Former UNC football coach Mack Brown sells Chapel Hill mansion for eye-popping sum

Roughly a year after being ousted as UNC’s head football coach, Mack Brown has sold his Chapel Hill mansion for an eye-popping sum.

Brown and his wife, Sally, originally listed the property at 330 Tenney Circle for $6.6 million in March, then took it off the market before relisting on Oct. 1 for $6.25 million.

The 9,913-square-foot traditional home sold for $6 million on Nov. 11, according to Orange County deed records. That’s $3.9 million above what the Browns paid in 2019.

The new owner, Peter S. Evanovich, is the son of the New York Times bestselling author Janet Evanovich, best known for the mystery series featuring bounty hunter Stephanie Plum. He’s worked as part of his mother’s writing team since the beginning of the Plum series, according to Penguin Random House’s website. His mother and father, Peter Evanovich, also live in Chapel Hill.

Triangle Business Journal first reported the sale.

Built in 1922, the property sits on .85 acres and offers five bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, and a two-car garage with EV charging station. In 2022, Chapel Hill-based builder and architect Phil Szostak renovated and expanded the property, according to the listing.

Amenities include saltwater pool, covered porch and patio, rooftop terrace and a bonus wing with golf simulator and office. It’s also in Chapel Hill Historic District and within walking distance to UNC’s campus, downtown Chapel Hill and Franklin Street.

“Every inch of the property reflects an impeccable attention to detail and a deep respect for the home’s storied past,” said the listing agent, Mollie Owen, a Realtor with Raleigh-based Hodge & Kittrell Sotheby’s International Realty.

Brown’s rise and fall

The sale marks the end of an era, both on and off the field.

Brown, 74, first led the Tar Heels to national prominence from 1988 to 1997. He returned in late 2018, but his second stint ended in late 2024 when he was fired over a 6-5 season, despite his desire to continue.

Two weeks later, UNC replaced him with Bill Belichick, 73, the legendary former New England Patriots coach.

“While this was not the perfect time and way in which I imagined going out, no time will ever be the perfect time,” Brown said when his departure was announced. “I’ve spent 16 seasons at North Carolina and will always cherish the memories and relationships Sally and I have built while serving as head coach.”

According to the Associated Press, Brown now lives in Austin, Texas, where he was the head football coach at the University of Texas from 1998 to 2013.