NBA
Inside Michael Jordan’s $14.8 Million Illinois Mansion He Still Can’t Sell in 2023
In 1995, Michael Jordan constructed one of the largest mansions in the Chicago suburbs at a cost of over $50 million. Decades later, the five-time MVP listed the seven-acre property for $29 million. It may seem like many people’s dream to live in a home built by the greatest player in NBA history, but apparently, this has not been enough to get the property off the market.
Jordan has struggled to obtain a buyer for the estate for over a decade. And the struggle continues, as the Chicago Bulls icon has slashed the asking price nearly in half. Let’s learn all about this enormous estate and why it has been hard for His Airness to sell the home.
A look inside Michael Jordan’s Chicago mansion
Approaching from the grounds at 2700 Point Ln in Highland Park, Illinois, you can quickly tell the property belongs to the NBA legend; his iconic No. 23 is welded to the gate.
After a long drive from the entrance, 40-foot evergreens surround the property and provide privacy for the home. The outdoor space — which totals over seven acres — is undoubtedly impressive and sprawling, with a tennis court, an infinity pool, and a putting green.
Like the exterior, the home’s interior is equally spectacular.
The property includes over 56,000 square feet of indoor space, with the main home accounting for 32,683 square feet.
The three-level Michael Jordan mansion features nine bedrooms, 15 full baths, four half-baths, a three-bedroom guest house, and a 14-car garage. There are numerous dining rooms and sitting rooms in the mansion, and some truly unique features.
In one of the dining rooms, there is a huge aquarium built into the wall. There is also Jordan’s personal trophy room that has his trophy cases still intact. Although, the Bulls logo from the old Chicago Stadium is no longer part of the floor.
The home also features one of 10 “Baghdad tables” in the world off the kitchen. The table features the city grid of Bagdad, Iraq, as the tabletop.
Unsurprisingly, the centerpiece of the house is a full-size basketball court with Jordan’s name on both ends and the Jumpman logo at the center. Other noticeable features in the place include a gourmet chef’s kitchen, cigar room, wine cellar, full gym, library, and a set of doorways from the original Playboy Mansion of Chicago.
Jordan has struggled to sell his Chicago mansion for 11 years
Jordan took full ownership of the house in 2007, a year after separating from his ex-wife, Juanita Vanoy, per NBA Fandom.
He first put his home for sale five years later, in March 2012, with an asking price of $29 million.
No buyers were willing to pay that price, and the property languished on the market. A year later, Jordan dropped the price to $21 and then relisted it again for $16 million.
Even at the lower price, the struggle to find a buyer for the Michael Jordan mansion continued.
In 2015, the property’s listing agent at that time stated that, as an incentive, they would give a buyer every edition of Air Jordans in their size. That still didn’t entice a buyer.
In May 2023, the current price for the house now is $14,855,000, per Zillow.
And, in one more nod to MJ, if you add up the numbers in the current listing (1+4+8+5+5), the total is 23, Jordan’s iconic jersey number — and almost half the original asking price.
Why Michael Jordan’s mansion has been on the market for over a decade
There are several reasons the Michael Jordan mansion is still on the market more than a decade after the GOAT listed it.
One is that the home is highly customized, with the number 23 and Jordan’s iconic Jumpman logo. Many areas in the house also have a decidedly 90s vibe, which is not shocking as Jordan built the house during his and the Bulls’ heyday.
Also, while the mansion does come fully furnished, there is a stipulation that the “furniture can never be resold,” according to real estate agent Enes Yilmazer.
While those quirks don’t help, the biggest reason the Michael Jordan mansion is still on the market is the price and location. Despite being in a wealthy area outside a major city, Jordan’s former home “is about 30 times the median price of homes in the upscale Chicago suburb” (h/t Forbes).
It is also built for privacy. The home is about two miles from Lake Michigan, where most of the large homes in the area are. This was important for a global celebrity like Jordan but may not be appealing to most buyers.
Finally, it is often challenging to find buyers who can afford to purchase and maintain such a large house. Several celebrities have struggled with this in the past. For example, according to CNBC, rapper 50 Cent also waited around a decade for his massive compound in Farmington, Connecticut to sell.