Judge Judy is living the good life — and adding to her incredible real estate portfolio.
Nearly a year after the world learned just how rich the TV star is — last August, it was reported that the former Manhattan family court judge, 75, sold her TV library to CBS for $95 million and extended her contract to 2021 — she's gone and purchased the most expensive home sold in Rhode Island this year.
Judy and husband Jerry Sheindlin, a retired judge and former "The People's Court" star, are spending $9 million on the "Bird House," a 9,700-square-foot property on 3.67 acres in Newport that was owned by the late Dorrance Hill Hamilton, the granddaughter of the man who invented the process used to make Campbell's condensed soups, reports the Providence Journal.
The newspaper explains that the sale price is the highest for a Rhode Island home so far this year, according to Multiple Listing Service data. It seems, however, that Judge Judy was a tough negotiator as the incredible six-bedroom, eight-bathroom house was listed for $10.9 million. Kate Kirby Greenman with Gustave White Sotheby's International Realty was the listing and selling agent for the jaw-dropping property.
The shingled mansion was built in 2012 by "Dodo" Hill Hamilton, an avid gardener, heiress and noted philanthropist who died in 2017. Sitting atop one of the highest points in Newport, it is a truly state-of-the-art property — it features geothermal heating and cooling, a three-stop elevator and radiant heated floors, among other amenities — despite its traditional appearance.
"The soaring, two-story entrance hall and living room with floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace enjoy lovely ocean views," a press release from the realtor explains. "No expense was spared to create a beautiful sanctuary using all that modern technology can provide."
According to the press release, Judy told Kate, their agent, that she and her husband are "looking forward to falling in love with Newport."
Judy — who is the highest paid TV personality in Hollywood thanks to her annual salary of $47 million — also owns some other impressive homes. According to a 2017 report from E! News, she and Jerry also have at least five other luxury properties including two in Naples, Florida, one in Greenwich, Connecticut, one in Manhattan and one in Beverly Hills, where she stays whenever she's shooting her show.
Her primary residences have been one of her Florida homes and her Connecticut mega-mansion. As the story goes, in 2007, Judy purchased a 12.5 acre property in Connecticut with an existing historic home on it for $13.2 million then had the structure demolished. She built a nearly 17,000-square-foot mansion there a year later. It's unclear if she and Jerry will be leaving the Connecticut home behind for Newport or if the new home will be used for getaways.