Presidential Real Estate? See Homes of GOP Hopefuls

While President Obama isn't facing much in the way of in-party competition for the presidency in 2012, on the Republican side candidates are lining up to spar for the nomination. The grand poobah of flashy real estate, Donald Trump, already has backed out and overexposed Sarah Palin has yet to make a decision, but we've got the houses of five candidates who seem willing to go the distance.

One of the early frontrunners is former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, whose 2008 bid ended in a primary defeat to John McCain. Following that letdown, he's revamped his strategy and moved to La Jolla, Calif. The former CEO of private equity house Bain Capital, Romney didn't skimp on his new digs. In fact, he forked over $12M for one of the choice beachfront houses in town, a 3,000-square-foot spread on almost half an acre.