At a Glance
- Gene Hackman’s 13,000-square-foot Santa Fe estate is on the market for $6.25 million nearly a year after he and wife Betsy Arakawa died inside.
- The gated compound includes a putting green, lap pool, artist’s studio, and separate guest house.
- The couple and one of their dogs were found dead on Feb. 26, 2025; Arakawa succumbed to hantavirus and Hackman died days later of heart disease and Alzheimer’s.
- Why it matters: The listing tests how the luxury market prices a property tied to high-profile tragedy.
The Oscar-winning actor’s longtime New Mexico retreat has officially hit the market, listed at $6.25 million almost one year after Hackman and Arakawa were discovered inside the home.
The Compound
Sotheby’s International Realty agents Tara S. Earley and Ricky Allen are marketing the six-bedroom residence in The Summit, a gated enclave north of downtown Santa Fe.
Key features include:
- 13,000 square feet of living space
- Floor-to-ceiling windows
- Living room with exposed beams
- Private library where the couple watched films
- Main house: three bedrooms
- Guest house: three bedrooms
- Acres of woodland
- Putting green
- Lap pool
- Pagoda-covered hot tub
- Light-filled artist’s studio
Hollywood Pedigree
Hackman purchased the property in the 1990s after filming multiple movies in the region. “It had a kind of magic in it,” he told Architectural Digest in 1990. The actor oversaw every detail of the home’s transformation.
All personal effects have been removed and the residence has been professionally staged, according to the listing team.
Market Reality
Earley acknowledged that some buyers avoid homes tied to tragedy. “There are other buyers for whom that doesn’t matter,” she said. “We are selling the property on its virtues and all of the positives.”
Timeline of Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Feb. 26, 2025 | Bodies discovered in advanced decomposition |
| Weeks later | Autopsies completed and causes released |
| April 2025 | Joint memorial held in Santa Fe |
| January 2026 | Property listed for sale |
Medical Examiner Findings
- Betsy Arakawa died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a flu-like virus linked to rodent droppings.
- Gene Hackman died roughly a week later from severe heart disease, high blood pressure, and advanced Alzheimer’s. Investigators believe he remained inside the house with his wife’s body for several days.
A search warrant affidavit reviewed by News Of Los Angeles states Hackman was found in a mudroom and Arakawa was discovered collapsed in a bathroom. One of the couple’s three dogs was also found dead.
Key Takeaways
- Luxury market braces for buyer reaction to a high-profile estate with recent deaths.
- The compound’s amenities-pool, putting green, artist’s studio-aim to shift focus to lifestyle appeal.
- Listing agents emphasize property merits rather than celebrity history.
- Sale proceeds will close a somber chapter nearly one year after the couple’s passing.
