Singer Richard Marx lists historic Chicago waterfront for sale at record $18M as he finalizes divorce from wife of 25 years

• Nine-bedroom mansion on Lake Michigan in Lake Bluff
• Bought for $4.7 million in 1997
• Marx and wife Cynthia Rhodes confirmed their divorce in April
• House designed by famed architect David Adler in 1931
• Has eight bathrooms, home theater, recording studio and 19 fireplaces

By Joel Christie for The Mailonline

Published: 15:36 EST, 21 November 2014 | Updated: 17:11 EST, 21 November 2014

Pop-rocker Richard Marx has listed his Chicago mansion for sale at a record $18 million as he finalizes his divorce from wife of 25 years, Dirty Dancing actress Cynthia Rhodes.

Split: Richard Marx and his actress wife Cynthia Rhodes (seen here in 1994) confirmed their divorce in April. They are now selling their marital home

The couple - who have three adult sons, Brandon, 23, Lucas, 21, and Jesse, 20 - announced their split in April, but have been separated since July last year.

Their marital home is a sprawling nine-bedroom estate on Lake Michigan in Lake Bluff that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Marx and Rhodes purchased the three-story house for $4.7 million in 1997 when their children were young.

The 51-year-old singer, whose career has been built on love ballads like Right Here Now, said he has not spoken to anyone about what lead to the breakdown of his marriage - and intends to keep it that way.

'I wouldn't discuss that with even some of my close friends,' he told People.

'It's really nobody's business.

'What I will say is that I had the great fortune and blessing to not only be married to Cynthia for all those years, but to just share her company.

'There's not a finer human being.

'I'm very grateful that we were together, had three amazing sons and I can't say enough about what an amazing person she is and how lucky I was to share that time with her.'

Marx also denied that his new album, Beautiful Goodbye, was penned in the wake of the breakup.

'It has been a painful time,' he told the magazine.

'But I don't necessarily want to bury myself in songs about it, frankly, out of respect.

'I have nothing but love and respect for my ex-wife and I don't really want to delve into that in songwriting so much.

'Not to say that I never will, but I didn't feel like that's where I wanted to write from.

'I wanted to write from a more positive, inspired, hopeful place.'

With the price tag set at $18 million, Marx's waterfront abode comes in at number four for the most expensive properties ever listed in the Chicago area, according to The Chicago Tribune.

In addition to the nine bedrooms, there are eight bathrooms, a home theater, and a 8,000-square-foot recording studio attached to the house.

For an area notorious for its winters, there are also 19 fireplaces.

Yours for $18 million: Richard Marx has listed his Georgian-style mansion in Lake Bluff for sale

Sprawling: The U-shaped estate (plus attached recording studio-left) measures at five acres and sits right on Lake Michigan

Entry: The home was first built in 1931 and has grand finishings

Restored: Marx and his now-ex wife Cynthia Rhodes have somewhat modernized the home

Historic: The former couple paid $4.7 million for the home in 1997

Warm and cozy: The house has a total of 19 fireplaces

Family: Marx and his former wife raised their three sons in the home

Homely: Marx has owned the house for the last 17 years

Formal: A proper dining room sits right off the kitchen

Famous: Marx is known for his hits Right Here Waiting and Now and Forever

Decadent: The mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places

Grand: The master bathroom is particularly opulent

Warm: The well-built home is equipped to withstand the areas harsh winters

The home was built in 1931 and was designed by architect David Adler, the force behind Massachusetts landmark Castle Hill.

It was originally part of a 73-acre estate.

However today it measures at five acres.

In 1977 the movie A Wedding with Robert Altman was filmed in the house.

The real estate agent handling the sale would not confirm to The Tribune the home belonged to Marx.

'It is an Adler, it's beautiful, it's on the lake and it's exquisitely finished,' the agent told the newspaper.

View: The property sits on Lake Michigan in Lake Bluff, a suburb of Chicago

Regal: The mansion has been described as like a miniature Palace of Versailles

Requisite: Marx built his own personal recording studio attached to the house

Now that's a bedroom: This guest room - one of nine bedrooms - comes with its own sitting room

Entertainment: The house also has a home theater, complete with couches instead of chairs

Sitting room: The real estate agent said the home is 'exquisitely finished'

Study: The house measures at a whopping 29,475-square-foot

Formal dining room: Imagine the parties and guests that this room has hosted

For more information on the home, please visit realtor.com