Why Did Tom Brady Rent Derek Jeter’s Mansion? The QB Makes Another Smart Move

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After Tom Brady signed on with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the quarterback needed to move his family into a posh property worthy of the game’s greatest player.

And along with his two-year, $50 million deal to take over as the Bucs signal caller, the quarterback has dialed up a play for a place to stay. The Tampa Bay Times has reported that Brady’s agreed to rent the massive mansion of baseball Hall of Famer Derek Jeter on Tampa’s Davis Islands.

We spoke with a few local real estate agents for a few takeaways on Brady’s latest off-field move.

From one baller to another

It truly is all about who you know.

“In this case, I think Brady knew what he wanted and honed in on it immediately, because of his connection to Derek Jeter,” says Cara Ameer,  a bicoastal agent with Coldwell Banker licensed in California and Florida.

Ameer added that the decision makes perfect sense, because Brady won’t be in Tampa forever.

“He wanted all the benefits of a trophy property that was well-suited for an elite athlete—without having to buy. This home accomplishes exactly that.”

And in our current coronavirus climate, it helps to have an available property that’s a known quantity. There’s no need for a walk-through or to involve a team of real estate professionals in the transaction. With the housing market in massive flux, Jeter’s famous estate is a safe bet.

“A lot of people would know this property would be a good fit without [Brady] seeing it beforehand,” says Paul DeSantis, a Tampa-based broker with Premier Sotheby’s International Realty.

Game recognizes game: No matter what the sport, legends have very particular needs.

“For high-profile athletes, two of the most important features you look for in a new residence are safety and privacy,” says Doug Waechter of Douglas Elliman’s Sports & Entertainment Division in St. Petersburg.

For an elite athlete looking for a place to chill for a couple of years, Waechter told us, privacy is paramount.

“[This home] will allow a family to find a sense of normalcy in a life that can be very chaotic and stressful at times. The same reasons that Derek Jeter chose this location make it a perfect fit for the Brady family as well.”

Davis Islands offers the Florida dream

In addition to the mansion’s privacy, the affluent neighborhood is also a big draw.

“Davis Islands is a very unique community that is a very family-friendly, suburban community of single-family homes that is next to downtown and surrounded by water, which is attractive on many levels,” DeSantis notes.

And if you’re going to be working full-time in Florida, you might as well embrace the abundant sunshine. Jeter’s beautiful estate sits on the water, which, as DeSantis points out, is “the Florida dream.”

It also doesn’t hurt that Jeter’s place is only about a 15-minute drive to the stadium where Brady will star on Sundays. In addition, it’s an easy walk, bike, or boat ride to downtown Tampa.

Not your everyday rental

Renting instead of buying allows Brady to dip his toe into the Tampa real estate market and test the waters. After all, this is a big change from the area where he’s spent his entire 20-year NFL career.

Meanwhile, getting acclimated to a new area doesn’t allow a huge amount of lead time for a home search.

“Relocating your family to a new city or state is never a process you want to rush, and for athletes, it can be even more difficult,” says Waechter.

Brady made a veteran move by not noodling over a home-buying decision.

“During the offseason, [athletes] are very busy training and preparing for the upcoming year,” Waechter says. “This leaves little time to get familiar with a new town, which is why it is very common to see a lot of professional athletes rent for the first year or two, until they know exactly what the city has to offer.”

The savvy QB might also be plotting a long-term strategy as well.

“It could be Brady is keeping his cards close to his chest and may want to try out living in Jeter’s home before deciding if he wants to have a place in Florida after he retires,” says Ameer.

She adds that the lack of state income tax could be another big incentive for Brady to stick around in the Sunshine State. If he does decide to buy, we spotted three more Tampa-area mansions for him to consider.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, Brady has already started the process of moving into Jeter’s Davis Islands digs, which the baseball star built for himself in 2011.

The scoop on Jeet’s digs

The former New York Yankees shortstop picked up two adjacent lots in Tampa in 2005 and 2006, and proceeded to have a 30,000-square-foot mansion built on them in the style of an English manor.

With nine bedrooms and seven bathrooms, the waterfront estate features a pool that overlooks the Bay. The enormous manse includes two three-car garages, two boatlifts, an entertainment room, and a billiard-room, Business Insider noted at the time of its construction.

Jeter had called the place his permanent residence, and lived there during spring training. After calling it a career, the 45-year-old has taken on a new challenge as part-owner and CEO of the Miami Marlins. 

That role led Jeter in 2017 to lease a luxe condo in Coconut Grove with an option to buy, which left his Tampa estate available for Brady’s use.

As for the brand-new Buccaneer, he still has a hefty property to unload back in the Boston area.

Brady’s custom estate on 5 acres in Brookline, MA, is still available for $33.9 million, and includes a 12,000-square-foot, five-bedroom residence with a wine room, gym, spa, pool, and separate barn-inspired guest quarters and yoga studio.

Perhaps he’ll now ponder the idea of renting it out to an elite athlete making a stopover in Boston.

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