It’s not everyday you find a California state registered ‘historical home’ on the market—yet, today is one of those days.
The Villa Rockledge estate , nestled atop a 30,000 square foot bluff in Laguna Beach, is looking for a new owner—a new owner with $30,000,000 in hand. Built in 1918, the Rockledge estate boasts 12 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, two garages, a private beach below (with stair access), and a separate building with six “villas”! Each villa has its own separate entrance— how perfect is this set up for entertaining overnight guests?
Two main themes are easily noticed upon visiting the grounds. A Mediterranean Revival theme is expressed through seaside villas and Venetian Gothic Architecture, as well as a handmade theme that beautifully permeates the entire bluff. Almost everything was handmade at Villa Rockledge—the thick cement foundations and retaining walls, rustic stone towers, ornamental chimneys, mahogany flooring, and wrought iron railings were all handmade. Throw in a canopy of trees with pathways winding through its maze of villas and you begin to find yourself engulfed in a time you have yet to experience.
This historical home has come a long way to arrive at a hefty price tag of $30 million. After being conceived in 1918, it was first purchased in 1972 at a ridiculously low price of $420,000. For forty years the cliff top castle stayed in the same family until it was placed back on the market in 2009 at a slightly higher price then it last sold for, $34,900,000 to be exact.
Don’t get too excited, the property struggled to be taken seriously at this amount and went through a series of painstaking price cuts as a result, proving how challenging it can be to put a price tag on such a unique and historical property. To combat this issue, a discrepancy between buyers expectations and a seller’s historical sentiment, the house was sent to auction—with the nature of this auction allowing buyers to establish a value that the market is willing to pay. Rockledge ended up selling for $10 million in 2012—less than a third of what they were asking!
Fast-forward to present day real estate, the Villa is now back on the market for $30,000,000—with the current owners looking to triple their investment if the house sells near listing! Villa Rockledge truly is a ‘trophy property’. Where else can you find panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean from inside a closet? Yes, along with ocean views from the kitchen sink, balconies, and just about everywhere else on the property, even closets at Villa Rockledge offer scenic views. I don’t know if the panoramic closet views alone will help the house sell for $34.9 million, but it sure won’t hurt.
So, can you put a price tag on history? Yes—but that doesn’t mean it will sell!
Contributor, designer & admin for JohnHart Gazette.
