Not surprisingly, people who

live in expensive houses are inclined to protect their privacy.

Only five of Fayette's 10 Most

Expensive have telephone numbers listed, and one of those was "being checked

for trouble." All but one of the remainder declined a visit by a reporter

and a photographer, although two did grant telephone interviews.

While it's tempting to wonder

why someone would put more than a million dollars into a house and then

try to lie low, there are apparently good reasons. One of the homeowners

asked The Citizen not to identify him with his remarks, but said this:

"It's sad that the other side of working hard for something that means

a great deal to us is that there are always those who want to take advantage

of us. Bringing attention to the house makes us more of a target."

Evander Holyfield's mansion

on its hilltop in north Fayette is probably the highest profile, both

literally and figuratively. Local residents, few of whom have ever met

the former world heavyweight boxing champ, have a tendency to refer to

him by his first name.

Appraised at more than $10

million and sprawling over perhaps 15,000 square feet on 105 acres probably

not including the gym, stable, maintenance shop, guest house, gazebo,

sauna, bowling alley, pool and racquetball court Evander's place is far

and away the county's expensive-house champ. (Did we mention the baseball

field?)

Figuring the square footage

of a house is an inexact science, by the way, with appraisers and homeowners

not always in agreement, depending on factors such as whether a bonus

room is heated, or how well a finished basement really is finished.

Greg and Rhonda Lloyd's pale

yellow stucco house in WhiteWater Creek is a gated house in a gated community,

and was purchased from the bank that took it over from the previous owner.

Its neighborhood of near-equals backs up to a small pond in a country

club community. Locals recall when these rolling hills were farm and woodland

once populated with roaming bands of feral pigs.

Delino and Tisha DeShields'

Greek revival-Romanesque hybrid in the Kite's Lake area tops 6,000 square

feet and recently added a play park on an adjacent lot. DeShields, a graduate

of Villanova, batted .269 last season for the Baltimore Orioles and was

voted the team's Most Valuable Player.

Pushed last year from second

base to left field, however, the Seaford, Del., native appears likely

to be traded in 2001, according to conjecture in a recent Washington Post

spring training feature.

The home of Cindy and Harry

Peaden Jr. crouches, fenced and gated, at the rear of a vast lawn in south

Fayette. Massive quoins seem to root it in the earth. The house no, the

chateau hides a lighted asphalt tennis court and basketball court, as

well as a pool and bath house.

Valued at $1.5 million, it

ranks second in Fayette's list of 10 Most Expensive houses. Harry Peaden

is the CEO of Country-fed Meats Co. in Riverdale who established his own

baseball association in Woolsey several years ago after an altercation

with a youth basketball referee.

He was found guilty of a misdemeanor

and paid a fine. But his teams have gone to 13 youth sports league world

series, and won three.

And in 10th place: The red

brick mansion of Jesse and Belinda Campbell in north Fayette curves around

an unpretentious cul de sac within earshot of Ga. Highway 314. Its immediate

neighbors are similar; most of the subdivision has yet to be built.