Pop star Olivia Newton-John, perhaps best remembered for her role in the 1978 film adaptation of the Broadway musical Grease , has been attempting for at least two years to sell her $6.2 million home on Florida’s coast. However, she finally gave up this week, defeated by a supposed “curse” that hangs over the house.
The 66-year-old singer of such 1970s and early 1980s hits as “Let Me Be There,” “Have You Never Been Mellow,” and “Physical,” purchased the 5,500-square-foot mansion at 104 Lighthouse Drive in a Jupiter, Florida , ocean inlet for $4.1 million in 2010.
The “nature inspired” estate has a dock that can house an 80-foot yacht as well as a lagoon pool, spa, and other high-end amenities, according to information in real estate listings.
After just three years, Newton-John and her second husband, John Easterling, placed the lavish home on the real estate market , looking to turn a tidy profit of $2.1 million. They even had a buyer in television personality and actress Rosie O’Donnell. And then, well, things suddenly went south in a big way.
Shortly after Olivia Newton-John listed the property, Christopher Pariseletti, a contractor hired by the star to perform repairs on the property — but who had reportedly been experiencing financial setbacks and even hit Olivia Newton-John up for a loan — shot himself to death with a shotgun by the pool.
Newton-John and Easterling were out of town when the man committed suicide in their home.
O’Donnell, disturbed by the gory tragedy at the home, withdrew her offer to buy the house. Newton-John herself ceased living in the home, instead renting a nearby apartment.
She then slashed the asking price of the Florida mansion by $200,000. But still, no takers.
Even an exorcism performed by a Catholic priest that was supposed to clear the home of “evil” failed to make the house attractive to buyers. The latest listing had the home priced at $5.5 million, a discount of $700,000.
In fact, local real estate agents said that after the suicide, no one even wanted to view the home anymore, much less buy it.
“No one wanted to buy a home where someone had taken their life,” said one agent, quoted by the Express newspaper. “It just had a bad vibe and people were not interested when they found out what had taken place.”
According to public records, as of May 4, Olivia Newton-John — who uses the name Olivia Easterling on the documents — cancelled the sale offer altogether.
[Image: Ethan Miller/Getty Images]
