A year after his death, Gene Hackman's $6.25 million Santa Fe estate finds a buyer in just a few days

By Charlie Lankston

The estate includes a three-bedroom guesthouse, a putting green, a lap pool, a hot tub and dozens of acres of wooded land.

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa in 2003.

Hollywood legend Gene Hackman's longtime New Mexico home has come under offer, mere days after it was put on the market for $6.25 million-and less than a year after the actor and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead inside the sprawling property.

The enormous Santa Fe estate, which occupies two adjacent parcels, was officially listed Jan. 16-with records showing that it had come under contingent offer by the early hours of Jan. 27, less than two weeks after it was listed.

This means that an offer has been accepted on the property, but several conditions must be met before the deal can close, for example a passed home inspection or certain repairs to the dwelling.

In many instances, properties under contingent offer can still be viewed by other prospective buyers, who can make additional offers, should they wish to.

Authorities discovered the bodies of the 95-year-old Hollywood legend and his pianist wife, 65, at the sprawling property on Feb. 26, 2025, and forensic experts later determined that the duo had likely died about a week apart.

Arakawa was found to have died on or around Feb. 11 from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a very rare disease that is spread by infected rat droppings or saliva. Hackman was believed to have died Feb. 18 from heart disease with complications from Alzheimer's disease, according to the Associated Press.

The couple had lived a very private life at their 53-acre estate, which Hackman purchased in the 1990s, making very few public appearances in the final years of their lives. They had resided together on the property for the duration of their marriage.

While sharing the news about the property being put up for sale, listing agents Tara S. Earley and Ricky Allen of Sotheby's International Realty told the Wall Street Journal that the couple's personal effects had all been removed from the 13,000-square-foot gated estate, which was professionally staged for its listing.

They also noted to the outlet that they were aware the property's tragic past might have deterred some prospective buyers-explaining that they did not add the usual celebrity premium to the home's asking price for that reason.

"There will be some buyers that are just averse to purchasing a property where a death has occurred," Earley said. "There are other buyers for whom that doesn't matter. We are selling the property on its virtues and all of the positives.

"We just priced it based on what we felt was the fair market value."

Earley and Allen also revealed they had taken steps to ensure that the property's listing was not viewed as an outlet for morbid curiosity, stating that they would be carefully vetting all parties interested in viewing the home in person.

Hackman and Arakawa had slowly built up the compound over the years, the listing agents said, adding a three-bedroom primary residence as well as a studio space.

The estate includes a three-bedroom guesthouse, a putting green, a lap pool, and a hot tub, as well as dozens of acres of wooded land.

Earley noted that some maintenance is required on the property, including the addition of a new roof, although that cost will be covered by Hackman's estate, which is managing the sale of his home.

However, the property had undergone some updates and upgrades during the many years that the couple resided there, with the Journal noting that it has several modern design features, including floor-to-ceiling windows that highlight the dwelling's beautiful surroundings.

Attorney Julia L. Peters is overseeing the administration of Hackman and Arakawa's estate. It is currently unclear whether the actor left anything to his three children-Christopher, Elizabeth, and Leslie-whom he shared with his first wife, Faye Maltese.

Hackman had previously been estranged from his children, confessing that his commitment to his Hollywood career had strained their relationship.

"It's tough being the son or daughter of a celebrity. I couldn't always be home with them when they were growing up, and then, living in California, they've had my success always hanging over their heads," he said in a 2000 interview with the Irish Independent.

He was, however, understood to have privately reconciled with his children in the last years of his life.

Despite withdrawing from the public eye, Hackman and Arakawa were beloved in their local community in the gated neighborhood of Summit, where their property is located.

Hackman, for example, who had a passion for art away from his on-screen career, would regularly visit the local Artisan art store to stock up on materials for his latest creative projects.

"The Hackmans embraced Santa Fe, and Santa Fe embraced them," Earley said. "You would see them in town and they were not treated as celebrities."

Hackman told Architectural Digest that he had quickly fallen in love with Santa Fe, describing the area as having "a kind of magic in it."

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After purchasing the home, the actor chose to renovate it, telling the outlet that he preferred to "interpret what's already there" rather than tearing it down to make way for a new home.

"It's like being an actor. I interpret what's already there. I don't know what's wrong with me. I guess I like the process, and when it's over, it's over," he told the outlet.

Hackman worked with Harry Daple and Stephen Samuelson, of Santa Fe firm Studio Arquitectura, to fully remodel his home.

At the time, Samuelson told AD, "The house was horrible. It was a 1950s block building that had sat empty and had deteriorated. But it was a great site, and the foundation had been well placed on the land."

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Hackman and Arakawa wanted to make the property more welcoming, so they tore down blocking walls and added French doors that allowed natural light to flood in.

Hackman was extremely involved in the renovation, and when he wasn't available to be on-site due to his filming schedule, Arakawa would call him to inform him of the changes.

Gene Hackman in "The Conversation," 1974.

Samuelson described Hackman as a "deeply involved client, very artistic, very keen on details."

Hackman and Arakawa "were not interested in re-creating native pueblo architecture," he added. "It's not purist at all. It's more primitive, like a barn converted into a house, massive and cozy at the same time."

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Photos released by the local sheriff's department in the wake of the couple's deaths also revealed insight into their heartwarming romance, capturing sweet love notes that Hackman had left for his wife in their home.

In one of the notes, "The Royal Tenenbaums" star expressed his gratitude to Arakawa for helping him make dinner.

"Good morning. Happy several days after your birthday," the note said. "Sorry still about the dinner, and having to ask for your help. Although it was appreciated."

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Hackman then signed the message with "Love you and the guys, G"-referencing the couple's three dogs, one of whom was found dead alongside the couple.

A second note that was included in the tranche of photos released by local authorities as part of their investigation into Hackman and Arakawa's deaths featured another mention of their pets: "Morning lovely girl, thinking of you and the other little guys. Love, G."

This story originally ran on Realtor.com.

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