Key Takeaways
- Shilo Sanders said he may build his own house after rejecting Fort Lauderdale apartments priced at $8,900 and $9,950 per month as too small and expensive.
- He also turned down brother Shedeur Sanders’ proposal to buy a home together, arguing that covering the monthly payments while Shedeur supplied the down payment would be a bad deal.
- The house hunt comes as Shilo awaits a bankruptcy ruling on whether he can discharge an $11.89 million judgment tied to a 2015 confrontation with former school security guard John Darjean.
Shilo Sanders is fighting to wipe out nearly $12 million in debt in bankruptcy court. Meanwhile, he's touring luxury apartments in South Florida, complaining about the prices and saying he’d rather build his own house.
The former Colorado football player took viewers along for an Oct. 6 house-hunting trip with his brother, Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders. But after checking out Fort Lauderdale apartments renting for $8,950 and $9,950 a month, Shilo wasn't exactly reaching for his checkbook.
"This room is so small. Like, why even make this a room?" he complained while inspecting one of the bedrooms. "You can't even breathe in here. I'm getting claustrophobic just being in this little room."
Then came his alternative.
"I'm about to just start building my own stuff cuz this is crazy," Shilo declared.
The properties had plenty of amenities. The brothers toured units with spacious bathrooms, walk-in closets, downtown views, and access to a resort-style pool and 24-hour gym. Shilo also liked the building's security, explaining that even living in a gated community hadn't completely eased his concerns about break-ins.
But the bedrooms and monthly rent remained sticking points.
"I ain't going to keep playing around with these Miami prices, bro," he said. "And I'm going to Texas."
Shedeur had another suggestion: buying a house together, with him providing the down payment and Shilo handling the monthly payments.
Shilo immediately questioned the arrangement.
"Bro, that's not a good deal for me. I'm still wasting my money," he said. "You going to make all my money back when you sell it."
The brothers also discussed the cost of buying property in South Florida, with Shilo estimating that a home could run at least $2 million.
At the center of that dispute is an $11.89 million judgment awarded to former Dallas school security guard John Darjean. Darjean alleged that Shilo, then 15, seriously injured him during a 2015 confrontation over a cellphone. Shilo has maintained that he acted in self-defense.
Darjean won the judgment by default in 2022 after Shilo failed to appear for trial. Shilo filed for bankruptcy the following year, hoping to discharge the debt.
The bankruptcy trial concluded Sept. 4, but Judge Michael Romero has not yet ruled. Darjean argues the judgment stems from a "willful and malicious injury," which would make the debt ineligible for discharge. Final written arguments are expected in November.
Shilo recently caught a break in another legal dispute when Barnes & Thornburg permanently dismissed its lawsuit seeking approximately $170,000 in unpaid legal fees. The dismissal ended that case, although the terms of any possible settlement haven't been disclosed.
Back in Florida, Shilo still hadn't settled on a property. Despite threatening to take his money to Texas, he appeared increasingly interested in Fort Lauderdale.
"I might just have to live in Fort Lauderdale," he said. "That's like a sign. That's like God saying, ‘move here.’"
But his plans may have since shifted. In a subsequent video, Sanders said he plans to build a house in Canton, Texas, and invited architects to contact him.
