Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home sold on Tuesday for $375,000, Homes.com data shows. This is a 50% increase from its auction price in May after the house became a tourist attraction.
Nakita Cloud, a Dolton, Illinois, spokesperson, confirmed the village was the buyer at that price. The 1,050-square-foot property was initially listed for $219,000 in January and underwent a price cut to $199,900 the following month.
The house caught national attention minutes after Cardinal Robert Prevost became pope on May 8. Unknown to the agent and owner, 212 E 141st Place was the pope's childhood residence, owned by his parents from 1949 through 1996. It was taken off the market and ultimately placed for auction, with bids starting at $250,000.
Homes.com last week reported the village of Dolton, Illinois, had a deal to buy the house, expecting to pay more than the auction's minimum bid. Officials plan to seek landmark status for the house and create a historic district for the whole block.
The seller was a real estate investor who purchased the home in May 2024 for $66,000, then flipped it.
CEO Misha Haghani of Paramount Realty USA, the auction house handling the home sale, confirmed multiple bids were received for the home. He said the auction's extension by a month was partly influenced by Dolton's intent to make a bid.
Since the home became famous, visitors have shown up nonstop, Cloud previously has said. They place rosaries on the doorknob or simply walk up to touch the steps that once welcomed home a young Pope Leo.
At $375,000, the sale marks Dolton's priciest single-family sale this year, Homes.com data shows.