Mary J. Blige Puts Second New Jersey House Up for Sale
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Mary J. Blige put her costly marriage drama in the rearview mirror with her tabloid-tracked 2018 divorce from former husband/manager Kendu Isaacs, whom she’s publicly called a “con-artist,” but the nine-time Grammy winning hip-hop legend and two-time Oscar nominee for the 2017 film “Mudbound” still has some multimillion dollar real estate matters to sort out, not to mention, allegedly, more than a million dollars in back taxes to pay. As was spotted by our celebrity property gossip pals at Realtor.com, the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul has hung a $2.25 million price tag on a contemporary residence in Cresskill, N.J., after she put a larger, more opulent mansion in Saddle River, N.J. up for sale at $6.8 million, nearly half the $12.3 million she paid in 2008.
The recipient of a BET Lifetime Achievement Award earlier this year, and currently crisscrossing the country with Nas on the Royalty Tour, the “No More Drama” singer isn’t seeking much profit on the property she scooped up 18 years ago for $1.95 million. Listed with Sharon Kurtz of Prominent Properties Sotheby’s Int’l Realty, the cedar and stone clad contemporary sits at the head of a black-topped circular drive on just over an acre of private grounds with six bedrooms and 8 full and 2 half bathrooms in more than 7,000 sq. ft. over three floors.
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There are no photographs of the inside of the residence included with online listings and the few images of the exterior suggest it could use a wee bit of TLC. Ringed by giant arborvitae trees, a massive deck off the main floor living spaces could benefit from a bit of a gussy up and the free-form swimming pool looks empty but for an algae-green puddle of water. A few of the more appealing amenities pointed out in marketing materials include three fireplaces, a gym, a security system, guest quarters and a master suite with two bathrooms.
Although priced to turn a small profit, at least two prominent previous residents of leafy and affluent Cresskill have sold homes over the last few years at notable losses. Late Fox News honcho Roger Ailes bought a fairly unassuming, four-bedroom ranch-style home in 2000 for $1.85 million that was sold in 2017 for just shy of $1.55 million. And, earlier this year, Tracy Morgan unloaded his former Cresskill spread for $1.2 million, a staggering $1 million under the $2.2 million he paid for the place in 2011.
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