Imagine waking up every morning in the Lincoln Bedroom, enjoying your coffee on the Truman Balcony, and heading to the Oval Office to spend your day working from the iconic Resolute Desk. In the evening, you could slip into formal attire and host grand events in a banquet hall fit for 250 guests. If living in the White House has ever been your dream, you’re not alone. It’s an enticing vision, albeit typically reserved for those willing to endure the rigors of a presidential campaign, exhaustive debates, relentless fundraising, and the constant vigilance of Secret Service agents.

However, if you’d rather bypass the political whirlwind and still live the presidential lifestyle, there’s a unique opportunity that awaits you—albeit with a few caveats. Instead of setting up residence at the famed 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., you can fulfill your dream at 3687 Briarcliff Rd NE in the suburbs of Atlanta. Of course, this extraordinary experience comes with a price tag of $35 million.

The tale of Atlanta’s own White House is as intriguing as the residence itself. It began with Fred Milani, an Iranian-born developer who arrived in the United States in 1979 amidst the backdrop of Iran’s Islamic Revolution. Fleeing the upheaval, Milani sought refuge and a new start in Atlanta. Over time, he established a successful career, transforming modest ranch homes into grandiose, columned McMansions that became a hallmark of the region’s housing boom.

The Atlanta White House

By the late 1990s, Milani had become a prominent developer, creating numerous large homes. In October 1999, he acquired a peaceful lot in Oak Grove for $180,000. It was here that the concept of a White House replica took root. Inspired by his wife’s desire for a stately home with columns, and an architect’s jestful suggestion to simply build the White House, Milani saw it as divine inspiration following his recent conversion to Christianity. He later recounted to CNN, “I believe it was Jesus’ plan,” leading to the swift decision to embark on this ambitious project.

Completed in 2001, Milani’s creation was more than just a nod to the White House; it was a meticulous reconstruction. The property featured a main house spanning roughly 16,500 square feet and a 7,500-square-foot guesthouse. Inside, the Oval Office was adorned with a Resolute-style desk, two open Bibles, and a ceiling emblazoned with a presidential seal. The Lincoln Bedroom boasted a hand-painted mural of Abraham Lincoln. Outside, the front yard was graced by an illuminated cross and topiary spelling out “God ♥ You.” A domed ceiling by the entrance depicted Jesus ministering to a diverse array of individuals, including a man in a sombrero and an American Indian in traditional attire. Amidst this scene, Milani himself was painted, kneeling at Jesus’s feet.

Construction finished in 2001, and the result was not a loose homage. Milani built a sincere, detailed re-creation. The property included a roughly 16,500-square-foot main residence and a matching 7,500-square-foot guesthouse. Inside, the Oval Office featured a Resolute-style desk, two open Bibles, and a presidential seal on the ceiling. The Lincoln Bedroom included a hand-painted mural of Abraham Lincoln. The front yard displayed an illuminated cross surrounded by topiary spelling out “God ♥ You.” A domed ceiling near the entrance depicted Jesus ministering to people from around the world, including a man in a sombrero and an American Indian in full headdress. At Jesus’s feet, the painter added Milani himself, kneeling.

It was part political funhouse, part religious sanctuary, part personal statement. Neighbors couldn’t agree on whether it was charming, tacky, or simply too large for the neighborhood. But curiosity traffic quickly became a daily occurrence. People slowed down to take photos. Some complained about zoning fights and Milani’s growing McMansion footprint. Others admired the ambition.

By the mid-2000s, the Atlanta White House wasn’t just another oversized property. It was a full-on local landmark, a surreal symbol of Atlanta’s boom years and the blending of Milani’s immigrant story, new faith, and real estate ambitions. Here is a video tour of the Atlanta White House:

And here’s a video tour from when the home was featured on an episode of an HGTV series back in 2012:

Financial Troubles Brew

By the mid-2000s, the Atlanta White House had become a neighborhood curiosity, a local photo-op, and a kind of personal monument for Fred Milani. But behind the scenes, the timing could not have been worse. Atlanta was one of the cities hit hardest by the real estate collapse, and Milani’s entire business model depended on a steady flow of buyers willing to pay premium prices for oversized new construction. When the market seized up, his empire seized up with it.

According to a 2009 article in The New York Times, Milani entered the downturn carrying multiple speculative homes, several delinquent loans, and a shrinking pool of buyers. His bank twice attempted to foreclose on the White House replica, and both times he narrowly avoided losing the property by restructuring debt, including a $1.75 million past-due loan. At the same time, he was racing to sell off other homes simply to stay afloat.

Then came November 2008, arguably the worst moment in the American housing market in the last century. Credit evaporated, demand plunged, and luxury real estate became nearly impossible to move. It was in this exact climate that Milani listed the Atlanta White House for an extremely optimistic $9.8 million. The timing could not have been more brutal. No buyers came forward.

By 2013, after sitting on and off the market for years, the reality of the situation became unavoidable. The Milani family finally accepted an offer of $2.2 million in November 2013, a staggering drop from the original asking price and a reflection of just how far the market — and Milani’s finances — had fallen since the boom years.

The Current Owners

The buyer who stepped in after the Milani years was Thuy Ai Kathy Lam. As she recounted to the Wall Street Journal, Lam was born in Vietnam shortly before the end of the war. After her father, a general in the South Vietnamese army, was imprisoned by the Communist regime, she spent her early teens painting nails door to door to help support her family.

In 1995, the United States sponsored her family’s move to Atlanta. Lam arrived with almost no money, learned English, became a nail technician, and made herself a promise that her family would never struggle financially again. Nine months later, she used a loan to open her first nail salon. That small business grew into a nationwide network of salons and beauty schools, including the Atlanta Beauty & Barber Academy, which she founded in 2005 and continues to run today.

In the summer of 2013, Thuy and her then-husband, Daniel Nguyen, were searching for a larger home. One night, they drove past the Atlanta White House. Nguyen joked they should buy it. Lam didn’t laugh. She knew the seller’s son and immediately reached out to see if a deal was possible. The timing worked. After years of financial strain and multiple failed attempts to sell the house, the Milani family accepted $2.2 million for the property in November 2013.

Lam embraced the estate with a mix of reverence and gratitude. She raised her children there, kept the Oval Office intact, hosted community Christmas events, and even rented out the seven-bedroom guesthouse as an Airbnb she called the “West Wing.”

Now that her children are grown and off to college, Lam has decided it is time to downsize. This week, Thuy listed the Atlanta White House for $35 million. That price makes it the most expensive residential listing in the Atlanta metro area, and if she sells for anywhere near that amount, it will obliterate the home sale record for the Atlanta suburbs.

Do I think she’ll get $35 million? No.

I just spent some time on Zillow scoping out the most expensive homes sold in the Atlanta suburbs from the last few years. I found an interesting comp.

In March 2024, a 20,000-square-foot mansion set on a 3.4-acre lot in Tuxedo Park, roughly 20 minutes from the Atlanta White House, was listed for $20 million. Described as a “custom Scandinavian Modern Masterpiece,” this mansion is stunning. It has every single modern feature an extremely rich suburbanite would desire. It’s also located directly next door to the Governor’s mansion, which is a nice safety perk. This home is incredible. I’ve included a video tour below. This mansion sold in February of this year for $15.7 million. Is someone really going to pay more than 2X that amount for a White House replica set on a third of the land that previously sold for $2.2 million, a bit over a decade ago? Meehhhh.