Bristol Palin Purchases a Bargain House in Arizona, But Why?

By Christine Fenno Posted Dec 26th 2010 11:11AM

Will 2011 be even hotter for Bristol Palin than this year was? Putting her 'Dancing with the Stars' earnings to good use, the young mom recently made a real-estate investment in a sunny climate far from mom Sarah Palin's beloved Alaska.

Mike Smith has confirmed to E! that about a month ago, Bristol purchased his former property in Maricopa, Ariz., approximately 35 miles south of Phoenix -- a region hard hit by the financial recession (ABC's 'Nightline' has called Maricopa the "poster child of the housing crisis"). Public records show the five-bedroom home was originally built in 2006 and sold for $329,560. It went into foreclosure in January, with the most recent owners snapping it up for $137,200; it was then fixed up and flipped back onto the market for resale.

Enter Bristol. The 20-year-old 'DWTS' finalist reportedly paid $172,000 -- in cash -- for the large house. Cynthia Smith says, "It's a nice family home with a big backyard and patio. It's in a great neighborhood....I think [she] will really like it there."

But why would Bristol Palin move to, of all places, a suburb in Arizona?

Nobody in the Palin family has confirmed that Bristol will be relocating to Arizona along with her toddler, Tripp, who turns 2 this week (she has primary custody, and recently accused her Alaskan baby daddy Levi Johnston of falling short when it comes to arranging visits with their son).

However, TMZ speculates that she aspires to a TV broadcasting career and intends to study at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, located at Arizona State University -- the same school that refused to give commencement speaker Barack Obama an honorary degree, insisting that the 44th President of the United State's accomplishments weren't sufficient to justify the honor.

A more intriguing theory: Political blog Wonkette believes the single mom may be trying to lay the groundwork in order to someday run for office. Consider that Maricopa will soon belong to a newly created congressional district, "thanks to the new census," and it's not all that far-fetched; after all, GOP newcomer Ben Quayle, former vice president Dan Quayle's son, won his first campaign for Congress last month, representing a district just north of Phoenix.

For all we know, Bristol Palin simply aspires to be a real-estate mogul and has pinpointed good opportunities in an off-the-radar community. Surely we won't have too long to wait until Sarah Palin speaks out with her own take on the latest news about her daughter.

Tags: bristol palin, levi johnston, Sarah Palin, tripp palin

Comments

(155)

Sunday 26 December

By Melody

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

If Sarah Palin was MY mother, I'd move thousands of miles away too!

By Alisha

Vote down Vote up Report this

That's pathetic Melody.

By amanda

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

all i have to say is congrats to bristol i wish when i was 20 & a single mom i had that kind of cash around would have made things easier.the baby daddy is some piece of work not paying support & visting his son.did anyone think she might have made this move to be closer to mark from dwts her partner i know his hometown is texas arizona is alot closer then alaska.maybe doors are opening up because of who her mom is but didn't the same happen for paris hilton & nichole ritchie if i had the same chance i would talk about how hard it was & is being a teen mom sex last what 5 min if lucky being a mom last 24 hr,7 days a week forever it isn't worth it at 16, 17 yrs old.

By katie811

I don't know what the real estate laws are like in Azrizona, but the article said she paid cash...Maybe that makes it different...as far as her moving there, I say, good for her!...she needs to be away from her parents and starting her own life...I hope she follows through on an education, too...also, from what I've heard about Wasilla, it sounds like she really wouldn't have a lot of chances there to make a life for herself...I'm not a fan of the Palin's, but she seems like a young lady that could make something of her life if given a chance...also, I'm a liberal and I was in real estate in Seattle back in the 80's...made lots of money...yay Capitalism!

By RubeeTuesday

Change is good for everyone at one time or the other. I wish her and her adorable boy good luck in their new life.

By chuck

Where does Bristol get 172K in cash for a house?

By rose

Maybe her mother or money she earned from DWTS.

By Michele

It's Cheney's fault.

By Nancy

It's McCain's fault for bringing this family into the limelight. This Adam's Family! They are weird!!!!

By Richard

Bristol has a lesbian lover in Arizona. She's playing for the other team now.

Jealous Richard? Bristol is a beautiful young woman with goals far and away above yours obviously. She doesn't spend her time trolling sites to trash others.

By tmoh3

The house is a bargain for a cash buyer, it's close to school, and Maricopa County is Republican and Tea Party friendly. I wouldn't be surprised at all if she's borrowing a page from the Ben Quayle playbook.

Just realize that Sara Palin and Bristol Palin are entertainers,
media moguls in training, but certainly NOT politicians.

Perhaps Bristol can take a little political science if at ASU ?

By heather.agustin

John you are wrong. It does not matter if they were married or not, what matters if there is a paternity order set. If he pays child support for the child then he has every right to keep her from moving without his consent. She can go to the court and request soul custody and at that point she can do and go as she pleases.

By Jane P

Maybe Bristol is moving to get away from the mental midgets who knock her every move. Just because people don't like Sarah's politics, they knock her children, how frickin petty.
Bristol is a young person trying to make it for herself, good for her, and I'm sure her mom is behind her all the way, supporting her.

By terry

Larry this is terry ,it was and allways is bushes fault,BUSH knows it and so do most others that try to ignor the fact.

By Chazzz

She isnt applying for a mortgage...She is paying cash...At her age she can buy anything if she is paying cash...

By dee

First she's not an entertainer so why is this considered entertainment news? Second, who cares? Other people are buying and or trying to save the homes they have. Enough said!

Saturday 15 January

By sara

jane
you're an idiot and morally superior to no one!! glad , and hope, you won't be on the obama death panels.

By Facts ONLY

Jane - You are not only 'behind' the times but are rather judgemental as well! Why jump on the political bantor of the Palin family successes and false statements? Making accusations as 'bend the rules', and 'I think' are NOT facts! Noticed you are 'old' and maybe ignorant to the fact of not understanding social networking rules of etiquette. A little less 'negativity' can go a long way a day after Christmas.

let changed the voting age for them but I didn't know they changed anything else. Please bring me up to date as this has me wondering. Or could it be that they can bend the rules because of who she is? Also I think she needs to get as far from her dictator mother as she can get. Just because she likes the kind of life she leads doesn't mean that Bristol should. I think Bristol has been forced to join her mother in everything she does so it can show on camera as a family that plays together and all that. It's all for looks to make Sarah look good. I can look through all that phony exterior and see Sarah for what she really is but I think Bristol is more down to earth than her mom.

Page 3 of 8