Jackson scouts Maryland vacation homes

Michael Jackson leaves the Santa Barbara County Courthouse in Santa Maria, Calif., Monday, March 7, 2005, following the sixth day in Jackson's trial on charges of child molestation. [AP]

WASHINGTON - Michael Jackson has been hunting for real estate on Maryland's Eastern Shore as he searches for a vacation home, a publicist for the pop star said.

The self-proclaimed King of Pop visited the rural peninsula last week "for about 24 hours," but has not made a purchase, Raymone Bain told The Washington Post.

Jackson, 48, is not limiting his search to the Chesapeake region. He has since "gone up the coast" to look elsewhere for a vacation place, Bain said.

"He's always admired the properties on the East Coast because they have a lot of land," Bain said in the story published Wednesday. "Neverland has 3,000 acres — he likes privacy. You can't find as many properties like that on the West Coast."

Jackson came east with his children about 10 days ago for meetings because "the majority of his advisers and attorneys are on the East Coast," Bain said.

She would not elaborate on the purpose of the meetings, but said that Jackson was dealing with "a laundry list" of issues. "He's head of a vast corporation," Bain said.