Gene Hackman's Incredible 53-Acre Santa Fe Estate Goes On The Market Nearly A Year After His Tragic And Bizarre Death

Nearly a year after the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, the secluded Santa Fe compound the couple called home for decades has officially hit the market. The 53-acre estate, located in a gated enclave just northeast of downtown Santa Fe, is listed for $6.25 million, marking the first major public move involving Hackman's real estate holdings since his passing.

The listing represents a rare glimpse into the private life Hackman cultivated after largely stepping away from Hollywood, and it arrives amid lingering public interest surrounding the unusual circumstances of the couple's deaths and the handling of Hackman's estate.

The Property

The property spans roughly 13,000 square feet across multiple structures and reflects a lifestyle Hackman embraced in his later years. Unlike many traditional adobe homes in the region, the estate leans contemporary, with extensive use of native stone, steel, glass, and floor-to-ceiling windows designed to frame the surrounding landscape.

The three-bedroom main residence includes expansive living and dining areas, exposed timber beams, and a library designed with sound-dampening features. According to the listing agents, Hackman frequently watched movies in the library, where the ceiling was engineered to improve acoustics.

In addition to the main house, the estate features a three-bedroom guesthouse, an artist's studio built in the late 1990s, a lap pool, hot tub, and a private putting green. Much of the 53-acre parcel is wooded, giving the property an unusual degree of privacy even by Santa Fe luxury standards.

The home has been cleared of personal effects and professionally staged, and the sellers are installing a new roof as part of deferred maintenance prior to closing.

Here is a video tour of Gene Hackman's Santa Fe estate:

In the late 1990s, Will Smith and Jada Smith visited Hackman in Santa Fe during the filming of "Enemy of the State" and stayed at this house. Will and Jada were so enthralled by the "Santa Fe style" of his property that they hired Hackman's architect to design what eventually became their 20,000-square-foot multi-structure compound set on 100 acres in Malibu.

Hackman's Life In Santa Fe

Hackman and Arakawa purchased the land in the 1990s and built the primary residence around 1997, after Hackman developed a deep attachment to Santa Fe while filming in the area. Despite being one of the most recognizable actors of his generation, Hackman lived quietly and avoided celebrity culture, blending into the community with little fanfare.

He was a regular at local spots, especially Harry's Roadhouse, where staff described him as an unassuming, low-key customer who preferred to be treated like everyone else. Hackman reportedly liked the anonymity Santa Fe afforded him so much that he once joked nobody paid him any attention at all.

That low-profile lifestyle led to an unlikely footnote in his career. While Hackman officially retired from acting in 2004, he did make one final screen appearance four years later… entirely by accident. In 2008, Gene happened to walk into Harry's Roadhouse while the Food Network was filming an episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives." When word spread that Gene Hackman was sitting at the counter, host Guy Fieri abandoned the shoot, pulled up a stool, and chatted with Hackman for nearly an hour:

At the time, Hackman shrugged off the attention, quipping that the restaurant was a "staple" and that he loved how nobody made a fuss over him. It was not a blockbuster send-off or a carefully planned farewell, just a retired movie star accidentally wandering back onto camera while grabbing a meal.

Outside of town, Hackman spent much of his time painting and working in the artist's studio on the property, a creative outlet he pursued long after leaving Hollywood behind. In Santa Fe, he was not treated as a legend or an icon, just another regular with a favorite booth and a quiet routine, exactly the way he seemed to prefer it.

A Rare Offering In The Santa Fe Luxury Market

Despite the home's association with a legendary Hollywood figure, the agents said the estate was priced based on market fundamentals rather than a celebrity premium. Santa Fe's luxury market has remained relatively steady, with demand strongest among buyers seeking privacy, acreage, and architectural distinction rather than status.

At 53 acres, the Hackman estate stands out as an unusually large and secluded offering in a tightly held market.

Closing A Chapter

While questions surrounding Gene Hackman's estate and heirs have drawn scrutiny in recent months, the sale of the Santa Fe compound represents a more tangible turning point. After decades as a personal refuge for one of Hollywood's most private stars, the property is now poised to pass into new hands.