Michael Jordan’s mansion still won’t budge on the sales market — and neither will he.
Jordan, the basketball legend known for setting records on the court, is close to achieving another — having the most famous mansion that just won’t sell.
His sprawling Highland Park, Illinois estate, originally listed for $29 million back in 2012 and now reduced to around $15 million, has lingered on the market for more than a decade. Despite the significant price drop, the six-time NBA champion isn’t interested in slashing the price any further, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal
The question that’s swirling among potential buyers and real estate insiders: is the house too “Michael Jordan” for anyone else?
Guarded by a custom iron gate flaunting Jordan’s uniform number 23, the 56,000-square-foot mansion is a shrine to the GOAT himself. The outdoor putting green sports flags featuring his Nike silhouette, and a home theater displays his likeness in lights.
Inside, Jordan’s name and those of his children — Marcus, Jeffrey and Jasmine — are painted across a full-sized basketball court, while a locker room, trophy room and a cigar-friendly poker parlor complete the picture. Some of the doors come straight from Hugh Hefner’s original Playboy Mansion, and there’s even a built-in aquarium.
But don’t expect any de-Jordanizing to help move this property. Listing agent Katherine Malkin told the Journal: “We haven’t really talked about that because it’s part of the draw. We don’t look at that as being a hindrance.”
Still, selling a celebrity’s ultra-personalized digs is no easy feat.
Derek Jeter’s New York lakefront home, complete with turrets and a mini Statue of Liberty, sat unsold for six years and required nearly $10 million in price cuts before finally moving at $5.1 million. Rocker Slash struggled for two years to find a buyer for his skull-themed mansion — and Joe Pesci’s Goodfellas-style Jersey Shore residence took three years to sell.
Meanwhile, Jordan’s mansion has become a magnet for gawkers.
Tourists routinely pose at the entrance gate, and fans without deep pockets contact Malkin hoping for a free tour or a bargain price. Last year, a teenager even attempted a break-in, despite the property’s round-the-clock security. Recently, a TikTok video falsely suggesting the mansion had flooded went viral, adding to the circus-like atmosphere surrounding the offering.
While Jordan has knocked the price down to $14.85 million, there won’t be any more discounts. He famously pulled out of a 2013 auction because he didn’t want to sell the house for less than it was worth.
As Malkin puts it, “I think most of the people would have gotten anxious at some point and said, you know, I think I’ll just reduce it and reduce it and reduce it.”
Jordan’s camp has tried creative tactics to find the right buyer.
Real estate agent Kofi Nartey led a marketing blitz featuring dramatic videos in both English and Mandarin, leveraging Jordan’s massive popularity in China. Nartey even sweetened the deal by promising a complete collection of Air Jordan sneakers for the lucky buyer.
“The person who buys the home is not buying it just to have a big house but is buying it really for bragging rights and for the legacy that Michael Jordan built with the property,” Nartey told the Journal.
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