So if he reduced the price of this mansion to 6 million, and is then able to pay off what's left of the 4.8 million, wouldn't he be left with about a million to buy a house?

I'm sure $1,000,000 doesn't grant him the kind of life he's led all these years, but nobody's going to be homeless or hungry on it, either.

I would rather have downsized to something affordable, in a more affordable part of the country, than have my name in the headlines for this. It's just a sad way to go out, and likely very unnecessary.