A bayfront French architecture-inspired home in one of the city’s most exclusive neighborhoods has sold for $33.5 million, setting a record for the guard-gated Bayshores community, agents said.
The four-bedroom, five-bathroom, 6,500-square-foot property, designed by Diane Johnson Design, at 2668 Bayshore Drive, sold in an off-market deal.
The buyer and seller were not disclosed.
Michael Taormina of The File Group at Compass and Anne Stiefel of Coldwell Banker Realty represented the seller. Stiefel also represented the buyer.
Taormina told the Business Journal that the sale ranks No. 1 in his real estate career, not just because of the price but because of the history behind it.
“This has been in the family for years,” said Taormina. “They built it in the late ’80s, and every detail was intentional. It’s truly a one-of-one home.”
Highest Recorded Deal in Bayshores
The sale is now the highest recorded in Bayshores, topping the $33.2 million sale of a five-bedroom, seven-bathroom, 7,700-square-foot home at 2676 Bayshore Drive in 2021, according to Redfin.
It is among the top residential sales in Newport Beach this year, second only to the off-market, $43 million sale of the five-bedroom, eight-bath, 18,000-square-foot home in 20 Coastline Drive in Crystal Cove earlier this year.
Developed in the 1940s, the Bayshores neighborhood is a private, 24-hour guard-gated residential community adjacent to the Balboa Bay Club.
The neighborhood of about 250 homes features a private beach, docks, a tot lot, a beach volleyball court and a community park. Famous residents once included Shirley Temple, Nicolas Cage and John Wayne.
“It gives you a resort-style feel in a suburban private neighborhood,” Taormina said.
Even amid broader economic “uncertainty,” demand for exceptional coastal properties remains resilient, he said.
“There are buyers that are cautious, but when the product is this special, buyers are still willing to step up.”
A ‘One-of-One’ Home
Built in 1989, the waterfront estate sits on a 9,500-square-foot lot and combines French château style with coastal California living. The outside features 87 feet of bay frontage overlooking Newport Harbor.
Inside, Taormina said the home feels more like a “hotel in Paris with a view of the bay” than a typical luxury build.
The architect’s main focus was to capture lots of natural light and airflow from the ocean breeze.
He described how the homeowner imported materials from France and other parts of Europe, including 200-year-old oak beams, terracotta flooring, antique fireplaces and hand-selected fixtures.
Off-Market Deal
Taormina said the deal came together quickly and quietly. He said the sellers chose a discreet, off-market approach to protect their privacy.
“The sellers relied on my market knowledge and networking to find the current buyer.”
Taormina began informally marketing the property around Thanksgiving before pausing during the holidays.
