Former Razorbacks football coach Bret Bielema sells Fayetteville estate, adds to windfall from UA ouster
by June 24, 2018 4:59 pm 21,211 views
Bret Bielema and his wife, Jen, sold their Bridgewater Estates home earlier this month for $1.82 million.
Former University of Arkansas football coach Bret Bielema was fired following the 2017 season, and the school agreed to pay the coach nearly $12 million for the final three years of his contract.
You can add $325,000 more to Bielema’s windfall for losing his job. According to a warranty deed filed June 1 in the Washington County Circuit Clerk’s office, the former coach sold his east Fayetteville estate for $1.82 million. Bielema and his wife, Jen, paid $1.5 million for the 2-acre property in May 2013.
Richard and Antoinette Reagan bought the 6,309-square-foot residence on East Maywood Road. Bielema had the property in the upscale Bridgewater Estates neighborhood listed with Fayetteville firm Lindsey & Associates for $1.97 million, according to an online listing. The purchase price equals $289.26 per square foot.
The warranty deed lists an address for the Bielemas in Riviera Beach, Fla. An Illinois native who played football for the University of Iowa, Bielema has reportedly been working in the offseason for the New England Patriots in an unspecified role.
Bielema was fired on Nov. 24 following a 48-45 loss to Missouri and capping a 4-8 season. The former Wisconsin head coach’s five-year record at Arkansas was 29-34, including an 11-29 record in the Southeastern Conference.
Although he didn’t enjoy the success of his predecessor on the field, Bielema did fare much better than former UA coach Bobby Petrino on the real estate front.
Petrino coached the Razorbacks to a 34-17 record in four seasons, but lost his job in April 2012 when revelations came to light that he had an inappropriate relationship with a 25-year-old female member of the football support staff.
Two months later, the coach could only get $1.7 million ($194.48 per square foot) for his home in Bridgewater Estates. Petrino and his wife, Becky, bought the 8,741-square-foot home and 2.88 acres from Justin and Susan Salter in March 2008 for $2.25 million — a loss of $550,000.
Other Razorback coaches who call Bridgewater Estates home include Dave Van Horn and Mike Anderson, and first-year football coach Chad Morris, who paid $3.8 million ($280 per square foot) in May for the largest home in the 29-lot subdivision, a 3-acre estate on North Horse Meadow Drive. It includes a seven-bedroom, 11,616-square-foot main residence and three-bedroom, 1,975-square-foot guest residence. Construction was started in 2010 and finished in 2016.
Morris’ initial contract with the UA is for six years and will pay him $3.5 million annually.