The nine-bedroom, 8.5-bathroom stone mansion in the upmarket Kalorama neighbourhood was sold for $8.1m (£6.2m), property records indicate.

The Obamas are remaining in Washington until their youngest daughter, 15-year-old Sasha, finishes high school.

The former first couple have been travelling the world since departing the White House in January.Obamas buy $8.1m home in Washington DC

Mr Obama's spokesman, Kevin Lewis, confirmed the sale saying: "Given that President and Mrs Obama will be in Washington for at least another two and a half years, it made sense for them to buy a home rather than continuing to rent the property."

Concrete barriers restrict public access to the 8,300 sq ft (770 sq metre) home, which is protected round the clock by Secret Service officers.

The Obamas - who still own a home in Chicago - acquired their latest property from former Bill Clinton press secretary Joe Lockhart, who purchased it in 2014 for $5.3m.

The home is not far from the $23m home owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who also owns the Washington Post newspaper.

Also in the neighbourhood are US First Daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner, a senior White House adviser.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is another Kalorama resident - he bought a $5.6m house in February.