It’s Inauguration Day in the US!

Once every four years in November, the people of the United States elect a new president, and the next January 20, they are sworn into office.

Today, at noon, Donald J. Trump will take the oath of office and become the 47th President, replacing Joe Biden.

The US Capitol

Since Ronald Reagan was sworn into office in 1981, the inauguration has taken place on the west front of the US Capitol Building in Washington DC.

However, with temperatures well below average, and dangerously cold, President-elect Trump has requested that the ceremony take place inside, in the Rotunda. The event will start at 11:30, but the swearing in takes place at noon, per the instructions for the peaceful transfer of power laid out in the US Constitution.

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts, will swear in Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States of America. His wife, Melania, will hold the Bible on which he swears the oath, and his family will be in attendance.

After the ceremony, the former president and vice president, the new president and vice president, along with other dignitaries and important guests, will have a lunch in the Capitol, before kicking off a series of parties and events throughout Washington DC.

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United States Capitol

Donald Trump

Childhood Home, Queens, NY

As we’ve written about before, Donald Trump was born and raised in Queens, New York, where his dad was a successful real estate developer and his mom a stay at home parent to five children. The lovely home where he spent much of his childhood has six bedrooms and a beautifully-landscaped yard, which he called his “oasis.”

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Donald Trump's Childhood Home

Trump Tower, NYC, NY

Trump followed in his father’s footsteps, going into New York real estate. One of his most cherished developments is Trump Tower, a mixed-use skyscraper in downtown NYC. He maintains a three-story penthouse at the top, with more than 11,000 square feet of living space! The skyscraper is also the headquarters of his business ventures, where he filmed The Apprentice, and where he’s greeted several foreign dignitaries while serving as the 45th president.

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Trump Tower

Mar-A-Lago, Palm Beach, FL

Trump bought the beachside resort property in 1985 from the US government. Originally built by Marjorie Merriweather Post, one of the richest women in America, the house was briefly owned by the US government. But because it was too expensive to maintain, it was put up for sale, and Trump bought it for about $10 million.

These days, the resort is Trump’s main residence, and also a very elite, high-end country club. Memberships run more than $200,000, plus annual dues and fees whenever you attend. When he’s not at the White House, incoming President Trump will certainly spend a lot of time here!

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Mar-a-Lago 360° Panorama View

J.D. Vance

Residence in Cincinnati, OH

J.D. Vance rose to prominence first as a successful author, venture capitalist, and then as a Republican senator from the state of Ohio, and then he was selected to be Trump’s running mate. All by the time he was 40! His memoir became a bestselling book in 2016 and then film in 2020. He and his wife have three amazing kids, and even after their dad ran for and won a seat in the US Senate, they maintain their primary residence in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The house is in an old neighborhood, and may have been a part of the Underground Railroad, which helped escaped enslaved people move north to freedom. It has five bedrooms, and set the Vances back about $1.4 million. J.D. and his family will have an official residence in Washington DC, but it’s a likely bet they keep this to come home to whenever their dad leaves office.

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J.D. Vance's House

Joe Biden

Home in Wilmington, DE

When he leaves Washington DC today, Joe Biden will come to Wilmington with his wife Jill at his side. Wrapping up a long career in public service, President Joe Biden will likely take a much-deserved break from the public eye. Biden served as a US senator since he was 31, until he resigned to serve as Vice President to President Barack Obama in 2008. He was elected president in 2020, in a response to Trump’s presidency and the frustration with federal COVID policies.

The lakefront property has been his primary residence for nearly 30 years, built by Joe and Jill in 1996. The nearly-7,000 foot home is a beautiful retreat for the family, complete with a pool.

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Joe Biden's House

Kamala Harris

House in Los Angeles, CA

Leaving her post as Vice President, Kamala Harris will likely return to her California roots, at least for the time being. She and her husband, successful entertainment attorney Doug Emhoff, have a home in the LA-area, a likely destination for her as she rests from the last four years as VP and the last several grueling months on the campaign trail. Rumor has it she is planning to get back into California politics!

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Kamala Harris' House

The White House, Washington DC

One of the most interesting aspects of the inauguration is the transfer of the official residence of the President: The White House. Political and professional staff of both the incoming and outgoing president work for weeks to coordinate the move so that the massive amount of personal and official items for both leaders can be transferred in a matter of minutes and hours! By the time Donald and Melania are done with all the inaugural ceremonies, they will be able to go to their new home, find their clothes put away, favorite foods in the fridge, and a feeling of home already established.

The White House is one of the most enduring symbols of the presidency, and of the United States. It is where the most important person in the US resides, and conducts most of their official business.

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White House, The

As you watch the inauguration, or read about it in the news, it’s important to reflect on just how monumental January 20 is in history. The entire inauguration process is a beautiful symbol of the nearly 250 years of peaceful domestic tranquility that was the dream of our founding fathers, who fought for freedom, democracy, and enduring peace. God Bless America!

Here at VGT, we have been following the events of the past few days very closely. As of this publication, the Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst fires continue to to burn, causing massive destruction to the Los Angeles area, erasing thousands of homes. The situation is ongoing, and the extent of the devastation may not be known for several more days.

As VGT’s Content Editor, my work often consists of making small updates to the values and features of celebrity homes. Today, I have made one edit, several times, “This home was destroyed in the 2025 Palisades Fire.” The square footage no longer matters; the gyms, saunas, and theatres are all gone. The homes have been destroyed.

VGT was founded twenty years ago as it is now, “a place to share amazing, beautiful, and interesting locations”. A great many of these are people’s homes. It is usually fun to click around the magnificent neighborhoods, daydreaming of wealth. Admittedly, our site is often used for gawking and gossip. But thousands of you have have come here for the first time today, perhaps for morbid curiosity, but we think mostly to try to better understand the extent of this tragedy. Many of the victims are wealthy, many are public figures, but every one of them has been forced to flee as their homes vanish. It’s heartbreaking.

Our site, at least for now, shows the affected houses as they were–amazing, beautiful, and interesting. In time, the satellite images will show desolate, debris-filled hills. In even more time, new amazing, beautiful, and interesting structures will emerge and we hope that you will join us again then.

If you have been affected by the fires and you need help, or are looking for ways that you can help those in need, ABC 7 in Los Angeles has put together a better list of resources than we could. Please consider donating money or time, if you are able.

As we close the books on 2024, it’s important to reflect on those things, and people, we lost recently. Let’s take a moment and remember some of the most important and influential people who passed away this year.

Jimmy Carter

Born in 1924, Jimmy Carter lived to be 100 years old before passing away on December 29, 2024. Carter served as the 39th president of the US during a turbulent time in global affairs, including the Iran hostage crisis, a domestic oil shortage, escalation in the Cold War, and the successful Camp David Accords, which ushered in an era of peace between Israel and Egypt.

However, his legacy will not reflect his time as president nearly as much as his remarkable life after leaving office. He and his beloved wife Rosalynn set an example of service, dedicating much of their time to Habitat for Humanity projects, teaching in their local Sunday school, and drawing attention to important international human rights causes.

The couple owned and lived in one home for most of their married life, expect when in the military or away for public service. Rosalynn is buried under a special tree on the Plains, Georgia property. After Carter’s state funeral is concluded, he will rest alongside his beloved wife. Carter’s legacy of service will certainly continue to benefit people around the globe.

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Jimmy Carter's House (Deceased)

Dame Maggie Smith

Margaret “Maggie” Smith was 89 years old when she passed away in September. Known to most these days as Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter series or as the grumpy granny Violet Crawley in Downton Abbey, Maggie Smith was a leading actress for more than 70 years! She started her career in the theater, starring in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, while at college. She had her first national film award nomination in 1959 at the age of 25.

Maggie lived in a 15th century home in the south of England, which she bought with her husband in 1981. The small estate has a main house, several barns, a stable, orchard, and room for animals. The village has about 5,000 residents, and provided a perfect retreat from the public eye as she grew more and more famous.

In her illustrious career, she was nominated for an Oscar eight times, and won one time for Best Actress, given the title “dame” by Queen Elizabeth in 1990, and awarded numerous other salutations for her acting, which has blessed countless individuals across the globe. Her onscreen magic will remain with us for years to come.

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Maggie Smith's House (Deceased)

Donald Sutherland

Donald Sutherland is another classic actor who appeared in films for more than 50 years, nearly up until his passing on June 20, at the age of 88. The Canadian-born actor started his career in England, before getting roles in the US . It took a few years, but by the 1980s, he found his stride. He starred in several classic films such as Animal House, JFK, and Without Limits. 

He was even able to work with his son, Kiefer Sutherland, in a few films. In more recent years, his work as President Snow in the Hunger Games series introduced him to a new generation of viewers.

In spite of many great roles in dozens of films, Sutherland never received an Oscar nomination; so in 1997 he received an honorary award by the Academy, for his body of work.

Sutherland and his wife lived in Florida in the last years of his life, but before his move in 2006, he lived for 30 years in this beachfront Santa Monica condo, which he helped design. Recently, it was available for rent for $12,000/month.

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Donald Sutherland's House (Deceased)

Richard Simmons

Fitness icon Richard Simmons changed countless lives by encouraging them to reach a healthy weight through activity and healthy living. His cardio exercise videos, like the Sweatin’ to the Oldies series, were hits for decades, and his outlandish, positive, and unpredictable on-air personality made him a great television guest.

After failing health limited his ability to be active in public, Simmons mostly withdrew from public life in 2014, but maintained an online and social media presence until the end. He passed away on July 13, the day after his 76th birthday. He passed away at his home, and after a short investigation, it was clear it was from complications related to a fall on his birthday.

Simmons had lived in the Los Angeles mansion for decades. He bought the 4,000 square foot house in 1989, and lived there ever since. Unfortunately for the man who made so many happy, his $20 million estate quickly got mired in interpersonal drama, and has yet to be resolved.

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Richard Simmons' House (Deceased)

James Earl Jones

More than just the amazing voice behind Mufasa, Darth Vader, and CNN, James Earl Jones was a Hollywood legend who passed away at 93 on September 9. He earned so many awards over his career that he actually has an EGOT, having won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony.

He started out life in Mississippi, and at one point planned to become a doctor before making his acting debut in 1957. He remained in the public eye for more than 70 years, starring in Othello, King Lear, the Star Wars series (vocal) Driving Miss Daisy, The Lion King, and so many more.

He lived in Dutchess County, New York, for decades. Over time, he acquired around a dozen properties in the neighborhood of his original home. If you have $40 million, you can do whatever you want with your money!

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James Earl Jones' House (Deceased)

These are just a few of the many revered, renowned, and remarkable public individuals who passed away in 2024. This end-of-year review gives us the chance to reflect on the gifts they shared with the public, and remember the feelings their onscreen characters evoked in all of us.