Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and where there are athletes, there are opulently decorated mansions, party pads and estates.
2013 saw a great number of current and former athletes changing zip codes for their offseason residences. Some, like Boston’s bearded warrior Jonny Gomes, purchased new dwellings in the wake of a championship victory, while others, like NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon, chose to relocate from bustling metropolises to quiet country roads.
While the top 10 real estate deals of 2013 vary from Mediterranean-style complexes to high-rise condos, nearly every home shares a taste for the extravagant — kitchens made entirely out of rich mahogany, infinity pools circled by palm trees or panoramic views of Central Park and Lake Michigan. These decadent homes are exactly what fans have come to expect from their handsomely paid favorite athletes.
