Soaring ceilings, marble floors and large windows that frame stunning views are hallmarks of luxury homes.
Materials such as recycled beams, reclaimed wood, and recycled newsprint fiberboard are also becoming hallmarks as homebuilders in Orange County increasingly use green building materials to blend sumptuous living with the highest level of energy efficiency.
The National Association of Home Builders says that last year, 23% of new homes in Southern California were built using green building methods. The organization predicts that by 2016, that number will rise to 31%. California is pushing for net-zero energy homes, which generate as much energy from solar panels as they consume, to be mandatory for all new-home construction by 2020.
In Orange County, Sander Architects, LeTourneau Architecture, Grady-O-Grady Construction, RM Homes, KTGY Group, and Irvine Pacific are among the experts in green design, construction and sustainability. Contractors, builders, designers and architects must meet certain performance-based benchmarks established by the National Association of Home Builders to be considered “green.”
Green and Gorgeous
The brand-new four-bedroom, 4 ½-bath contemporary home at 2531 Bayshore Drive in Newport Beach, designed by Sander Architects, was completed in March.
The residence was listed April 28, in escrow after one day on the market, and sold for $5 million, 100% of its March list price.
The 3,615-square-foot home was constructed using some of the most sustainable materials available, including Forest Stewardship Council-certified western red cedar, low-flush toilets, Fisher & Paykel Energy Star appliances, low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint, and recycled ledger stone around the fireplace. The residence was engineered to be supported by recycled 29-foot steel beams to add height to the open floor plan.
Other features include custom white vintage oak flooring, a dry sauna, a study/office, and wall-to-wall windows that capture the bay and marina views. The lot is 4,000 square feet.
Tim Smith of Coldwell Banker Previews International represented the seller, and Julie Glossbrenner, also of Coldwell Banker, represented the buyer.
Elegance on the Water
The Peninsula Point estate home at 1813 E. Bay Ave. in Newport Beach sits on one of Newport Harbor’s largest lots—over a third of an acre—with 90 feet of water frontage.
The home sold on May 13 for $11.5 million, off its October asking price of $14 million.
The 9,488-square-foot residence, designed to provide views from every vantage point, is ideal for indoor-outdoor living, with large French doors that connect the interior with the exterior.
There are seven bedrooms and 9 ½ baths, as well as a private office, wine room, media room, and formal dining room. Outside, a full kitchen, a swimming pool and spa, fire pit, and mature palm trees lend a resort-like feel to the estate. The home’s private dock can accommodate an oversized yacht or several water vehicles.
Tara Foster Shapiro of HÔM Sotheby’s International Realty managed the transaction for the buyer and seller.
State of the Art
The 3,650-square-foot home at 740 Via Lido Nord in Newport Beach sold on May 9 for $6.9 million, just under its $7 million March asking price.
The three bedroom, 3 ½-bath, 3,650-square-foot home, ensconced in the community of Lido Isle, has 40 feet of bayfront living, complete with a landscaped two-tiered private patio. One of its key features is a private dock that can accommodate up to a 60-foot yacht. The lot is 3,485 square feet, and the property features a Crestron home automation system.
Brad Hinman of HÔM Sotheby’s International Realty represented the seller, and Ron Hixson, also of HÔM, worked on behalf of the buyer.
