(Image sources: Luxist)
When a marriage breaks up and the two former-lovebirds go their separate ways is never a happy occasion, as star musicians Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony found out this year. The pair – which tied the knot on June 5, 2004 – started to unravel the knot a month ago when they announced they were separating (allegedly because Anthony rejected Lopez’s ties to Scientology).
In many ways, their up-and-down marriage resembles the real estate market: a peak, some really great moments, and a lot of turbulence.
Let’s start way back when, in 2004. At the time of their wedding, in June of that year, the real estate market was on fire. Homes were selling left and right, prices were soaring, and countless “house-flipping” shows were on TV. (You probably remember those, plus the endless late-night infomercials about how YOU – yes, you! – can become mega-wealthy by spending just five minutes flipping homes and raking in the dough.)
Sometime after they were married, in 2005, Marc Anthony gave his former 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom Miami villa to his ex-wife (who later sold it for three-quarters of a million dollars). Lopez also got rid of some prime real estate, pocketing a pretty hefty profit of a few mil after selling her Miami mansion in March. In exchange, they bought a pretty fabulous Bel-Air mansion for $6.25 million.
Things were going well – just like a car is going well, driving along, right until it reaches the edge of the cliff. Then it falls, just like the market did in 2007 and 2008. In 2008, Mr. and Mrs. Anthony bought an extra home next to their Brookline, NY estate for Mrs. Anthony’s mother. It was rumored that moving in Lopez’s mother started to wear on the couple, who had just given birth to an adorable pair of twins.
Remember that mansion in Bel-Air? It was sold in 2009 – for a loss of $50,000. It wasn’t the only house selling for a loss in those days. They then bought a sprawling estate in Hidden Hills, California for $8.2 million – a home that they’ll probably have to sell at some point (more than likely for a loss).
Asking “What’s next?” for this pair is like asking what’s next for the real estate market. It’s anyone’s guess. They’ll probably both land on their feet – JLo with her American Idol and singing; Marc Anthony with his…um…whatever he does – and in time we’re sure the luxury homes they share will find new owners.
And given her track record, Lopez – who was married twice before – will probably find herself in more high-profile nuptials. We’ll be there to talk about the houses they buy when that happens.
