News of a plain, brick, 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom home built in 1959 hitting the market outside Chicago wouldn’t typically make headlines.
Then the world discovered that the 1,200-square-foot home is where Pope Leo XIV, until Thursday known as Cardinal Robert Prevost, spent his childhood.
According to Zillow, the home was most recently bought for $66,000 in May 2024. It was then flipped and re-listed for $205,000 in January, before being cut to $199,000.
Steve Budzik, a real estate agent working with the home’s owner, said they were shocked to learn the news of the home’s history.
“He was like, ‘Wow,'” Budzik said of owner Paul Radzik. “It’s better than winning the lotto. We were both very surprised and honored. It was a lot of emotions.”
Budzik said the home garnered “steady interest” before Thursday, averaging one to two viewings a week, but that the fanfare surrounding the first American pope brightened the spotlight.
“Since yesterday, at around 10 o’clock, I would say my client and I have received seven to eight offers,” Budzik said. “We took the listing off, so there were no showings, but if we had left it on the market, it would’ve probably been booked out all day.”
The owner has decided to delist the home as they weigh their options.
“It’s like a collectible car they only made one of,” Budzik said.
Budzik said the owner might keep the home, but is considering several options, including turning it into a museum honoring Pope Leo XIV or a rental space where admirers could stay.
“Every day people are reaching out to us with their own ideas as well, so we’re just going to wait and review everything and come up with a plan in the next few weeks,” he said.
Budzik told BI that the owner has also considered reaching out the Pope Leo XIV’s brother, who lives in Illinois, for his thoughts.
Hometown pride has swelled for Leo XIV. Weiner’s Circle, a celebrated local hot dog joint, put up a Latin sign exclaiming: Canes Nostros Ipse Comedit (“He has eaten our dogs”).
Scott Olson/Getty Images
Chicago resident Frank Calabrese, 37, was among the first to discover the home’s new place in history. As a self-professed Chicago history nerd, Calabrese started digging around on Thursday to find out more about the life of Pope Leo XIV.
As a law clerk for property tax cases, he also knew exactly where to look. He searched local tax records and found the deed that listed the Pope’s father’s name.
“It is strange to feel like there’s a personal connection to the Pope,” Calabrese told BI.
