Lionel Messi’s $10.75 million home purchase in Fort Lauderdale has not only raised the profile of soccer in Miami, but it has also brought attention to the gated neighborhood where he now lives. Since Messi moved to Inter Miami CF earlier this summer, there has been a lot of talk about him. This has even affected the real estate market.

Messi bought a nearly 10,500-square-foot waterfront house in Bay Colony, an island community with about 100 such homes. His purchase has brought a lot of attention to this exclusive neighborhood. Chad Carroll of the Carroll Group at Compass says that Messi’s popularity around the world makes him a magnet for attention, and his appearance has made people more interested in the area, which was already very exclusive.

The average home price in Bay Colony is $4.6 million. The neighborhood is known for its waterfront houses and guarded gates that are open 24 hours a day. Samuel and Donna Simpkin of Compass’s Team Simpkin, who helped Messi and his wife Antonela Roccuzzo make the deal, say that the purchase will likely increase demand in the area and could set a new price standard for future sales.

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Some experts say Messi’s appearance might not have a big effect on property prices, but others say that having a famous neighbor like Messi can make a neighborhood more appealing overall. Ron Shuffield, president and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM Realty, says that people might not pay much more to live next to a celebrity, but it does make the neighborhood look better and give more.

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Messi’s move to South Florida has had an effect on more than just real estate. It has also had an effect on infrastructure development, including work on Inter Miami’s stadium. Cyril Bijaoui of the Corcoran Group thinks that Messi’s appearance will help future sales in the area and nearby towns.

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It had eight bedrooms, nine-and-a-half bathrooms, and 170 feet of water access with two docks. Messi bought his new house without going through the market. The house was last sold for $9 million in 2022, giving the buyers a 20% return. Because there aren’t many homes for sale in Bay Colony and Messi bought one, prices are likely to go up in this safe and prestigious area.