It's tough to bet on sports. Who wins can be a toss-up. Real estate results are a little less risky, especially in places where demand outpaces supply. But not always.

Former University of Oregon football coach Willie Taggart, who returned to Florida after a year on the Ducks job, put his Eugene house on the market Thursday, Jan 11.

The price: $935,000.

The Colonial-style custom house is behind an automated security gate and fronted by a semi-circular driveway. Inside, there are dramatic double staircases, classic columns and sculpted ceilings.

In the backyard, there's a basketball hoop.

Public records show Taggart bought the nearly half-acre property at 3170 Metolius Dr. for $900,000 in April 2017. Then he poured $140,000 into renovations. Even if he finds a buyer at the asking price, he will lose $105,000 plus commissions and costs.

That's one of the penalties he's willing to pay to be head football coach at Florida State University in Tallahassee.

Before he signed one of Oregon's most lucrative college sports contracts, Taggart was the head coach at the University of South Florida. To lead in Oregon, the Florida native left behind Bulls fans and a Mediterranean-style villa.

Taggart's old Tampa home, which he sold for $1.1 million, had what every sports celebrity craves: Privacy and areas to play.

Many of the ground-floor rooms of the tile-roof house opened to a paver courtyard with a custom outdoor kitchen, heated spa and conservatory-like enclosed pool.

In Tampa and Eugene, the coach had a media room to watch games on a wide screen.

The brick-clad, Eugene house boasts four bedrooms, three full bathrooms and two powder rooms. The 437-square-foot master suite sits under a vaulted ceiling and there's a balcony overlooking box hedges and a big lawn.

Eugene listing agents Randal and Cindy Whipple of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices point out that the two most recent owners of the 4,239-square-foot house have been Ducks football coaches.

Taggart bought the property from former Oregon assistant football coach David Yost.

Before he sold to Taggart, Yost spent $220,000 improving the 17-year-old house, including updating the kitchen with quartz counters, glass tile backsplashes and stainless-steel appliances.

Connecting the kitchen and the formal dining room is a butler's area with a beverage center.

Yost and Taggart hired John Webb Construction & Design to perform the renovations.

Both Yost and Taggart also had young families and the two-story home's layout and design worked for formal and informal entertaining, indoors and out, says Randal Whipple.

"Willie and [his wife] Taneisha are among the kindest, friendliest and most genuine people we've ever met," says Whipple. "The improvements the Taggarts made in the home reflected what we know was their very strong expectation to be with the Ducks for a long time."

The property is priced competitively for the Eugene market, says Whipple. "It's a great value for someone. I don't think it's rightfully measured by 'loss.'"

Whipple adds that the house in the North Gilham area is close to downtown, Willamette River bike trails, golf courses and the University of Oregon campus.

-- Janet Eastman



jeastman@oregonian.com

503-799-8739

@janeteastman



