Nestled in one of the most exclusive enclaves in Beverly Hills, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez’s one-time Bel-Air love nest – which boasts breathtakingly romantic views over the mountains and all the privacy you could ever need – is the ultimate American Dream for most newlyweds. 

However, six months on from when their bombshell divorce was made official in January and top US property agents have named the sprawling mansion a  ‘white elephant’ – an overpriced property that is hard to sell – after struggling to find a buyer for a year. 

And now a source tells Closer that their once-happy marital home has turned into a ‘battleground’ for JLo, 55, and Ben, 52, with the pair at ‘war’ over Ben’s reported desire to slash the price and cut his final tie to his ex-wife, while JLo is defiantly digging in her heels. 

The insider tells us, ‘She’s furious and is taking this very personally. Of course she can afford to take a loss on it but it’s not really about the money for her, it’s the principal of it. She poured so much time and energy into the renovations and doesn’t see why she has to take a loss just because Ben is in a hurry to get this over with. 

‘It’s toxic and exhausting for those around them. Their once happy home has turned into a battleground.’ 

Following their shock split in April last year, which Ben has insisted was ‘drama free’ – while heavily hinting that he and JLo’s union had been overshadowed by their conflicting views of life in the limelight – they had listed the property for sale for $68 million, before slashing the price to their initial purchase price of $60 million. 

But last week, it was further reported that Ben now wants to cut the price of their 12- bedroom, 24-bathroom home further, with insiders insisting that the Oscar-winner just wants to ‘move on’. 

A source said, ‘He really just wants this to be sold so that he can cut the final cord that keeps him and Jennifer intertwined… This house is the one last thing that is a symbol of their marriage.

‘Ben wants to grow and move on…He’s learned over the years what is important.’ 

Now, after Ben quipped last month that the ‘single life’ is treating him ‘very well’, our source says that for ‘furious’ JLo, who is still living in the mansion, Ben’s ‘cold’ attitude has felt like a ‘knife to her heart’.

‘A lot of people, including Ben, will tell you the real reason she’s pushing back so hard is because she doesn’t want this final tie that binds them to be severed,’ the source tells us. 

‘But Ben can’t wait to get this all wrapped up and done with and no doubt that’s another knife in the heart for her.

‘Yes, she thinks the price drop is unnecessary and ridiculous, but it’s the story that she’s attached to their home. She now feels like Ben is done with her and just wants to run as far as he can – that’s really eating her alive.’ 

Boasting an inside tennis court and gym, a gorgeous panelled dining room, a huge rustic kitchen and plenty of bedroom for their blended family – Jlo’s twins, Maz and Emme, 17, who she shares with ex Marc Antony, and Ben’s children with Jennifer Garner, Violet, 19, Finn, 16, and Samuel, 13 – the picturesque home had appeared to be the icing on the wedding cake that ‘Bennifer’ cheerleaders had waiting so long for. 

Two decades since they first dated and were engaged back in the early noughties, Ben and JLo’s reunion was one of showbiz’s greatest love stories. 

And now the source says that self-confessed romantic JLo poured her heart into creating their ‘forever’ home – only to be left feeling that Ben has shed any emotional attachment to their home and their life together. 

The source adds, ‘That house was supposed to be their forever home, she spent over a year working with architects and designers to make it perfect, obsessing over every little detail and now Ben’s acting all cold, like it’s just some burden he wants to unload, it’s very triggering.’ 

Meanwhile Ben has moved on, purchasing a $20 million LA mansion on JLo’s birthday last August, and spending increasing amounts of time with his ex-wife Jennifer Garner – who he was spotted wrapping his arms around earlier this year – and his children. 

However, the source says his newfound happiness has come at a cost as the Deep Water actor believes JLo is trying to ‘punish’ him. 

The insider explains, ‘He wants to move on, both emotionally and financially, and says Jen’s deliberately holding up the sale just to punish him. He’s told pals she’s being completely unreasonable and that the market’s changed and she’s living in a dream world if she thinks they’re going to get what she wants for the house

‘Ben is fed up. For him this house is a symbol of all the dysfunction in their relationship, too big, too much, and full of stress. He says he’s being logical and trying to get them out without a huge loss and she needs to accept that.’ 

But the source adds that, for Jen – who sparked controversy last month when she kissed both a male and female dancer during her performance at the AMAs – there’s still a long road ahead on her journey to acceptance, and for now, she won’t be backing down to please Ben.

The insider says, ‘When Jen feels wronged she’s not the type to just let it go, her nature is to dig her heels in and fight back, and the fact that Ben is trying to rush everything has put her on the defensive big time because she sees it as proof he’s trying to erase her from his life. 

‘Instead of just accepting things are over and letting things go she’s getting very stubborn and seeing this as a way to ‘get back’ at Ben. This is her way of taking back the power. For JLo it’s about respect and she won’t be steamrolled by Ben again. She’s ready to fight.’