Michael Jordan’s Chicagoland Manse Lands a Buyer After 12 Years on the Market

Michael Jordan has reportedly found a buyer for his sprawling estate in the Chicago area after an arduous 12-and-a-half-year search. The NBA legend’s mega-mansion went under contract on Sunday, according to Crain’s Chicago Business.

Jordan first listed his impressive 56,000-square-foot residence, completed in 1994, for $29 million in 2012. Situated about 25 miles north of Chicago in Highland Park, the home has undergone several price reductions to attract buyers, with the most recent listing at $14.855 million—an amount that, in classic Jordan fashion, adds up to 23. While the final sale price won’t be confirmed for another 20 to 30 days, this development marks a long-awaited conclusion to the estate’s protracted selling saga.

### Why Did Michael Jordan’s Home Struggle to Sell?

Despite being a notable landmark in the Chicago area—drawing countless visitors eager to snap photos in front of the gate bearing Jordan’s retired jersey number “23”—the property has faced challenges in finding serious buyers. With Jordan’s children grown and other residences in Florida, Utah, and North Carolina, it became clear that his personal connection to the home did not translate into market interest. A recent Wall Street Journal feature suggested that the home’s unique, “Jordanesque” design may have deterred potential buyers.

### Custom Features of the Home

As the architect of his own space, Jordan incorporated a plethora of custom details that some argue made the property less appealing to the average buyer. The nine-bedroom, 19-bath (15 full, four half) estate welcomes guests through an iron gate adorned with the number 23. The outdoor putting green features flags displaying Jordan’s iconic “Jumpman” silhouette. Additional highlights include a locker room, a trophy room, and a full-size basketball court decorated with the names of Jordan and his children—Marcus, Jeffrey, and Jasmine. The home also boasts a cigar and poker room, equipped with a humidor and poker tables, alongside a space featuring doors from the original Playboy Mansion in Chicago.

While many questioned the decision not to depersonalize the home before listing it, the property’s listing agent, Katherine Malkin of Compass, noted that these unique features were among its major selling points. “We haven’t really talked about that because it’s part of the draw. We don’t look at that as being a hindrance,” she explained to the WSJ.

Another factor limiting the estate’s potential was its zoning restrictions and limited parking, which hampered ideas to repurpose the property as a Michael Jordan museum, conference center, or other community space. Furthermore, buyers willing to spend this amount on a home typically prefer locations closer to Lake Michigan, which is about two miles away, Malkin added.

Lastly, high property taxes, approximately $148,000 annually, posed an additional challenge to the sale.