Bay Area home seller seeks payment in Anthropic equity instead of cash

A homeowner in Mill Valley, located just north of San Francisco, is proposing an unconventional arrangement for the sale of a 13-acre property.

Storm Duncan, who owns the home, has posted a LinkedIn listing stating that he would prefer to exchange the property for equity in Anthropic rather than accept a traditional cash payment.

Duncan described the proposal as a strategic move to rebalance his investment portfolio. He explained that he currently has a greater concentration in real estate than in investments in artificial intelligence, while he believes AI will play a significant role in the future. He also suggested that a potential buyer — particularly someone employed at Anthropic — might be in the opposite situation, with substantial equity exposure but limited real estate holdings.

According to Duncan, interested parties are encouraged to reach out via email to discuss the terms of a potential agreement. He noted that the transaction would be structured privately and would not require the buyer to liquidate their shares. He also indicated that the buyer would retain 20% of any upside in the value of the shares exchanged during the lockup period.

Duncan, who described himself as a longtime Bay Area resident before relocating to Miami during the pandemic, originally purchased the property in 2019 for $4.75 million. He added that a well-known venture capitalist currently occupies the home, though he declined to disclose the individual’s identity.