David MacNeil, the billionaire founder of car mats maker WeatherTech, just set another South Florida real estate record.
The entrepreneur sold a 3.6-acre oceanfront assemblage in Manalapan for $105 million last week, setting a record for land sales in the tony coastal town and marking one of the most expensive residential sales in South Florida so far this year. It is also just one of the ultra-luxury deals MacNeil, among the tri-county’s regions most prolific homebuyers, has been involved in since January.
MacNeil has bought and sold more than $207 million worth of residential real estate in Broward and Palm Beach counties since the start of the year, vaulting him into a rare class of power buyers fueling South Florida’s ultra-luxury boom.
He’s in well-heeled company: South Florida’s real estate superspenders include Rockstar Energy billionaire Russell Savage, who has spent at least $122 million on his portfolio of luxury homes; and billionaire waste management mogul Patrick Dovigi, who spent at least $60 million on Miami properties last year.
Like Savage and Dovigi, MacNeil is a recent South Florida transplant. He started his company in Illinois in 1989 and began relocating to the Sunshine State in 2016, according to Forbes. The outlet estimates his net worth at $4 billion, and cites MacNeil’s $400 million collection of 350 cars, $90 million in planes and helicopters and a small portfolio of commercial properties in Illinois and Florida.
He is the sole owner of WeatherTech, and he is President Donald Trump’s pick to chair the Federal Trade Commission. His nomination is awaiting confirmation.
Here’s a look at MacNeil’s portfolio over the years.
84 Isla Bahia Drive, Fort Lauderdale
This month, MacNeil sold the 1,700-square-foot waterfront mansion at 84 Isla Bahia Drive for $34 million. He bought the half-acre waterfront property for $5.5 million in 2013, property records show. He built the five-bedroom mansion in 2020. It has eight bathrooms, one half-bathroom and 300 feet of waterfront, records and the listing show.
He listed it for $50 million in 2024 and dropped the price three times. Chad Carroll with Compass had the listing.
3052 North Atlantic Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale
MacNeil is no stranger to record-setting sales. In 2023, he sold the waterfront mansion at 3052 North Atlantic Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale to Bang Energy founder Jack Owoc for $40 million, then the most expensive home ever sold in Broward.
MacNeil bought the 0.4-acre property for $3.2 million in 2018 and built the 10,300-square-foot mansion in 2023. Tim Elmes of Compass represented MacNeil in the deal.
13700 Quarter Horse Trail, Wellington
In 2019, MacNeil bought the 3.8-acre equestrian estate at 13700 Quarter Horse Trail in Wellington for $23.2 million. His daughter, Devon MacNeil, is an equestrian and competes in the village’s Winter Equestrian Festival. The estate includes a four-bedroom main house, staff’ quarters, pool, barn, sand arena and paddocks. Larry Revier with TrustLarry Real Estate represented the MacNeils in the deal.
3225 Macomber Drive, Pebble Beach
MacNeil bought the 3.2-acre estate at 3225 Macomber Drive in Pebble Beach, California for $7 million in 2020. He spent more than $10 million renovating the 7,500-square-foot house, tapping Holdren + Lietzke Architecture to redesign it with a 1,000-bottle wine room, a putting green and a bocce ball court, according to the Wall Street Journal. The home includes seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms, two half-bathrooms and a hot tub, the listing shows.
He listed it for $39 million in 2023 and has dropped the asking price to $26.8 million. Tim Allen with Coldwell Banker Realty has the listing.
1120 South Ocean Boulevard, Manalapan
MacNeil’s record-setting Manalapan assemblage was acquired in two deals totaling $94 million. In 2024, he bought 2 acres at 1120 South Ocean Boulevard for $38.5 million. Elmes represented him in the transaction. He added to the estate last year with the $55.5 million purchase of an unfinished spec mansion at 1140 South Ocean Boulevard. He bulldozed both properties and combined them to span 3.6 acres and 342 feet of direct ocean frontage.
MacNeil listed the site for $125 million in December, Zillow shows. The $105 million sale price marks an 11.7 percent increase from what he paid for the land. Margit Brandt with Premier Estate Properties had the listing.
1940 South Ocean Boulevard, Manalapan
In February, MacNeil bought the 1.9-acre ocean-to-Intracoastal estate at 1940 South Ocean Boulevard in Manalapan for $68.3 million. The 2022-built 10,500-square-foot mansion has six bedrooms, nine bathrooms, four half-bathrooms, a gym, spa facilities, a theater, game room, craft room, two bowling alleys, a dock and a tunnel to the beach.
The sellers, Frank and Dolores Mennella, listed it for $84.9 million in May of last year. Brandt represented MacNeil in the purchase.
