Walter Mercado’s nieces (1932-2019) offered for sale, to avoid deterioration, which was the San Juan home of the famed Puerto Rican astrologer, a home in the Cupey area of the capital that comes to market with worth $ 495,000 that keeps the legendary television personality’s personality intact.
Ivonne Benet, one of Walter Mercado’s four nieces, told Efe on Thursday that they had decided to put the house up for sale when it was made clear that it could not become a museum and as a measure to prevent this 6-room house from deteriorating. 5 bathrooms.
“We want whoever gets the house to enjoy it,” said Benet, who stressed that the inability to keep it in good working order is one of the reasons that led to the decision.
“Two of my sisters don’t usually live in Puerto Rico and another is also abroad for health reasons. That’s why we made the decision,” he emphasized, after making it clear that once they enter the house, everyone will. to do. be able to capture the personality that sustains the home where Mercado has lived since about 1986.
“Walter came to live here just because he was close to me,” said Mercado’s niece.
He recalled that, on the facade, the house has traces of Arabian architecture, although, as he points out, “it is modern inside”.
DISTRIBUTED AMONG NIECES PART OF THEIR ASSETS
As to what the house contains inside, he said that some of Mercado’s belongings were scattered by the four nieces, although it is true that many other things are destined for different museums.
“Walter would have been pleased with the cast, as his greatest love was his audience,” said Mercado’s niece.
For example, a cape with a Puerto Rican flag will go to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, while other relevant objects will go to the Miami History Museum.
SOME THINGS GOING TO MEXICO
“Some things also go to Mexico, where he had a lot of followers,” he said.
Benet recalled that, contrary to what many might think, Mercado never ceased to live in Puerto Rico, although he spent about half a month in the American city of Miami, where he had an apartment for years.
However, he always kept that of San Juan, a city he would not leave until his death in 2019.
He stressed that it is a great opportunity because it is a large house with an office area and a pool in the garden.
The sale puts an end to the idea of converting the house into a museum in his honor, when it was found that the location did not allow it, in part due to the architectural barriers the house has.
Mercado died on November 2, 2019 at the age of 87.
With a very ceremonial and bombastic style, but also hugely affectionate with his followers, Mercado jumped from his native Puerto Rico to the US, where he carried the Latino audience with his horoscope predictions and spiritual guidance.
Mercado got a scam by one of his representatives, which nearly left him out of business.