Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams made headlines over the weekend, but it wasn’t for his performance on the football field.
A lavish Lake Forest mansion is still on the market after false rumors circulated that Williams had acquired the property for almost $13 million, or $812 per square foot. The rumors began after sites like Sports Illustrated, Barstool Sports and Bleacher Report stated as fact that Williams had bought the 16,000-square-foot property at 999 Lake Road.
Despite the flurry of attention, Patrick Milhaupt of Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty was quick to clarify. Milhaupt dispelled any hint that Williams was the buyer, in a phone call with The Real Deal on Friday.
“We do not have [the Lake Road property] under contract and do not have knowledge as to any source that would substantiate claims otherwise,” he said.
The mansion, built in 1914 and restored in the early 2000s by current owners Ron and Karena Garriques, sits on 3.6 acres with 400 feet of Lake Michigan shoreline. Despite its impressive features and prime location, the property has yet to attract a buyer willing to pay the $12.99 million asking price.
The mansion’s proximity to the Bears practice facility has piqued the interest from several other NFL players, Milhaupt told TRD.
“Naturally, there’s going to be interest from Bears players,” Milhaupt told The Real Deal. “We’ve got a lot of Bears players, several of which are my clients.”
The timing of the rumor coincides with a recent public event at the estate. On Thursday, the mansion was featured as part of a benefit for the Lake Forest school district, where over 500 guests toured the home. That same day, Barstool Sports tweeted that Williams had purchased the home.
The possibility remains that Williams could be considering the property, but no contract has been signed.
There’s also the chance that the quarterback is looking at other nearby properties. Two other estates in Lake Forest, priced at $12 million and $15 million, are still available, and like the Lake Road mansion, neither is under contract. Another luxury estate in Lake Forest was listed at nearly $28 million earlier this month but was quickly taken off the public market.
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