Dwight Howard sells Longwood, Fla., mansion for $3.4 million

Former Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard has sold his mansion-estate in Longwood, Fla., for $3.4 million.

Howard, now in his second year with the Houston Rockets, paid $7.78 million for the lavish home known as Chateau D’Usse in October 2008, according to public records. He had asked for as much as $9.7 million for the property.

The Moorish-inspired residence, built in 2008, occupies more than seven acres on Rice Lake with a large motor court, tropical landscaping, an entertainer’s patio with a fireplace, an outdoor kitchen and a pool with a lazy river, water slide and waterfalls.

Through an arched entry, the home opens to a gallery filled with detailed columns and rib-vault ceilings. The Gothic motif is furthered inside with pointed archways, custom built-ins and a host of resplendent appointments.

Among the more impressive amenities are a chef’s kitchen with a separate food-prep area, a massive family room with a two-sided fireplace, a temperature-controlled wine room and a movie theater with stadium seating.

The master suite includes a generous walk-in closet, a soaking tub and a private entrance to an adjacent office. In all, the 11,025 square feet of living space counts 12 rooms, five bedrooms, five full bathrooms and two half-baths.

Howard, 28, spent the 2012-13 season with the Lakers after being acquired from the Orlando Magic in 2012. He turned down a maximum contract offer from the Lakers worth $118 million to sign a four-year, $88 million contract with the Rockets last off-season.

Sale of the Chateau D’Usse closed Monday, public records show. The property was offered fully furnished when it returned to the market in February at $4.9 million. Wayne Weger of Keene’s Pointe Realty represented both Howard and the buyer in the sale.

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