John Edwards puts the estate where he lived with cancer-stricken wife Elizabeth while cheating on her up for sale for $7million

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Scandal-hit former politician John Edwards is selling the estate where he lived with his cancer-stricken wife Elizabeth while cheating on her for $7million.

The former senator and vice presidential candidate has put his 102-acre gated estate in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, which he built with his late wife, on the market.

He moved into the property in 2006 with the late Elizabeth and their two youngest children Emma Claire and Jack and shortly afterwards he started an affair with Rielle Hunter.

The entrance to John Edwards' gated estate in North Carolina, which has just gone on the market for almost $7million 

The former senator has put his 102-acre gated estate in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, which he built with his late wife, on the market

The estate consists of a main house, left, which boasts five bedrooms, and a smaller annex, right, with four bedrooms 

But now the estate is up for sale and being marketed by Hodge and Kitrell Sotheby's International Realty, who describe the home as a secluded retreat.

The main house boasts five bedrooms and has a living room and fireplace made entirely out of stone.

There is also an large, open-plan kitchen and is decorated with vaulted ceilings and antique pine beams.

The building also connects to a smaller annex that has a further four bedrooms and is centered around a full-sized indoor basketball court.

The imposing living room in the main house of the estate which features authentic pine beams and high vaulted ceilings 

The living room's most imposing feature is a large fireplace that is made entirely out of stone and is the room's feature wall 

The main house also boasts another large sitting area complete with a library shelves full of books and colourful paintings

Although Edwards moved out of the property in 2010 following news of his affair with mistress Rielle Hunter, his two children Emma Claire and Jack continued to live there

The entire property measures at 26,000 square feet, has 11 bathrooms, and is the largest and most expensive home on the market in the area

The smaller building also boasts a kitchen, pool table and fireplace as well as an exercise room, male and female locker rooms, a sauna and a heated swimming pool.

The entire property measures at 26,000 square feet, has 11 bathrooms, and is the largest and most expensive home on the market in the area.

And if the home sells, Edwards will make a large profit because he and Elizabeth bought the land in 2004 for just $1.32million.

One of the living rooms also leads to a large open plan kitchen which has three islands and exposed beams on the ceiling 

Mr Edwards has reportedly decided to put the home on the market as he now works for a law firm in Raleigh and faces a long commute

If the home sells, Edwards will make a large profit and he and his late wife Elizabeth bought the land in 2004 for just $1.32million

The estate is being marketed by Hodge and Kitrell Sotheby's International Realty, who describe the home as a secluded retreat

According to the WSJ, Mr Edwards has put the home on the market because he now works for a law firm in Raleigh and faces a long commute.

He was first elected to office in 1998 and served for a single six-year term as a U.S. senator for North Carolina.

In 2004, he tried and failed to win the Democratic party nomination for President but fellow candidate John Kerry brought him on as a running mate.

However the two eventually lost to incumbent President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

On the day the pair conceded defeat, Edwards' wife Elizabeth was diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent treatment but it returned three years later.

The smaller building also boasts a kitchen, pool table and fireplace as well as an exercise room, male and female locker rooms, a sauna and a heated swimming pool

The small kitchen, pool table and seating area in the smaller annex on the 26,000-acre estate in Chapel Hill, North Carolina 

In 2007, Edwards began an affair with Hunter, and she became pregnant with their daughter Frances Quinn.

When he took another stab at the White House in 2008, he won just 2.65 per cent of voters in the Democratic primaries to Barack Obama's 48.2 per cent and Hillary Clinton's 47.8 per cent - thanks partly to the revelations that he was cheating on his cancer stricken wife.

In 2010, he finally admitted his paternity of the daughter he fathered with Hunter and in December of that year, Elizabeth died of cancer aged 61.

Just a year later, he was indicted on allegations that he used campaign funds to hide his mistress - though he was later acquitted on one count, and a mistrial declared on the other counts.

He has since left the world of politics and returned to a career in law setting up law firm Edwards Kirby, which has offices in Raleigh and San Diego, California. 

Edwards was first elected to office in 1998 and in 2004, he was the running mate of John Kerry when he ran for the White House against George W. Bush

When he took another stab at the White House in 2008, he won just 2.65 per cent of voters in the Democratic primaries after it was revealed he was cheating on his cancer-stricken wife Elizabeth, left, with his mistress Rielle Hunter, right. The pair had a baby together