Tennis legend John McEnroe and his wife, singer Patty Smyth, have put their Malibu beachfront home on the market. The John McEnroe Malibu house in Paradise Cove — one of the most exclusive stretches of sand in California — is listed for $35 million, according to the Wall Street Journal (Oct. 7, 2026). To be clear: this is an asking price for a home that has just been listed, not a completed sale. The couple bought the property in 2015 for about $21 million, so a sale anywhere near the asking price would hand them a very healthy return after roughly a decade of ownership.
Last updated: October 22, 2026.
A House That Sits Right on the Sand
Most trophy properties in Paradise Cove sit on the bluff above the beach. McEnroe and Smyth’s house is different: it stands directly on the sand, with private access down to the water. The roughly 6,500-square-foot residence sits on about 0.3 acre and offers four bedrooms and six bathrooms, per the Wall Street Journal and multiple outlets reporting the listing.
The home was built in the mid-1990s and designed by noted architect Steven Ehrlich, with interiors later remodeled by designer Michael Lee. The white stucco and green-tinted glass exterior gives it a crisp, contemporary profile, and the design is built around one idea: the ocean is the artwork. Floor-to-ceiling glass runs throughout, framing coastline views from nearly every main room.
Inside the John McEnroe Malibu House
Guests enter through a deep portico into a vaulted reception gallery beneath a glass atrium — a bright, dramatic arrival that sets the tone for the whole house. From there, the main level opens into a combined living and dining space anchored by a soaring two-story fireplace, with sliding glass opening to the expansive oceanfront deck.
The kitchen is fitted with an eat-in island and high-end Gaggenau and Sub-Zero appliances, plus an adjoining breakfast nook. Elsewhere on the main levels you’ll find an intimate library and an open loft office lined with Smyth’s platinum and gold records — a reminder that this is a two-career household. A central staircase, an elevator and even a dumbwaiter connect the home’s multiple levels.
The lower level is built for entertaining and unwinding: a family room with a wet bar and kitchenette, and sliding doors to a covered deck with a private Jacuzzi. Outside, the landscaped front yard includes a waterfall, and a tiki hut–style covered pavilion — which the couple used as a gym and yoga space — overlooks the Pacific alongside a hot tub. It is very much a retreat house, designed for slow days that start and end with the sound of the surf.
Paradise Cove: “Billionaires’ Bluff”
Local agents nicknamed this enclave “Billionaires’ Bluff,” and the name fits. Paradise Cove is widely regarded as one of the priciest beach communities in America, a gated, guard-patrolled stretch of Malibu coastline where privacy is the real luxury. Beyoncé and Jay-Z are among the famous names with homes in the neighborhood, and listings here rarely reach the open market — when they do, they command some of the highest per-foot prices for beachfront property in the country.
That scarcity is exactly why a $35 million ask on a four-bedroom house raises few eyebrows locally. On this sand, you are not paying for bedroom count; you are paying for a position on a beach that almost never changes hands. Readers who enjoy this corner of celebrity real estate can also tour the Malibu homes of Kurt Russell and Cindy Crawford, or see how Jon Hamm’s California property compares.
Bought for $21 Million in 2015 — Now Asking $35 Million
McEnroe and Smyth purchased the Paradise Cove house in 2015 for about $21 million, according to the Wall Street Journal, Parade and Celebrity Net Worth. The new $35 million asking price represents a $14 million jump over what they paid — before accounting for the remodel work and a decade of carrying one of America’s most coveted beach addresses.
The listing is held by Chris Cortazzo of Compass, Malibu’s best-known luxury agent. Importantly, the couple is not leaving Malibu behind: as Robb Report has noted, they also own a smaller ranch-style house in Paradise Cove, bought in 2013 for $3.35 million, which they plan to keep. Their primary residence remains on Manhattan’s Upper West Side in New York.
The Couple Behind the House
John McEnroe, 67, won seven Grand Slam singles titles and remains one of tennis’s most recognizable voices as a broadcaster. Patty Smyth fronted the 1980s rock band Scandal (“The Warrior”) and built a successful solo career. The two met in 1993 and married in 1997, and over nearly three decades they have quietly assembled an impressive property portfolio on both coasts — though few of their homes can match a house that lets you step off the deck and straight onto Malibu sand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has John McEnroe’s Malibu house sold?
No. As of October 2026 the home has been listed for sale at an asking price of $35 million. A listing is not a sale — the property is on the market with Chris Cortazzo of Compass, and no buyer or final price has been reported.
How much did McEnroe pay for the Paradise Cove house?
He and Patty Smyth bought the beachfront home in 2015 for about $21 million, according to the Wall Street Journal and other outlets. The current asking price of $35 million is roughly $14 million above their purchase price.
How big is the McEnroe Malibu house?
The house measures roughly 6,500 square feet on about 0.3 acre, with four bedrooms and six bathrooms. It was designed by architect Steven Ehrlich in the mid-1990s and sits directly on the sand in Paradise Cove, with an oceanfront deck, Jacuzzi and private beach access.
Are McEnroe and Smyth leaving Malibu?
No. Reports say they plan to keep their smaller ranch-style home in Paradise Cove, purchased in 2013 for $3.35 million. Their main home is in New York, on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
Conclusion: A Rare Chance on Rare Sand
Beachfront listings in Paradise Cove do not come along often, and houses that sit directly on the sand — rather than the bluff — are rarer still. McEnroe and Smyth’s $35 million ask will test just how high that scarcity premium can go. Whether it sells at, above or below the asking price, this is one of the standout celebrity listings of the fall, and we’ll update this story if and when a buyer steps onto the sand.