LIONEL MESSI’S arrival in a Florida neighbourhood has caused quite a stir – and his new neighbours are set to cash in.
The Argentine swapped Paris for the US when he signed for Inter Miami earlier this year.
He and his family initially moved to a £7million apartment just seconds away from Golden Beach.
But in September Messi bought a property worth £8.4m in Fort Lauderdale, where he is brushing shoulders with some of Florida’s richest residents.
One of those is entrepreneur and podcast Patrick Bet-David, who has a combined total of over one billion views across his two YouTube channels.
The businessman revealed Messi’s arrival has proved to be a boost for the other residents already living in the gated community he has joined, with the value of Bet-David’s estate increasing dramatically.
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He told VladTV, he said: “So far right now, according to today’s climate, I’ve already made $25m (£19.5m) of equity on the house I own.
“Messi just moved right next to my house. Everybody wants to be in our community.
“It’s a gated community on an island with only one way to go, very safe, very protected. God willing it still is.
“Now that Messi is there everybody is coming on their boats to look at the houses. We’re doing okay.”
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Messi’s luxury home includes ten bedrooms, a swimming pool and a fitness and spa room.
The estate is 10,500 square feet and boasts two boat decks, with water surrounding the gated community island at Bay Colony.
The house also has nine bathrooms, an Italian kitchen and a VIP suite.