Valuations have skyrocketed and there is a lot of speculation.
But I also think AI is a transformative technology.
Having worked in data research for a long time, I understand how these tools are dramatically changing the way people work. My colleagues use AI every day. I use it every day – I don’t even write much code anymore. AI agents handle much of that for you.
I use AI in all my work, from administrative work to building personal accounting and reporting systems. Tasks that previously required multiple tools can now be handled through AI workflows. The productivity gains are real.
That’s why I believe the opportunities extend beyond the current excitement.
Is it possible that these investments will decline? Absolutely. New technology comes with risks. This is one reason why we’re likely to prefer a combination of stock and cash over an all-stock deal.
We are still in the very early stages of exploring this idea. The home has had multiple viewings, but no offers have been received for the AI company’s stock yet.
Even if no one ultimately buys the property this way, I think the fact that we’re having the conversation says something about where investment is going.
My generation is looking for different opportunities than previous generations. We are more comfortable exploring unconventional structures when we believe the underlying investment theory is strong.
Years ago, people might have looked at a rental property and thought it was a natural asset to own. My family looks at the same property and wants to own a piece of the company that will build its future.