Michael Emilio

Roxanne Quimby, co-founder of Burt’s Bees, a personal-care product company that manufactures lip balm and other products with natural ingredients, wants to sell three of her four homes in Palm Beach. Interestingly, she doesn’t care which of the four houses she keeps.

Ms. Quimby has placed all four of her Palm Beach Florida properties on the real estate market and has commented that she will sell the first three homes and then will pull the remaining home off the market. "I wouldn’t know which one to keep," Ms. Quimby says, "so I’ll just let the market decide."

Ms. Quimby purchased the first house, built in 1954 with three bedrooms and 3,000 square feet, two years ago at about $1.8 million. It’s current listing price is $2.85 million. Then, in July 2005, Ms. Quimby purchased two more properties, a four bedroom, 2000 square foot home for $1.5 million and a two bedroom Bermuda-style home for $1.75 million. These are currently on the Palm Beach real estate market for $2.75 million and $2.4 million, respectively. The four-bedroom home for $2.75 million will be sold furnished. Finally, in April of this year, Ms. Quimby purchased a four bedroom home for $2.425 million, which is now listed at $2.95 million. The four homes are admittedly modest by Palm Beach standards, but charming. "I’m very practical," Ms. Quimby says. "I don’t think anyone needs a 15,000-square-foot house."

Ms. Quimby, was a co-founder of Burt’s Bees in the 1980s along with Maine beekeeper Burt Shavitz. She has since sold 80% of it to an investment firm three years ago for $177 million. Ms. Quimby remains on the company board.