A property in Mill Valley, California, listed for sale on Zillow, a real-estate marketplace, is starting to turn heads, not just because of the property itself, but because of how the owner wants to sell it. Instead of asking for cash, the seller is looking for something far less traditional;, shares in Anthropic- the artificial intelligence company behind Claude.
The home, sitting on a large stretch of land with sweeping views, is now part of a deal that connects property with one of the most talked-about sectors today, AI.
$4.85M Bay Area home for sale.
— George Pu (@TheGeorgePu) April 27, 2026
Cash not accepted.
Anthropic shares only.
The seller's a banker.
The buyer he wants is a 28-year-old Anthropic engineer.
Who has stock but no cash.
Houses in the Bay are now priced in pre-IPO equity.
This used to be a joke.
Now it's on… pic.twitter.com/s3TYBLyXDX
transformative
Damilare Odedina
Why This Seller Wants AI Shares Instead of Cash
The man behind this unusual move is Storm Duncan, an investment banker who seems to be thinking far beyond a normal property sale. His idea is simple but bold. Trade something stable, like real estate, for something with high growth potential, like AI company shares.
Duncan said in an interview that he suspects many employees at Anthropic are sitting on valuable equity that has not yet been fully realized, and he sees an opportunity to meet them halfway.
"The Anthropic employee probably has a significant amount of liquid net worth in Anthropic," Duncan said in an interview with NBC Bay Area. “It's not diversified, and they probably don’t have a home that corresponds to their new net worth. I’m in the exact opposite scenario where I have a home, but I don’t have exposure to Anthropic, which I would like to have."
Duncan also posted the house sale on LinkedIn, where he hopes Anthropic employees might see it.
Inside the Mill Valley Luxury Estate
The property itself is not an ordinary home, which makes the proposal even more interesting. Located at 114 Inez Place in the Strawberry area of Mill Valley, the estate stretches across about 13 acres of land, offering a rare level of privacy and space in a region known for its high demand.
The house covers roughly 4,400 square feet, with four bedrooms and five bathrooms, and comes with features that match its setting, including wide views of the surrounding landscape and an infinity pool. According to Duncan, one of its biggest draws is the environment itself, with open land and wildlife adding to the experience of living there.
This is the kind of property that usually attracts wealthy buyers paying in cash or through traditional financing.
A Deal Built Around the Future of AI
What ties everything together is the belief in where artificial intelligence is heading. Anthropic has been gaining attention as one of the key players in the space. Reports have suggested that its valuation could climb significantly, with some estimates placing it among the most valuable AI companies in the near future.
Duncan is clearly betting on that future. He sees this not just as a sale, but as a long-term play. The idea is to exchange the home for shares while allowing the buyer to keep some exposure to future gains, especially during lockup periods when shares cannot be easily sold.
"Some people think we're in a bubble and Anthropic is overvalued," Duncan said in the interview with NBC. "And I happen to think that we're at the very beginning of the most transformative thing we'll ever see in our lifetime. I realise fully that their stock could go up or down."
Ogbonda Chivumnovu
