Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have officially called quits on their marriage—and now the former couple must deal with not just the emotional toll of a split, but also the heavy financial burden of maintaining their $68 million shared mansion.
J.Lo, 55, and Affleck, 52, purchased the home in May 2023 for $60.8 million, with a plan to make the expansive property their marital home. But less than a year later, their relationship had fallen apart, and by July 2024 the duo had put the property back on the market.
According to Lopez’s divorce filing, she and Affleck officially separated in April of this year, less than 12 months after they snapped up the home.
While the pair are still waiting for a deep-pocketed buyer to take the home off their hands, they’re still having to fork out what is likely to be an extraordinary amount in basic monthly upkeep on the mansion, from property taxes to basic bills.
According to Realtor.com® findings, the property tax alone is costing the duo a hefty $476,000 a year, which amounts to just under $40,000 a month. And that’s far from the only cost they’re currently believed to be covering.
The high price of luxury home ownership
Here are the extensive expenses required to maintain their massive mansion:
Mortgage payment: Yes, even superstars are like us and have to make house payments if they took out a mortgage, which these two did.
Property records show that the couple, through a trust, paid $60.8 million for the property in May 2023, and then took out a hefty $20 million mortgage on the home. According to the Realtor.com mortgage calculator, the monthly payment, depending on the interest rate, would be anywhere up to $200,000.
Property tax bill (annual): California’s property tax is 0.75%, leading to a hefty annual charge of $476,000, or around $39,666 per month.
Security and maintenance costs: For two high-wattage stars, keeping the home safe from intruders, paparazzi, and generally out of public view comes with a huge cost. Taking into account anything from state of the art security to hiring security guards, it’s estimated that J.Lo and Affleck could be spending close to $340,000 per year, which amounts to $28,333 per month.
Monthly HOA fee: Living in the exclusive enclave requires a relatively-modest monthly payment of $667.
Electricity: Lighting, central heating and cooling (some is multi-zone), and the elevator will all rack up those utility bills. Even smart features, like wired sound or automatic lighting or window treatments, all add up.
On the lower end, the pair could fork over an estimated $3,000 a month for electricity, or as much as $10,000 a month on the high end (with AC sucking up a huge amount of the energy bill). However, the couple should be relieved they didn’t pick up “The One,” the 105,000 square foot super home in Bel Air. That property is estimated to come with a whopping $50,000 a month electric bill.
The next owner could make some changes to the property to bring down the costs, possibly by adding solar panels.
Water: In addition to the dishwasher, laundry, heated pool and spa, and 24 bathrooms being serviced, there are five acres to landscape and water. That bill could run anywhere from a reported $500 to $2,000 per month.
Gas: We hope this house has some energy efficient features, but there’s still a gas stove, an outdoor gas barbecue, multiple laundry units, possibly some gas fire places and an outdoor fire pit, along with hot water heaters. That monthly cost will run some where around $500 to $3,000 per month.
The estimated total monthly cost of all that upkeep?Hold onto your hats,because it’s a doozy. $283,666, to be precise.
Second chance romance
Let’s quickly rewind: For “Bennifer,” almost as soon as the two rekindled their romance in 2022, speculation swirled that all was not a fairy tale.
Rumors that there was trouble in “paradise” first began to emerge when the couple attended the Grammy Awards in February 2023. Images of Affleck looking bored while sitting alongside his wife sparked online chatter.
They worked hard to shut down that speculation down; but in June 2024, their separation was all but confirmed when Affleck was seen moving his belongings out of the $68 million mansion he shared with Lopez, according to a report in People.
It was then revealed that the actor was holing up in a rented “bachelor pad” in Brentwood, CA. Weeks later, the pair put their sprawling Beverly Hills megamansion up for sale for $68 million in a move that many saw as a foreshadowing of J. Lo’s official divorce filing.
Marital mansion
Now, let’s take at the marital mansion they’re leaving behind.
The pair picked up the palatial digs, following a long house hunt, for $60.8 million in May 2023. The massive sum was a relative deal, compared with the mansion’s initial $135 million price tag in 2018. However, they soon added to the expense by embarking on a months-long renovation.
Suitable for a power couple and their children—Lopez has two with her ex, Marc Anthony, and Affleck has three with his ex, Jennifer Garner—the property on over 5 acres spans 38,000 square feet, with 12 bedrooms and 24 baths.
Plus, there’s a separate 5,000-square-foot guest penthouse, a caretaker house, a two-bedroom guardhouse, a 12-car garage, and parking for 80 vehicles.
On the grounds, there’s an indoor sports complex with basketball and pickleball courts, a fully equipped gym, boxing ring, sports lounge, and a bar.
Outside, there’s a zero-edge pool and spa, the listing notes. The estate is only accessible through private, gated streets and an automated gate.
They’ve walked away from their forever home after a little over a year. But until they find a buyer, they’re also saddled with the huge price tag of maintaining it.
