The San Jose Mercury News reports that the Facebook founder has shelled out more than $30m to buy four houses adjacent his five-bedroom residence in an upscale neighborhood of Palo Alto, California.

Apparently Zuckerberg got wind of a developer who wanted to purchase the properties and build a mansion and market it to buyers who liked the idea of being Zuckerberg's neighbor. Rather than leveling the houses to build himself a palatial estate, he plans to lease them back to the families that are already living there.