Lauren Sanchez visits humble Albuquerque home, but she and Jeff Bezos have plenty of real estate to choose from

By Charlie Lankston

Sanchez, who got engaged to Amazon founder Bezos in 2023, was born and raised in Albuquerque

Lauren Sanchez and billionaire fiancé Jeff Bezos boast one of the world's most impressive property portfolios, with megamansions scattered across the U.S.-but the former TV host still holds a special place in her heart for her childhood home.

Sanchez, 54, took a sentimental trip "down memory lane" recently when she paid a visit to the humble Albuquerque, N.M., abode in which she spent her earliest years.

The mother of three shared an image on Instagram of herself posing with her father, Ray Sanchez, in front of her family's former home while enjoying a brief stay in her hometown, where she held an event to celebrate the release of her new book, "The Fly Who Flew to Space."

"Nothing better than coming home. Went down memory lane. Stopping by the old house with Dad," Sanchez wrote alongside the image, in which she can be seen with her arm around her father's shoulders, both happily beaming at the camera.

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Sanchez also shared several other snaps from her trip, including an image from her old yearbook, in which she is referred to by her real name, Wendy Sanchez. She even found time to visit her favorite local fast food chain, Blake's Lotaburger, where she snapped a photo of herself chowing down on a large cheeseburger.

The former "Extra" correspondent, who got engaged to Amazon (AMZN) founder Bezos in 2023, was born and raised in Albuquerque, where she attended Del Norte High School.

According to the Albuquerque Journal, Sanchez was a cheerleader during her time at the school and was "active in student assembly," while also holding down a job at the local waterpark.

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However, upon her graduation, Sanchez moved to California in order to pursue a career as an on-air news host, enrolling first at El Camino College, before moving on to the University of Southern California, where she majored in communications.

She started her career in broadcasting as an intern at KCOP-TV in Los Angeles, before working as a reporter at KTVK-TV in Phoenix. Sanchez then returned to L.A., where she was hired as a special correspondent by "Extra."

However, it was in 2019 that Sanchez became a household name after it was revealed that she and Bezos-who is worth an estimated $204.4 billion according to Forbes-had been having an extramarital affair.

The scandal was first revealed in the National Enquirer, which splashed intimate details about their relationship across its front page, claiming that Bezos had been jetting off on "exotic trips" with Sanchez and enjoying "secret" meetups, all while married to his then-wife of 25 years, Mackenzie Scott.

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Meanwhile Sanchez was, at the time, married to businessman and entertainment entrepreneur Patrick Whitesell, with whom she shares two of her three children.

Soon after the news of their affair broke, both Bezos and Sanchez ended their respective marriages and began publicly dating in 2020.

In 2023, Bezos popped the question to the TV host turned children's author while enjoying a trip onboard his $500 million superyacht.

When Sanchez and Bezos officially tie the knot, they will have more than their fair share of marital homes to choose from. Over the years, the businessman has built up a staggering collection of real estate that is estimated to be worth around half a billion dollars, and includes homes in Miami, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Texas.

In April, Bezos expanded his property portfolio by purchasing a third home on Indian Creek Island, known to many as Billionaire Bunker. Although no details about the off-market deal were disclosed, it was reported at the time that the property cost Bezos around $90 million.

He added his home to his already-impressive holdings in the exclusive community: a $68 million estate and a $79 million mansion, both of which he purchased in 2023.

When he and Sanchez need to pop to the Big Apple for business, they can enjoy a luxurious stay in one of their four apartments, all of which are in the same exclusive building.

Over on the West Coast, Bezos owns the famed Warner Estate in Beverly Hills, which he bought for $165 million from media mogul David Geffen in an off-market deal in 2020.

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Then, of course, there is his ranch in Texas, which recently served as the set for Sanchez's photoshoot with Vogue and is not too far from Albuquerque. He purchased that sprawling property in 2004 because it reminded him of the time he spent on his grandfather's land in Texas as a child, he told the publication.

This story originally ran on Realtor.com.

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09-25-24 0504ET

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