After listing his home for just shy of $14 million last year, sportscaster Jim Rome is walking away with a record-setting sum for the Orange County residence, according to property records. Although the sports talk radio host isn't getting what he initially asked for, the closing deal of $12.5 million on the Shady Canyon mansion makes it the most expensive single-family home to sell in Irvine, ever.
"The Jim Rome Show" host first caught our attention when his three-story Shady Canyon estate came to market with an asking price of $13.995 last year, an impressive sum to ask for the neighborhood (but, as this sale shows, not wholly unrealistic). Rome and his wife, Janet, have called the just-sold mansion their home for the past nine years – in fact, they owned the land prior the house's construction and it was built specifically for them – but his family has since relocated to another undisclosed residence.
With the 12,300-square-foot Italian Villa-style home tucked at the end of a private drive, it sits atop a nearly 1-acre parcel. An attached pavilion and saltwater swimming pool are just some of the lavish amenities on the impressive property, which offers stunning views of the nearby golf course, city, and mountains.
French doors complement period piece accents, a centerpiece fireplace with marble accent, and the home's barrel ceilings. The spacious villa also includes two offices, a gym and massage room, a large lounge, full bar, and wine cellar that are all accessed by the home's elevator.
The upstairs master suite – one of six bedrooms in the sizable home – boasts a private balcony, boutique-inspired closets, and a chandelier-topped tub. Perhaps the most stunning detail of the large master retreat, however, is the gorgeous panoramic view that awaits just outside on the attached veranda.
Private courtyards, the saltwater infinity pool, and spacious lawns make for a relaxing, private, and scenic escape that almost seems to tower over Irvine and beyond.
The sale of Rome's custom home and the record that it set could signal an uptick in the real estate market in the city of Irvine. The last record-setting sale in the neighborhood was in 2009 when another single-family home changed hands for $10 million. Most recently, the Romes sold their 2,500-square-foot ocean side home in South Laguna Beach for $4.95 million in 2015 after buying it for $5.1 million in 2010.
Sports radio talk show host Jim Rome, 52, has a total net worth of $75 million. A longtime sports personality and radio show host, Rome is most known for his popular radio show, "The Jim Rome Show" on CBS Sports Radio. His previous projects include "Jim Rome" on Showtime, "The Last Word with Jim Rome" on Fox Sports Net, and "Rome is Burning" on ESPN2, He has also made cameo appearances in such movies as "Space Jam" and the remake of "The Longest Yard." His current radio show is consistently ranked as one of the most listened to broadcasts in the United States.
