Foreclosure Sale Of Ex-Bear's North Shore Mansion Awaits Approval

NORTHFIELD, IL — One of former Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs' two North Shore properties in foreclosure was sold in a court-ordered auction earlier this month, according to court records. Last month, a foreclosure judgement was entered against Briggs' Northbrook townhouse, and the sale of his Northfield mansion awaits final approval from a judge in April.

In June 2008, Briggs paid $2.3 million for the newly built, 4,800-square-foot, six-bedroom mansion on 1.04 acres near the corner of Winnetka and Sunset Ridge roads in Northfield. Two years earlier he had purchased a townhouse at 985 Enfield Drive in Northbrook for $371,500.

In July 2017, Citimortgage launched a foreclosure action against the Northfield property, claiming Briggs still owed the full $1.72 million he borrowed for the property. Then in September 2017, Deutsche Bank filed a foreclosure action against the Northbrook property for a nearly $300,000 mortgage.

Briggs, 36, also faces separate lawsuits from a neighbor in Northfield and a prospective buyer of the Northbrook property. He now lives in Boca Raton, Florida, according to Cook County property records.

After he was drafted 63rd overall out of the University of Arizona, the retired Pro Bowler spent his entire 12-year career with the Bears, becoming one of the captains of the team's defense and earning more than $52 million over three contracts, according to the website Spotrac.

UPDATE: Foreclosed Former Home Of Ex-Bear Lance Briggs Sells For $1.1 Million

The 15-room Northfield house auctioned off earlier this month is "reminiscent of an English manor house" and includes a three-story elevator, a huge deck and a "'man cave' on steroids," according to the listing. Briggs first listed the mansion for $2.5 million in October 2016. The asking price was reduced several times and was most recently dropped to $2 million in January.

The pending sale price from the foreclosure auction reported Thursday to Cook County Circuit Court by lawyers for Citimortage was not immediately available.

A foreclosed property's title cannot be transferred until a judge confirms the sale was conducted properly and approves the sale. A hearing in the case has been set for April 12, according to the court docket. Should the judge sign off on the sale, Briggs has 30 days to appeal the ruling.

A judgement of foreclosure was entered for the Northbrook townhouse on Feb. 6, the docket shows. That triggered a 90-day waiting period before the property can be sold in a foreclosure action.

An attorney representing Briggs in both foreclosure actions declined to comment on the case. An attorney representing Citimortage did not respond to a request for comment from Crain's Chicago Business, which first reported the pending sale.

Earlier: Ex-Chicago Bear's Northfield Mansion To Be Auctioned, Judge Rules