Ken Griffey Jr. paid $2.575 million for a lakefront property outside Orlando in April 2004, while he was still playing for the Cincinnati Reds. Now the Baseball Hall of Famer wants $27 million for what stands there today: a custom-built mansion in Windermere, Florida, that Orlando Weekly calls the most expensive home for sale in Orlando. Even so, the gap offers a snapshot of how the area’s real estate market has changed.
Because the 2004 sum covered the property before the house was built, the two prices are not a like-for-like comparison.
The couple declined to comment on the sale. The three-story home is Mediterranean in style, with Moorish details inside and out. Past the gated entrance, the front door opens to a double-height foyer with two sweeping staircases featuring custom iron railings. The property listing describes an array of entertainment and leisure amenities. Indoors, the home has a theater, a golf simulator, a gym, a wine room, and an elevator. Several terraces open off the two main living levels, while the grounds feature a pool with a waterslide, a diving board, and a waterfall, along with a basketball court.
Mansion Global reported on May 13 that the house had been listed earlier that week. It sits about 20 miles southwest of Orlando. Custom-built in 2008 for Griffey and his wife, Melissa, it spans more than 22,000 square feet across three levels. PropertyShark records cited by Mansion Global put the 2004 purchase price at $2.575 million. Griffey, 56, needs little introduction to baseball fans. The 13-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove center fielder spent most of his career with the Seattle Mariners and the Reds, with a short stint with the Chicago White Sox. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016. Since retiring, he has also worked as a sports photographer, with assignments that have included the 2025 Masters Tournament and events involving Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the NFL and IndyCar, according to Mansion Global. Seven bedrooms and 10 bathrooms fill the interior, and the primary suite has a fireplace and a bathroom with two vanities and a whirlpool tub. The 10-car garage includes two vehicle lifts.
Lake access and a shifting market
The estate sits on an 11.5-acre lot along Cypress Lake, with 440 feet of water frontage. Across the road lies Lake Butler, part of a chain of 13 lakes connected by canals, according to the listing. Listing agent Llin Lu, who works in the Southwest Orlando office of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, told Mansion Global that Windermere’s housing market has changed substantially since the home was built in 2008. She said homes selling for more than $1 million accounted for less than 20% of sales at the time, compared with more than half today, while average sale prices have nearly doubled. Orlando Weekly identified the estate at 5603 Marleon Drive as the most expensive home for sale in the Orlando area. The outlet put the property’s size at 22,108 square feet and described additional features, including a 28-foot grand foyer, a gourmet kitchen, and a boat dock. Lu was listed as the agent handling the sale, and the asking price remained $27 million.
The lake is private, and the property also has access to the wider Butler Chain of Lakes through a private community boat ramp. This arrangement provides lakefront views at the property, with access to the larger waterway network through the community ramp rather than a direct connection from the home’s Cypress Lake frontage. For a buyer, the appeal lies in the range of amenities available on the property. The theater, golf simulator, and gym offer indoor recreation, while the pool and basketball court provide outdoor options. The lakefront setting adds another draw, with access to the Butler Chain of Lakes available through the private community boat ramp.
