Turns out, love does cost a thing. In this case, it’s a staggering $22 million and counting. The once-celebrated couple, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, are still trying to offload their Beverly Hills marital mansion, more than a year after their divorce. The financial burden of this property has become a significant chapter in their post-marital life.
The couple purchased the home in July 2023 for $60.8 million, shortly after their extravagant wedding in Georgia. However, by January 2025, they had parted ways, finalizing their divorce months later. Despite their separation, the property remains unsold, with its exorbitant monthly running costs estimated at around $17,000.
The Financial Toll of a Stagnant Mansion
The mansion has been listed and relisted twice, with the former couple slashing $16 million from the asking price over several months. Now, it sits stagnant on the market at $52 million. The sale is being handled by Rick Hilton, a Hollywood real estate legend and father to socialite Paris Hilton.
If they manage to sell it at the current price, the couple will face a $16 million loss on the listing price alone, plus an estimated $600,000 on electric and water bills. Records suggest their 2025 tax bill was a hefty $755,000, and they are on the hook for around $5 million in closing costs when it eventually sells. In total, this amounts to a $22 million shortfall.
“There’s nobody – nobody – that doesn’t care about losing ten to 20 million dollars,” Jason Oppenheim, star of Netflix’s Selling Sunset and president of the Oppenheim Group, told the Daily Mail.
Real Estate Strategy Gone Awry
The now-divorced duo initially purchased the home with plans for extensive renovations. However, by July 2024, their relationship had ended for the second time, prompting a rushed market listing at $68 million. The price was later reduced to $59.9 million in May 2025, but still, no buyers emerged.
In September 2025, the property was relisted at $52 million, yet it remains unsold. According to Oppenheim, the couple’s mistake was listing it in the middle of a price range. He suggests a price of $49 million would attract more interest, as many wealthy buyers search for homes priced up to $50 million.
“Sellers are their own worst enemy. I don’t understand the concept of $52 million. It needs to be priced at $49 million or even $49.5 million. The truth is you’d get more activity at $49 million because many wealthy people and their agents will only search for homes up to $50 million,” Oppenheim explained.
The Hidden Costs of Luxury Living
Meanwhile, the financial burden of maintaining the mansion is enormous, even for stars of their magnitude. Monthly upkeep includes massive electric and air conditioning bills, landscaping, and cleaning. Oppenheim estimates the monthly electric bill to be around $15,000, with water costing an additional $2,000.
The 38,000-square-foot home includes a 12-car garage, a 5,000-square-foot guest penthouse, the largest zero-edge pool in Beverly Hills, a caretaker house, and a two-bedroom guardhouse. Additional features such as a sports lounge, a fully-equipped gym, a boxing ring, and courts for basketball and pickleball require regular maintenance.
Despite their wealth, property records show that the couple took out a $20 million mortgage through a trust. Based on the mortgage rate at the time of purchase, their monthly mortgage payment alone is around $133,060. According to Zillow, the 2025 property taxes on the mansion were $755,518, and the closing costs when it sells will be about $4.7 million.
“Besides the bills and the upkeep and maintenance, insurance, property tax, repairs, maintenance, landscape, water, utilities, the longer it sits, the house itself also depreciates,” Oppenheim noted.
Future Prospects and Market Realities
A home loses market value while sitting on the market because it turns “stale,” causing buyers to suspect hidden flaws or major defects, which reduces demand. The lack of interest forces sellers to lower prices, while they simultaneously incur “carrying costs” like taxes, maintenance, and insurance, reducing the net equity.
Oppenheim believes Affleck and Lopez probably overpaid for the home initially, but he thinks it will eventually sell at $49 million. “Listing at that number is likely the last time they’ll have to list. It doesn’t hurt that they owned it; it brings some positive cachet,” he said.
And even though they are both independently wealthy, neither Affleck nor Lopez wants to watch their bank accounts drain. “They should have sold at $49 million, invested in a treasury bill, and made a few million a year,” Oppenheim advised.
As the couple continues to navigate the complexities of high-profile real estate, the saga of their Beverly Hills mansion serves as a cautionary tale of the hidden costs and strategic missteps in luxury property ownership.
