A midcentury home overlooking the Pacific Ocean in one of the city’s gated communities has sold for $13.6 million, setting a record for the Upper Three Arch Bay enclave, agents told the Business Journal.
The 4,376-square-foot six-bedroom, three-bathroom home at 100 Vista Del Sol sits on a roughly 33,000-square-foot lot or about three-quarters of an acre, which is an unusually large parcel for the coastal neighborhood, Bryan Gerlach, a real estate advisor with Engel & Völkers, told the Business Journal.
Gerlach and Paul Brutoco of Engel & Völkers represented the seller.
Adriana Farfan of Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty represented the buyer.
The sale marks the end of more than 60 years of family ownership, Gerlach said. The same family had built the home and owned it since 1962.
“It’s such a rare occurrence for a property to be held by the same owner for close to 65 years,” Gerlach said. “The history alone made it special, but when you combine that with the scale of the lot and the views, it really stood apart.”
High Demand
The home listed in February at $13.5 million and sold $100,000 above asking after a brief bidding process, Gerlach said, adding that it was on the market for only about 10 days before entering escrow.
The sale, which closed in mid-March, reflects continued demand for high-end coastal properties in South Orange County, he said.
Interest came quickly, especially from buyers who were not actively looking.
Gerlach said the listing received three offers in the first week and a half.
“None of them were really out there looking to buy a home,” Gerlach said. “They saw this property and just felt like, ‘This is it.’ It has that kind of draw.”
Market Snapshot
Gerlach said the sale happened during a strong period for high-end coastal homes, where buyers seem less affected by interest rates or economic uncertainty. He said he’s working on several luxury deals at the moment.
“The market for homes above $5 million is some of the best I’ve ever seen,” Gerlach said.
“These buyers are driven more by lifestyle and scarcity than anything else.”
A Laguna Beach Enclave
Three Arch Bay is one of four gated oceanfront communities in Laguna Beach, known for its blend of privacy and coastal living.
The 29-acre guard-gated community in South Laguna features a private beach, parks, fire pits and other gathering spots. Residents pay an association fee of $3,025 a year.
“You go there in the summer and it’s kids on bikes, golf carts, families out on the beach.
It’s a real neighborhood feel,” Gerlach said.
The neighborhood is what appealed to some of the interested buyers.
Gerlach said the buyer, who lived in Newport Beach and later in Las Vegas, plans to retire and make this home their primary residence.
Gerlach said the house has been well-maintained and still retains much of its original midcentury style.
The new owner is expected to consider renovations. Plans are still in the early stages, but Gerlach said a well-known Laguna Beach architect is exploring options that could include updates or a more extensive redesign.
The property sits high above the coast with wide ocean views across Laguna Beach and out to Catalina Island, Gerlach said.
For the sellers, this was both a financial achievement and an emotional change, as the home left the family after the parents who owned it for many years passed away.
“It was time,” Gerlach said. “But it’s the kind of property people don’t forget.”
