More than four dozen real-estate moguls were included in Forbes’ latest list of wealthiest Americans, a group that has flourished financially since the start of the pandemic.
Warren Buffett and Stephen Schwarzman topped the list among investors with substantial ties to the real estate industry, with developer Donald Bren also clocking in near the top with an estimated net worth of $16.2 billion, according to the Forbes 400 list.
Like their colleagues in other industries, America’s wealthiest real estate figures saw their net worth grow rapidly over the past year, Forbes said.
“The 400 wealthiest Americans saw their collective fortune increase 40% over the last year, to $4.5 trillion,” Forbes said in its report. “Nearly all are richer than they were a year ago.”
In addition to investors, the publication also identified business giants in construction, manufacturing and distribution.
John Menard Jr. was the wealthiest on the list among this group. The founder of Menards home improvement chain has an estimated net worth of $16.6 billion, Forbes said. Diane Hendricks, the chair of ABC Supply roofing company, came in at $11 billion.
The list below is grouped by industry and ordered by each businessperson’s net-worth rank on the Forbes 400 list. Other members of the Forbes 400 list may have ties to real estate, but are not included below.
Construction and services
- 43. John Menard Jr., founder and owner of Menards home improvement chain — $16.6 billion
- 57. Brian Chesky, co-founder and CEO of Airbnb — $12.5 billion
- 64. Diane Hendricks, chair of ABC Supply roofing, siding and windows — $11 billion
- 66. Joe Gebbia, co-founder and chief product officer of Airbnb — $10.8 billion
- 76. Nathan Blecharczyk, co-founder and chief strategy officer of Airbnb — $10 billion
- 86. Bernard Marcus, co-founder of Home Depot — $9.1 billion
- 90. Herbert Kohler Jr. and family, executive chairman of Kohler plumbing fixtures — $8.8 billion
- 116. Ronald Wanek, founder of Ashley Furniture — $7.6 billion
- 124. Arthur Blank, co-founder of Home Depot — $7.2 billion
- 176. Ken Langone, co-founder of Home Depot — $5.9 billion
- 182. Gary Rollins, chairman of Orkin pest control — $5.8 billion
- 195. Eric Smidt, CEO of Harbor Freight Tools — $5.6 billion
- 229. Todd Wanek, CEO of Ashley Furniture — $4.7 billion
- 389. Donald Horton and family, founder of D.R. Horton — $2.9 billion
Mortgage lending
- 23. Dan Gilbert, cofounder of Quicken Loans — $30.9 billion
- 102. Mat Ishbia, president and CEO of UWM Holdings — $8.3 billion
Real estate investing
- 8. Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway — $102 billion
- 19. Stephen Schwarzman, co-founder of Blackstone — $37.4 billion
- 43. Carl Icahn, founder of Icahn Enterprises — $16.6 billion
- 46. Donald Bren, chairman and owner of the Irvine Company — $16.2 billion
- 70. Stanley Kroenke, founder of the Kroenke Group — $10.7 billion
- 66. Philip Anschutz, chairman and CEO of the Anschutz Corporation — $10.8 billion
- 78. Andrew Beal, founder and owner of Beal Financial Corp. — $9.9 billion
- 102. Stephen Ross, founder of Related Companies — $8.3 billion
- 120. Jonathan Gray, chairman and CEO of Blackstone Group — $7.4 billion
- 134. Sun Hongbin, founder and chairman of Sunac China Holdings — $6.9 billion
- 151. Neil Bluhm, partner of Midwest Gaming & Entertainment — $6.4 billion
- 161. Leonard Stern, chairman and CEO of the Hartz Group — $6.2 billion
- 168. Edward Roski Jr., president of Majestic Realty $6.1 billion
- 168. John A. Sobrato and family, founder of the Sobrato Organization — $6.1 billion
- 172. Sam Zell, founder of Equity Group Investments — $6 billion
- 188. Ray Lee Hunt, chair of Hunt Consolidated — $5.7 billion
- 209. Jeff Greene, credit-default-swap investor — $5.1 billion
- 229. Ted Lerner and family, founder of Lerner Enterprises — $4.7 billion
- 229. Igor Olenicoff, founder of Olen Properties — $4.7 billion
- 261. Rick Caruso, founder and CEO of Caruso — $4.3 billion
- 261. Ty Warner, owner of Four Seasons Hotel New York — $4.3 billion
- 289. Richard LeFrak and family, CEO of the LeFrak Organization — $3.9 billion
- 289. Donald Sterling, real estate investor — $3.9 billion
- 300. Bernard Saul II, chairman and CEO of Saul Centers — $3.8 billion
- 310. John Catsimatidis, owner of Gristedes — $3.7 billion
- 318. Charles Cohen, president and CEO of Cohen Brothers Realty Corporation — $3.6 billion
- 318. Jay Paul, founder of Jay Paul Co. — $3.6 billion
- 318. Jerry Speyer, founding partner of Tishman Speyer — $3.6 billion
- 340. Herb Simon, founder of Simon Property Group — $3.4 billion
- 363. H. Ross Perot Jr., chairman of The Perot Group — $3.2 billion
- 368. Jeff Sutton, founder of Wharton Properties — $3.1 billion
- 377. Mortimer Zuckerman, former Boston Properties chairman — $3 billion
- 389. Jane Goldman, co-chair of Solil Management — $2.9 billion
