A 1933 French Normandy-style mansion on a corner bluff overlooking Three Arch Bay is on the market for $25 million.
From its oceanfront perch, the historic six-bedroom, 5,333-square-foot residence with seven bathrooms and a guest house with two separate units is like “no other estate positioned in Laguna Beach offering such extensive and sweeping panoramic views of the white water, sand and Catalina (Island),” the listing reads.
The property is E-rated for “exceptional” on the city’s historic register and benefits from Mills Act annual property tax savings in exchange for its preservation. Even so, the well-maintained property also provides modern amenities.
Improvements and careful renovations have been made to the home to accommodate 21st-century living, such as fitting the kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances. Lutron whole-house lighting, updated technology and re-piping with flexible PEX pipe contribute to the upgrades, but they don’t take away from the home’s original French Normandy-style flair.
The estate sits behind a gate in the private gated community above Three Arch Bay Beach. A brick and stone pathway leads from the guest house to the main residence with its wrap-around patios and a staircase to the beach below, with flat viewing areas along the way.
Cathedral vaulted ceilings with wood beams, brick walls and fireplaces, wood-framed windows and built-ins lend character to the revival-style interior. It holds a formal dining room, a breakfast nook with French doors that open to a balcony and a living room with a fireplace.
A corner brick fireplace warms the primary suite, which boasts an oceanview bathroom fitted with a soaking tub and glass-enclosed shower.
John Stanaland of Douglas Elliman Real Estate has the listing.
Records show the property sold last in December 2018 for $9.395 million, down nearly 15% from the original $10.995 million sought two months earlier.
Stanaland, who was not involved in that deal, said 2018 was “a tough market” for high-end real estate and that the home sold below market value.
Recall that in December 2018, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban paid $19 million for a Laguna Beach house in The Montage resort that originally came on the market for $25.995 million that January. But it’s a different market today, and properties have significantly increased in value for coastal properties like this one, hailed in the listing as a “rare gem.”
As Stanaland put it, “The property’s age and history are significant as is the fact it’s absolutely magical, in pristine condition and one of a kind location with direct beach access.”
However, public beach access from land is only allowed at the invitation of a resident of the gated community.
Source: Orange County Register
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