At 52, eleven-time surfing world champion Kelly Slater is the oldest athlete in the World Surfing League. Slater’s star power in the surfing world is second to none. Yet even that wasn’t enough to help the Cocoa Beach native sell his oceanfront compound in Hawaii. Months after putting the property up for sale, the arguable GOAT of surfing has made a compromise.

In April 2024, Slater put his Oahu’s North Shore compound for sale for a whopping $20 million. The surfer bought the property in 2017 and paid $7.8 million for the six-bedroom Haleiwa beachfront “sanctuary,” according to the Wall Street Journal. After owning the property for about eight years, he’s ready to part ways. Unfortunately, Slater may have to settle for less than he planned.

As per a Realtor.com report, Kelly Slater has slashed the price by $3.5 million to a still-eye-watering $17.5 million to attract buyers. Located on the coveted Papailoa Road, the 7,680-square-foot compound had ballooned into Kelly Slater’s most expensive listing. Besides the premier location and views of the blue waves from his backyard, the compound itself has a lot going for it.

The main house, with six bedrooms and over 7 bathrooms, offers beautiful views with an ocean-view balcony and direct access to 101 feet of private shoreline. The compound even houses a massive swinging pool that mimics the turquoise color of the ocean. The surfer also has a personal connection to Oahu. WSJ reported that Slater and his friends would crash at a house on Papailoa Road.

It was during those surfing trips to Hawaii that enamored the Florida native to Papailoa Road. So when decades later the property went up for sale, the surfer bought, despite already owning another condo just three miles away from the compound’s location. However, this isn’t the first time Slater has tried to do something with this oceanfront home.

Just a year after he bought the property, Slater put it up on the rental market. While the initial renting price started at $80,000 per month, it was reduced to $45,000 in 2020. However, the surfing legend’s eagerness to sell off the property most probably has nothing to do with finances.

Kelly Slater’s multimillion-dollar ventures

During an interview with Barton Lynch, the 52-year-old revealed that back in the 60s, his mother and father came close to buying half the town of Telluride, Colorado. “My Dad was, like, no, I want to be at the beach.” Slater revealed. However, had they made the purchase the Slaters might’ve become billionaires today because celebrities like Tom Cruise have owned ranches in the quaint ski town. Yet despite the missed opportunity, the athlete has built a business empire worth millions.

While the former world champion’s Papailoa Road compound is incredibly expensive, this is far from the only piece of real estate that Salter owns. The two-time X Games gold medalist owns a once-of-a-kind private surfing ranch in Lemoore, California. The New Yorker estimates the ranch to have cost the surfer $30 million to construct. However, it’s a business venture and not his home.

Renting the ranch for a day could cost anywhere between $7,000 and a whopping $70,000/day during high season. The Hawaii home on sale, on the other hand, is one of many properties the surfer has procured since entering the real estate investment market in 2015.

Besides owning multiple estates, the legendary athlete is also an angel investor for not one but six firms, as per Pitchbook. The surfer has also invested in start-ups. In January 2024, Kelly Slater invested in the startup Phi. The former world champion even owns businesses such as Endorphins, a surfboard manufacturer, the energy drink brand Purps, and many more.

Kelly Slater had always dreamt of living in Oahu. “A throwback to my childhood, coming over to Hawaii,” he told WSJ. However, the surfer also described the property as “a bit more house than I need.” However, it remains to be seen if the surfing icon attracts buyers after taking a $3.5 loss or if he has to go even lower.