While the home selling and buying adventures of Kurt Russell, Katy Perry and Taylor Swift were the hot-ticket celebrity items on realtor.com® in 2013, a host of Hall of Fame athletes made real estate moves worthy of our highlight reel.
From a one-of-a-kind St. Louis Cardinals souvenir, to Jerry Rice’s mansion sale and Agent Zero’s shark tank, here are the top real estate stories from the professional sports world.
Bill Buckner’s Boise RanchLeading off our lineup of athlete homes is the residence of a former ballplayer whose World Series legacy won’t soon be forgotten: Bill Buckner. The retired Boston Red Sox player is best known for his fielding folly — when he let a ground ball go between his legs during Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. However, we were much more interested in his ranch estate in Boise, Ida., which hit the market for $1.7 million in July.
Derek Dooley Irks Volunteers’ FansThe expression “Hell hath no fury like a college football fan scorned” took on a whole new meaning in March with the revelation that disgraced Tennessee Volunteers football coach Derek Dooley was selling his home in Knoxville. Looking to close the door on his Rocky Top tenure, Dooley listed his 17-acre spread in Knox County for $2.9 million, and drew the ire of Volunteer faithful in the process.
Stan Musial’s Home for SaleSt. Louis Cardinals fans in the market for a one-of-a-kind souvenir got more than they could have imagined when the estate of the late Stan “The Man” Musial went on sale in May. When he died in January at the age of 92, the beloved Redbirds icon left behind a city of admirers and a rich baseball legacy as one of the game’s all-time greats. Musial also left behind this longtime home in Ladue, Mo. The three-acre property originally had an asking price of $1.795 million and eventually sold in July for $1.6 million.
Kevin Durant’s Real Estate SlamKevin Durant certainly knows how to light it up on the basketball court, but it was the pump-fake the Oklahoma City Thunder star made off the court that caught our attention. With plans to merge two brownstone units in the city’s Deep Deuce historic neighborhood, he looked to pass his suburban mansion to another owner, listing the gated property in late September for $1.95 million.
Jerry Rice Catches a BuyerArguably the greatest football player that ever was, Jerry Rice proved he had staying power by making our list of top stories for the second year in a row. Last year, the San Francisco 49ers legend made waves when he lowered the price of his 13,908-square-foot home. Equipped with $500,000 worth of weights and training equipment, a sauna, and a steam room complete with a cold-plunge, the Hall of Fame receiver’s Atherton, Calif. mansion was the stuff of real estate legend. So, it came as little surprise when Rice’s $9 million sale was the talk of the town in August.
Johnny Manziel’s Family Pulling Out of College StationIt was a summer of ups and downs for Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, one that nearly brought a premature ending to the Heisman Trophy winner’s NCAA career. While the world awaited the fate of Johnny Football, his parents looked to hightail it out of College Station in August by chop-blocking the price of their Bryan, Texas, home.
Stephen Curry’s Bay Area PenthouseAfter purchasing a posh penthouse in November 2012, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry is looking to sell his unit at The Ellington, the only high-rise building in Oakland’s Jack London Square in the San Francisco Bay Area. The All-Star guard is currently shopping the property for $1.695 million. Located just 11 minutes from Oracle Arena, Curry’s modern abode offers three bedrooms, four bathrooms and approximately 2,084 square feet of living space. The property is a corner unit apartment and features floor-to-ceiling windows, three balconies and a patio with a gas fire pit.
Gilbert Arenas’ Shark Tank ManorOnce he became the proud owner of a $111 million contract extension, former Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas, aka Agent Zero, went about spending that money — and confirming his reputation as an oddball — by constructing one of the most excessive mansions in all of the District of Columbia. The infamous display, complete with a world-class grotto and multiple shark tanks that cost a rumored $5,000 a month to maintain, previously made waves in 2012 when it listed for $3.5 million; and it then proved it was no one-hit wonder in July, when it resurfaced for the same price.
Troy Aikman Buys Big in DallasTroy Aikman may not be a general manager, but he made a major splash in July when he pulled off one of the biggest real estate trades of the year to lock down the No.2 spot on our list. The legendary Dallas Cowboys quarterback finally found a buyer for his $24 million mansion in Highland Park and celebrated by buying another massive mansion in the same affluent neighborhood. Though slightly smaller and comparatively less expensive, there is no question that Aikman’s new Dallas digs are well-suited for their Hall of Fame owner.
Greg Jennings’ Last Lambeau LeapCities get attached to their local sports stars, which is why news that Green Bay receiver Greg Jennings was selling his home sent shock waves through the Packers fan base and was the top sports real estate story of the year. The All-Pro wide out and then soon-to-be free agent said it was merely “business” when he listed the home in January following Green Bay’s playoff loss to San Francisco. However, fast-forward to the following season and the wide receiver star now suits up for the Minnesota Vikings.
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