Tennis icon John McEnroe and his wife, singer Patty Smyth, have listed their beachfront home in Malibu’s Paradise Cove neighborhood for sale, with reports indicating an asking price of $31 million, according to Promiflash. The property went on the market in early October, marking a significant real estate move for the couple eleven years after their initial purchase.
At the same time, Celebrity Net Worth reported the listing price as $35 million for the roughly 6,500-square-foot residence located directly on the sand in the ultra-exclusive enclave known locally as “Billionaires’ Bluff.” The property sits on a 0.3-acre parcel featuring four bedrooms, a two-story fireplace, an elevator, and an oceanfront deck overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
The Paradise Cove Property History and Valuation
Records show that McEnroe and Smyth acquired the Paradise Cove beachfront home in 2015. Promiflash reported the original 2015 purchase price at 18 million euros, placing the current 31 million euro asking price 13 million euros above what the couple originally paid. Meanwhile, Celebrity Net Worth reported that the couple purchased the property for $21 million in 2015, with the current asking price set at $35 million.
The residence features a lower level with a wet bar, sliding glass doors leading to a covered deck with a private Jacuzzi, and a landscaped front yard complete with a waterfall and a tiki hut-style pavilion utilized as a gym and yoga space, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The home stands out in the neighborhood because it sits directly on the sand rather than on the elevated bluff above the beach, providing immediate ocean access.
Malibu Real Estate Portfolio and Neighborhood Context
The Paradise Cove listing represents just one component of McEnroe and Smyth’s long-term real estate footprint in Southern California. Celebrity Net Worth noted that the couple’s Malibu holdings previously included a Carbon Beach property formerly owned by television host Johnny Carson, as well as a beachfront estate inside the gated Malibu Colony. McEnroe originally acquired the Malibu Colony home during his marriage to actress Tatum O’Neal, and he and Smyth later renovated the residence before selling it in an off-market deal for $29 million in 2022.
In addition to the Paradise Cove property on the market, the couple purchased a nearby 1.5-acre ranch-style property for $3.35 million in 2013. Celebrity Net Worth confirmed that McEnroe and Smyth intend to keep this smaller neighboring residence, ensuring their ongoing connection to the coastal community. The Paradise Cove neighborhood itself commands some of the highest real estate values in California, with nearby homeowners including prominent figures such as Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Marc Andreessen, and Laurene Powell Jobs.
Personal Connection to the California Coast
McEnroe’s ties to Malibu span decades. He told The Wall Street Journal, as cited by Celebrity Net Worth, that he first fell in love with the area in the late 1970s while dating a woman from Beverly Hills. Despite maintaining his primary residence on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, the former tennis star continued returning to Southern California to acquire property.
Reflecting on the property’s role in his life, McEnroe told The Wall Street Journal that the Malibu residence served as a calming sanctuary. Known during his professional tennis career for intense on-court outbursts and dominant play throughout the 1980s, McEnroe noted that living directly on the beach helped him relax, observing that he has grown better at unwinding with age.
Future Residence Plans and Unanswered Questions
Neither McEnroe nor Smyth has publicly disclosed the specific reasons for listing the Paradise Cove property, nor have they announced whether they have purchased a new primary residence in the area. Promiflash reported that public details regarding their next housing plans remain unconfirmed.
The couple has been married since 1997, combining McEnroe’s legacy in tennis—which continued through his post-playing career as a broadcaster and analyst—with Smyth’s musical career, which included success with the band Scandal before transitioning to solo work. While the multi-million-dollar beachfront estate seeks a buyer, the pair maintains their smaller property nearby and their primary home in New York.
