Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck took out ‘$20M mortgage for their Beverly Hills mansion’ after initially paying in cash

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have taken out a $20 million mortgage on the Beverly Hills, California mansion they purchased in cash earlier this year.

Lopez, 54, and Affleck, 51, who closed on the $60.85 million mansion this past May, opted for a mortgage from JPMorgan Chase Bank months later on August 31, The U.S. Sun reported Sunday citing documents in the transaction.

The A-list pair have taken out a 30-year home loan on the Southern California luxury abode, the outlet reported.

Lopez and Affleck, whose search for the home took almost a year, purchased the home – which is referred to as the ‘Wallingford Estate’ – via a trust fund run by their business managers Gary Kress and Brian Murphy, according to The U.S. Sun.

Under the terms of the mortgage on the 12-bedroom, 24-bathroom home, the rate of interest will be at 5.5 percent for the initial six years; with November 2033 as the projected timeframe from when the principal and interest total will begin to be paid down.

Lopez and Affleck’s mortgage – which comes during a 22-year high for mortgage rates – was described as ‘a smart financial move’ to the outlet by Tony Mariotti, the CEO of the Los Angeles-based RubyHome Luxury Real Estate, which is not involved in the transaction.

Mariotti said that the celeb couple has been shrewdly guided, noting that an ‘interest rate on a loan that’s secured by real property is lower than what they’d get on a personal loan;’ and that ‘the interest is also tax deductible.’

Mariotti continued: ‘They can use the funds almost any way they want, which would not be the case if it were an unsecured loan.’

The luxury real estate expert described the real estate transaction as ‘a common tactic among the wealthy for the tax benefit’ who ‘are generally making calculated decisions.’

The wealthy ‘consider their entire asset portfolio and start to calculate the best way forward for any given move,’ which could be pivoted to a renovation of an existing home; purchasing more real estate; or financing other projects.

The couple, before purchasing the Wallingford Estate, was residing at Lopez’s home in nearby Bel-Air, California, which the actress/singer is looking to sell for $42.5 million.

The outlet reported that records indicated that Lopez initially bought the home in May of 2016 for $28 million, and added a $14 million mortgage to it four months later.

Business manager Murphy has been listed as the trustee on the transaction, which was also conducted by JPMorgan Chase Bank.

The deal on the magnificent 46,000 square-foot mansion took just one week and the pair paid nearly $15 million under the $75 million asking price, TMZ reported in late May.

It first hit the market in 2018 for $135 million but that price was slashed nearly in half when it was re-listed this year. The home sits on a five-acre promontory and boasts 12 bedrooms and 24 bathrooms. 

The listing revealed that it was ‘newly rebuilt and expanded’ and features a 12-car garage and parking for 80.

There is also a ‘one-of-a-kind’ indoor sports complex, a 5,000 square-foot guest penthouse, a caretaker house and a two-bedroom guard house on the grounds.

With the indoor sports facility, the pair has a full gym at their disposal as well as courts for basketball, pickleball, and a boxing ring. There is also a sports lounge and a bar. 

TMZ reports that there is also a full hair and nail salon, a home theater, wine cellar, whiskey lounge, as well as sauna and massage rooms. 

A zero edge pool is located behind the main house and overlooks the area. There are two private, gated entrances to the property.

Brett Lawyer – who has worked with Katy Perry and Madonna – represented the couple in the sale. Meanwhile, the seller was represented by Ginger Glass of Compass.

Lopez and Affleck have dropped out of escrow on three properties in the past several months while at the height of their house hunt.

The Argo actor recently sold off his mansion for around $30 million.

The extended search to find a home for the newlyweds and their blended family has been going on for about a year.

The pair were often photographed visiting high-priced properties around Los Angeles.

The A-listers nicknamed ‘Bennifer’ have been hunkering down by renting Australian billionaire James Packer’s $60 million Beverly Hills mansion amid their house hunt.

The A-list couple are more than a year removed from their August 20, 2022 wedding at Affleck’s estate outside of Savannah, Georgia, which came more than a month after they exchanged vows in Las Vegas July 16, 2022.

Affleck is father to three children with ex-wife Jennifer Garner, 51 – daughters Violet, 17, and Seraphina, 14, and son Samuel, 11.

Lopez is mother to twins Emme and Maximilian, 15, with ex-husband Marc Anthony, 55.