NY- THE real reason Stephen Baldwin is selling his luxurious Rockland County home is that the born-again Christian is cash-strapped and owes the government “a crapload of money” in back taxes, a source shares.
And “The Usual Suspects” actor’s father-in-law, Eumir Deodato, who has loaned Baldwin money in the past, refuses to cough up any more cash, so Baldwin is being forced to downsize.
It might take a while. The house, a four-bedroom Victorian built in 1850, is overpriced at $3.4 million and has been on the market since February, shares a Rockland real estate insider.
“It’s worth nowhere near what he’s asking,” the source said.
And while it does have views of the Hudson River, a selling point, “It’s on a busy road and does not have a great river view.”
The third-most famous of the acting Baldwin brothers – including Alec, Billy and Daniel – Stephen bought the 3,100-square- foot house in 1997 for $515,000. He’s since renovated and increased the size of the kitchen and built a four-car garage with an office suite above it.
Local experts say the property in the Upper Grandview section of Nyack is worth about $2.8 million.
Some neighbors won’t be sad to see Baldwin go. “Rockland residents are fed up with his protesting” over an X-rated video and sex shop nearby, “and wish he’d lower the price, so the house might actually sell,” the source says.
Deodato, father of Baldwin’s wife, Kennya, is a Brazilian-born musician and producer best known for his jazz-disco orchestration of Strauss’ “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” the theme from “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Deodato has worked with such icons as Aretha Franklin and Bette Midler and has produced some of Kool & The Gang’s biggest hits, including “Celebration” and “Ladies Night.” He most recently worked with Icelandic pixie Bjork.
A rep for Deodato did not return calls.
Baldwin’s representative, Brad Taylor, said the star of “Bio-dome” and “The Flintstones” was traveling and unavailable for comment, but explained Baldwin is moving for personal reasons. “He wants to move to a more sprawling farm so there’s more room for his family,” Taylor said. As for the porn establishments, “he’s still fighting them whether he moves or not.”