Facebook billionaire sells Auckland home

Facebook's billionaire director Peter Thiel is selling his Auckland home as he searches for a bigger property within the CBD.

Thiel listed the house with Auckland real estate agent Graham Wall, with the Alberon Place house expected to draw a lot of attention due to it's minimalist design, swimming pool and open plan living.

The decision to sell comes a few weeks after the PayPal co-founder cashed the majority of his stock in the social networking company, equating to 20m shares worth around US$400m.

After a selection of Facebook insiders became eligible to sell shares they owned in the social networking company due to the expiry of a ‘lock-up’ period, the private Thiel sold his stock for prices ranging between $19.29 and $20.69 per share.

It is understood the early Facebook director is house hunting for a four bedroom property close to the CBD with waterfront views, according to the New Zealand Herald.

Thiel, who also has a property in Queenstown, has been a big supporter of Kiwi work since his arrival in the country, investing around $6m in home-grown companies and projects, including the recently abandoned fibre-optic cable linking ANZ with the U.S.

Steve Wozniak also wants to move to New Zealand, with TechDay reporting the Apple co-founder is hoping Australian citizenship approval will pave the way.

According to U.S. news station NBC, the American told reporters he and his wife, Janet Hill, “love New Zealand” and confirmed his quest for Australian papers.