Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen lists private island for US$13.5 million

{yoogallery src=[images/stories/august31paulallen]}

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has listed his remote Washington state island for sale with price hopes of US$13.5 million. The price might seem steep for a 118-hectare island that is almost undeveloped, save for a simple log cabin and an air strip, but it's just over half what Allen wanted for the island in 2005, when he unsuccessfully listed it with price hopes of US$25 million.

The tech entrepreneur bought Allan Island (the island is named for the Navy hero who discovered it, not Bill Gates' former business partner) in 1992 and had planned to build a retreat on it, but decided instead to build on nearby Lopez Island, where he bought 157 hectares in 1996. Allan Island is listed through Windmere agent Wally Gudgel.

Allen co-founded Microsoft with Gates in 1975 and came up with the name Mico-Soft. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in 1982 and did not return to the company, though he did not officially resign from its board until 2000. 

Forbes magazine has estimated Allen's personal wealth at US$13.5 billion. 

Anyone who would like to own an island but does not want to travel all the way to the US might want to consider the recent listing of Urunga Island, off the coast of NSW.