Take a Tour of Michael Jordan's Chicago Mansion That's Been on the Market for 10 Years and Why He Can't Sell it Michael Jordan has tried to sweeten the pot by cutting the price nearly in half and throwing in a complete set of Air Jordans with the purchase of the house.
This story originally appeared on Business Insider
Michael Jordan's 56,000-square-foot, 7-acre compound looks massive even from the air.
Anyone who approaches from the ground can tell right away that this estate belongs to the legendary No. 23, Michael Jordan — and that might be what's keeping it from selling. "It's clearly his home," said Bruce Bowers of Bowers Realty Group. "... There's a lot of work that would have to be done to make it your own."
The price on the house has dropped several times and is now going for $14.9 million, or about $265 per square foot — that's a far cry from the original price of $517 per square foot. The exact price is $14,855,000, and the numbers in that price add up to 23 — Jordan's basketball jersey number.
The long drive from the gate and the full-grown trees ensure that the house has complete privacy.
Jordan had the house — and the surrounding property — built from scratch to his personal tastes.
The outdoor space proves to be spectacular. There's a tennis court ...
... an infinity pool with a grass island in the middle ...
... which lies in the center of a large patio ...
... and down on the lawn there's a putting green.
The putting green is complete with Jordan Brand flag sticks.
There's also a pond stocked with fish.
While the outdoor space is sprawling and undoubtedly impressive ...
... the inside is equally spectacular. When guests first walk in the front door, they are greeted by this view, which includes a piano in the background.
The piano room doubles as one of many sitting rooms in the house.
And here's a look at another sitting area dubbed the "great room" — this isn't the only great room around the house, though.
Jordan's luxurious taste even shows itself in details like doorways. The set of doors seen below are from the original Playboy Mansion in Chicago.
They lead to a game room with a pool table.
Of course, since this is the former home of Michael Jordan, there is a full-court basketball court. It's the centerpiece of the house.
The court has the legend's name at both ends ...
... and the Jumpman logo at center court, which includes the names of his children — his daughter's name is out of view.
While guests wait for their turn on the court, they can hang out in this sitting area.
Moving along to the dining room, guests were able to eat at this "Baghdad table."
That grid seen on the tabletop is based on the streets of Baghdad.
Detailed eating areas are somewhat of a theme. Here we can see a beautiful skylight positioned perfectly over the kitchen table.
In one of the dining areas just off the kitchen, there is a large aquarium built into the wall.
The house has nine bedrooms ...
... and 19 bathrooms. 19!
There is also a cigar room, which has been decorated intricately with a detailed ceiling.
Even the railing in the cigar room is ornate.
The cigar room also has plenty of card tables where we're guessing Jordan played some high-stakes poker games — he is known for his love of gambling, after all.
The home also features a full gym.
Jordan's Bulls teammates used to work out there every morning, according to an interview shared by Concierge Auctions.
Another luxurious part of Jordan's estate is the expansive wine cellar.
The library upstairs was said to be MJ's favorite room. It features a drop-down movie screen.
Between the house and the patio, there's another TV room with a 110-inch screen.
This area used to be an indoor pool. Jordan renovated it after he moved in and added sliding walls to both sides that can make the gathering room either indoor or outdoor depending on the mood and the weather.
There are plenty of media rooms throughout the house. Even the seemingly random nooks like this one below have TVs.
The property also boasts a three-bedroom guest house ...
... which has its own family room and kitchen.
MJ lived in the main house for 19 years.
The house comes fully furnished, although some of the pieces may be a tad dated.
Despite how awesome the house seems, it's been on the market since 2012. Jordan tried to auction the house in 2013, but the minimum bid of $13 million was never met.
Jordan said, "Many of the world's most desirable items are sold at auction, and Concierge Auctions is the hands-down leader when it comes to auctioning one-of-a-kind real estate."
MJ's estate remained unsold despite attempts to get creative, including marketing to wealthy people in basketball-crazed China.
In 2015, the agent working to sell the house at the time promised that the buyer would also receive every edition of Air Jordans in his or her size — but that didn't work either.
Adam Rosenfeld, of the luxury-real-estate startup Mercer Vine, told Marketwatch in 2016 that Jordan was likely struggling to sell the house because of all of the personalized customizations.
Rosenfeld said the house also just isn't in an area where wealthy celebs are looking for houses. Gail Lissner of Integra Realty Resources called the area "much more modest" than what Jordan's property suggests.
There is no need to worry about the house rotting while remaining unsold, though. The house is still occupied by staff who Jordan employed to keep it looking fresh.
Jordan is still paying a lot in property taxes. The annual bill is more than $130,000, and Zillow estimates that he has paid over $2.5 million in property taxes since he put it on the market in 2012.
One problem is that Jordan may feel his celebrity status adds value to the house, but, according to Stephen Shapiro of the Westside Agency, people do not pay more for a house just because somebody famous owned it.
"But you know who tends to think a property is worth more because a celebrity lived there?" Shapiro said. "The celebrity trying to sell it."
Another issue is the location. Most of the homes in this price range in this area are closer to Lake Michigan, a few miles east of Jordan's former house. "Buyers at that level in that area tend to want to be closer to the lake," Missy Jerfita of Berkshire Hathaway Homes Services told The Real Deal.
Since Jordan put his Chicago home on the market, he has since purchased a lakefront house in North Carolina in a golf-course community.
The house is in Cornelius, about a 30-minute drive from the Charlotte Hornets' arena — Jordan owns the NBA team. MJ purchased the house for $2.8 million after it was originally listed for $4 million.
Zillow
Jordan also reportedly bought a house on a golf course in Jupiter, Florida, for $4.8 million in 2013 and spent $7.6 million on renovations.
He also owns a condo in downtown Charlotte, in the same building as Cam Newton. The condos reportedly go for between $1.5 and $3.5 million.
Most recently, Jordan listed his 10,000-square-foot home in Park City, Utah, for $7.5 million. Experts think it will likely sell faster than the Chicago compound.
He continues to wait for a buyer for the Chicago-area home. Of course, MJ is estimated to be worth $1.9 billion, so he can afford to wait for the right owner to come along on his old Chicago digs.
