The New Hampshire hideout of Ghislaine Maxwell can’t sell

A secluded New Hampshire estate that once served as the hiding place of convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell has returned to the spotlight — not due to new headlines about its infamous former occupant, but because it’s proving to be a tough sell.

Listed this summer for $2.5 million, the 156-acre Bradford property was quietly reduced to $2.37 million just three months later, despite boasting sweeping mountain views, two standalone dwellings and expansive acreage surrounded by conservation land, according to Realtor.com.  

The tranquil setting belies its dark association with one of the most high-profile criminal arrests in recent memory.

Maxwell, a longtime confidante of Jeffrey Epstein, was arrested at the property by federal agents on July 2, 2020, after evading capture for nearly a year. 

At the time, authorities had tracked her to the rural compound using GPS data from her cellphone. 

She had gone into hiding there not long after Epstein’s death in a New York City jail cell in August 2019.

The property last sold in December 2019 for $1.1 million via an LLC known as Granite Realty, which public records have linked to Maxwell and her then-romantic partner, tech executive Scott Borgerson. 

The purchase raised eyebrows at the time, particularly as prosecutors later described Maxwell’s financial status as “opaque and indeterminate,” citing numerous bank accounts and a web of financial transfers.

The home’s listing today makes no mention of its scandal-tainted past. 

Instead, it focuses on the craftsmanship of the main timber-frame residence and detached guest barn — both outfitted with two bedrooms — and touts a great room anchored by a floor-to-ceiling fieldstone fireplace, a sunroom with a wood-burning stove and 360-degree views from nearly every room. 

Outside, the property includes fields, a workshop, an equipment garage, private walking trails and a waterfall-fed pond.

Yet its arresting views and luxurious features haven’t translated to buyer enthusiasm. 

Maxwell was sentenced in 2022 to 20 years in prison for her role in the sexual abuse of multiple underage girls in coordination with Epstein, and the recent rejection of her appeal by the US Supreme Court has kept her case in the headlines.

Real estate agent Cara Ameer of Coldwell Banker cites continued visibility is likely a drag on the home’s marketability.

“It’s not famous in a good way,” she told Realtor.com. “The backstory may be enough to quash any interest from a buyer, let alone not wanting to give their money to Maxwell or anyone connected to her by buying the home.”

The issue isn’t just the stigma. Ameer pointed out that for some buyers, the idea of contributing to the finances of someone convicted in such a notorious case — especially if sale proceeds are routed back to Maxwell or her affiliates — is enough to walk away. 

“There may be people who feel morally opposed to having anything to do with this property because of Maxwell’s prior actions, particularly that this home was used as a hiding place before she was arrested,” she said. “The negative publicity surrounding this property is going to be difficult to overcome, no matter what.”

Still, Ameer acknowledged that the property could attract a certain kind of opportunistic buyer. 

“On the flip side, are there buyers who look for opportunities like this? Absolutely,” she said. “They may be able to separate the backstory and use this as a chance to negotiate a deal on a luxury property. The property may take a hit pricewise as a result.”

Should the property secure a deal even close to the reduced asking price, it would still yield a significant return over the $1.1 million paid in 2019 — more than doubling its value, despite its infamy.