Yankees Hall of Fame Shortstop and Executive Director of the Miami Marlins, Derek Jeter, and his wife Hannah launched their Tampa, Florida mansion today for $ 29 million.
"This is the most impressive home ever to hit the Tampa Bay area," said Stephen Gay, the Smith & Associates real estate agent who owns the listing.
It's also the most expensive and largest property ever built in Davis Islands, a residential archipelago just south of downtown Tampa. Nickname "St. Jetersburg ”by locals, the 30,875-square-foot property was custom built in 2012 and sits on 1.25 acres overlooking Hillsborough Bay. The seven-bedroom home has eight bathrooms, eight half baths, and nearly 9,000 square feet of outdoor space, including a series of covered porches and balconies, two boat lifts, and an 80-foot saltwater lap pool.
The Jeters moved to Miami in 2017 when Mr. Jeter became the managing director and co-owner of the Marlins. The Miami Herald reported in 2017 that the Jeters had moved into an apartment on the 19th floor of Grove at Grand Bay, a pair of rotating towers designed by Danish architect Bjarke Ingels in the Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami.
The Tampa home is on three neighboring lots along Bahama Circle, according to a New York Times article published during construction. Mr. Jeter's company, Kered Connors L.L.C., purchased the properties in 2005 and 2006 for $ 7.7 million.
Around the property there is now a six foot high wall, which the locals refer to as "The Great Wall of Jeter". Knowing that the place would – and he did – attract tourists, Mr. Jeter had to go through a lengthy permit process to get the wall two feet higher than local law would allow. Mr. Gay now regards the wall as a rare luxury and regards it as a selling point for an equally private buyer. A series of dense landscaping adds further seclusion.
Behind the entrance gates, limestone steps covered by a Romanesque portico lead to the front door, which leads to a 24-foot foyer surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows. A bubbling fountain, circular heated spa, pool, and 345 foot long open bay can be seen behind it.
To the right of the foyer is a large parlor and club room with a full-service bar, pool table, and multiple TV screens. The sprawling home is filled with hardwood mills and hand-polished Venetian plaster. The house also includes a wine cellar, gym, cinema, suite-in-law, outdoor kitchen and two garages for three cars.
"You'd think with a house that big you'd just get lost in it," said Mr. Gay. "But with the mixed size of the rooms, not everything is so formal and separate. It's definitely not a casual house, but it's very livable."
According to Robert Glaser, President and CEO of Smith & Associates Real Estate, Mr. Jeter's mansion not only increased market value in the area, it also started a trend. The neighborhood has attracted more interest from buyers looking to take down older, existing properties in order to build larger homes. Just last year, Darcie Glazer Kassewitz, co-owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, bought two neighboring lots, one a dirt lot and one a house, for $ 16 million.
Mr. Gay described Davis Islands as a private oasis in the middle of town. Mr Jeter repeated the sentiment in a statement: "Davis Islands offered a calm, safe, and friendly lifestyle that we will always cherish."
Mr. Jeter recently rented the house to longtime friend Tom Brady, who made his debut as quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Mr Brady and his wife Gisele Bündchen rented the palace house from the Jeters knowing that they were planning to sell the property.
"Tom and Derek have negotiated favorable terms in the lease so the Jeters can list, market, display and sell the property for sale," said Gay. In other words, any home trip with potential buyers doesn't involve a meet-and-greet with the Brady family.
Whether the larger-than-life property will be difficult to sell – especially during a pandemic – Mr. Gay and Mr. Glaser aren't worried. Tampa is currently a sellers' market as many northerners move to Florida, where housing is cheaper and residents do not have to pay state income or estate taxes.
"Tampa is not an area with a large number of trophy properties," Glaser said, "but there will be great interest when they become available."
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