The opulent mansion where Michael Jackson spent his last months and died from a drug overdose in June 2009 is for sale.
The house, which comprises 7 bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, a wine cellar, gym, 12 fireplaces and a magnificent pool, is listed at $23.9 million, according to real estate website zillow.com.
Described as an "elegant and sophisticated French Chateau estate" the house is in the exclusive Holmby Hills area of Hollywood. It was rented for Jackson at a cost of $100,000 per month by concert promoter AEG as the former King of Pop was preparing for his comeback tour in the summer of 2009.
Experts quoted by the Los Angeles Times estimated that houses stigmatized as crime scenes take longer to sell and can lose 10 to 50 per cent of their value.
But, according to Zillow, listing agent Maurice Umansky believes that Jackson's demise in the house will not detract from the sales price. "You have
the chance to live in the same home that an icon lived in. If you look at Elizabeth Taylor's home, it sold for more money because it was Elizabeth
Taylor's home," he said. "It's a beautiful home on a great piece of land."
The house was completely renovated in 2002 and was valued at $38 million in 2008.
But fans will not be able to get a free tour by posing as a potential buyer. Anyone wishing to view the house will have to be pre-qualified to show they have the financial means to actually afford it.
