Castle in Oakland County still for sale, with new asking price

Remember the medieval-style castle complete with a moat and drawbridge that went up for sale in Oakland Township back in 2022 ?

Well, it's still for sale. And the price recently dropped by $200,000.

The unique, secluded home on a hill surrounded by woodland across more than six acres is reminiscent of a palace fit for a king and queen.

It didn't sell at the original asking price of $2.5 million and is now listed at $2.3 million.

More: Bishop Mansion, largest private residence in Detroit, sees $2 million price slash

The property is nestled in the rear of the prestigious Deer Creek Estates, a private gated community of luxury homes in Oakland County.

Dylan Tent, of Signature Sotheby’s International Realty Northville, explained that the price adjustment aims to enhance the property’s competitiveness on the market, despite its initial $10 million construction cost.

Known as the LeBlanc Castle, this architectural marvel boasts gothic-style medieval motifs both inside and out. The castle is distinguished by its separate gate and two 27-foot-tall entrance towers at the foot of the estate. The 60-foot-tall structure, which stands taller than most four-story buildings, sits on a parcel enclosed by a half-mile expanse of 6-foot-tall wrought-iron fencing completely enclosing its perimeter.

A winding path through the woods leads to the castle, which follows a 15th-century Scottish baronial/northern English architectural tradition.

Constructed in 1990, the home represents the culmination of a 20-year dream envisioned by the late James LeBlanc, who made a promise to his wife, Vera, on Christmas in 1969, vowing to build her a castle, as recounted by Mike Kuligowski of Signature Sotheby’s International Realty in a 2022 Detroit Free Press article .

“I've been having consistent showings,” Tent remarked regarding the property, which requires some deferred maintenance. “We just need someone that's capable and financially able to do the necessary work.”

The frame was built with 60 tons of steel, and to reach the 4-inch-thick oak front door, weighing 762 pounds, visitors must cross a drawbridge spanning a moat before walking under a portcullis.

Recent upgrades to the property include six new high-efficiency furnaces and air conditioners, new humidifiers, a new boiler, a new hot water storage tank, $100,000 in window and door upgrades and about $20,000 in electrical updates, and the elevator was serviced and certified in 2022.

There’s a surprise in just about every room of this 26-room castle, making up 10,781 square feet of finished living space that boasts five bedrooms, five full bathrooms and two partial bathrooms. There's also a four-car attached garage featuring a Charles Dickens-era streets of London theme, complete with ceiling lights mimicking stars.

Hidden features include concealed closets, escape rooms, a hidden spiral staircase that leads to the roof and secret passageways between walls. A trap door leads to a dungeon, while a hidden underground grotto houses a jacuzzi.

The residence is also equipped with an elevator, five fireplaces, a rock and brick wine cellar complete with a tasting booth, a Tudor-style pub, a fitness center, a billiards room and a home theater with an 8-by-6-foot screen.

Additionally, the castle offers six balconies outside and two more inside.

LeBlanc, the original owner, who died in 2022 at 72 , was an engineer who led companies that earned federal defense contracts.

“Money was no object, it was designed to entertain, to have people over," Kuligowski told the Free Press when it was first listed.

Brendel Hightower is an assistant editor at the Detroit Free Press. Contact her at bhightower@freepress.com . Support local journalism: Subscribe to the Detroit Free Press .

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Castle in Oakland County still for sale, with new asking price