Pat Croce's Villanova house going to auction

If you want to own a piece of 76ers basketball history, here's a chance: Former team president Pat Croce's 10,500-square-foot Villanova mansion will be auctioned to the highest bidder Saturday.

Anyone can participate in the auction for Croce's property, according to Michael Schwartz, director of national sales for Premiere Estates Auction Co. of Manhattan Beach, Calif., which is running the event.

But all bidders have to put up an "entry fee" deposit of $150,000 by cashier's check or wire ahead of time.

"That's your foot in the door," said Lavinia Smerconish, the property's local listing agent with Berkshire Hathaway Fox & Roach.

The six-bedroom, eight-bathroom estate at 835 Mount Moro Rd. was first listed last year at $7.95 million, then was reduced to $6.25 million, but still languished. Thus, an auction.

"This is an absolute auction, which is very rare for prime real estate, especially on the Main Line," Schwartz said.

In an absolute auction, the property is sold to the highest bidder regardless of price.

Potential buyers can visit the property by appointment. "The house is open all this week and Saturday morning, but the auction starts promptly at noon," Smerconish said.

Bidders must register with either Smerconish or Premiere Estates and submit the deposit.

Losing bidders will get their deposits back as they leave the auction, Smerconish said.

"We do have bidders registered already," Smerconish said, although she would not say how many.

Potential buyers can bid in person or by phone, or have someone bid for them. For an appointment, call Berkshire Hathaway Fox & Roach at 610-547-6637. For information about the property, visit the Premiere Estates website (www.PremiereEstates.com), then click on "Auctions."

The three-plus-acre property boasts all the accoutrements of a Main Line estate: tennis court, pool, pool house, five fireplaces, and library. Croce and his wife, Diane, bought the mansion in 1993, and last year, after deciding to downsize to a townhouse, auctioned off most of the contents, including Sixers memorabilia, bedroom furnishings, china, glassware, and Houdini memorabilia.

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