Rare $112M oceanfront California compound stands to break a local home sale record — again

A sprawling Laguna Beach estate has listed for a massive $112 million — a price that could set a new residential sales record for both the affluent California city and all of Orange County.
The news was first reported in the Wall Street Journal.
Perched on a little more than an acre of prime oceanfront, the roughly 14,400-square-foot compound, co-is listed by Meital Taub and Jill Lockhart, both with Livel Real Estate. It sits atop a dramatic bluff overlooking the Pacific, with portions of the home extending so far over the water that recreating it today would be impossible under current California coastal regulations.
“One of the most remarkable qualities is how connected you feel to the ocean because the home cantilevers over the Pacific,” Lockhart told The Post. “It’s like you’re suspended on top of the water.”
Another oceanfront estate in nearby Emerald Bay reportedly sold for $110 million, and if this property fetches its full $112 million asking price, it would eclipse that sale and establish a new record for Orange County.
For today’s ultrawealthy buyers, agents say that’s exactly the appeal.
“High-net-worth buyers are increasingly looking for acquiring irreplaceable land rather than simply large homes,” Lockhart said. “This isn’t house just difficult to replicate — it’s impossible.”
The estate — which includes eight bedrooms, 12 full and three half-bathrooms spread across the main house and the guest quarters — was originally commissioned in the early 1970s by financier Boyd Jefferies, the founder of the investment firm that would become Jefferies Financial Group. According to the listing, the ambitious project required so much structural concrete to stabilize the bluff that Jefferies ultimately purchased the concrete company supplying the job.
The architect Fred Briggs, known for luxury coastal residences, created a home that blurs the line between architecture and landscape, wrapping many of its principal rooms in walls of glass with panoramic views stretching to Catalina Island.
Taub said Briggs struck a balance that’s difficult to find in contemporary homes.
“The concrete gives it strength while the wood and the stone bring comfort and livability,” she said. “It’s modern without feeling cold.”
The property’s next high-profile owner was the late Bruce Bastian, the billionaire co-founder of WordPerfect, whose software once dominated the personal computer market and who later became an LGBT philanthropist and civil rights advocate.
The current owner is CEO of Wilson Automotive Group David Wilson, who purchased the home in 2001, in what was then Orange County’s most expensive residential sale. Over the next two decades, Wilson has spent millions of dollars transforming the already iconic estate while preserving Briggs’ original vision.
The renovations expanded the residence with two additional bedrooms and bathrooms, a private movie theater, new entertaining spaces and a detached two-bedroom guesthouse converted from former storage space. Wilson also made significant investments in erosion-control measures and structural upgrades designed to protect the bluffside property while bringing it into compliance with modern building standards.
But perhaps the home’s greatest luxury is something money alone can no longer buy.
Because it predates modern California Coastal Commission setback requirements, significant portions of the residence extend into areas where new construction would no longer be allowed.
The show-stopping primary suite is surrounded by water on three sides, and a staircase links the bedroom to a private library above. At the center of the bedroom is a rotating circular bed sitting beneath a retractable dome that opens to the sky, offering the rare chance to stargaze directly from bed.
Inside the main house, walls of glass and warm teak floors glow in the sunlight, and the chef’s kitchen includes appliances by Wolf, Miele and Thermador.
Elsewhere, the estate is packed with resort-worthy amenities, including more than 2,000 square feet of oceanfront terraces, a swimming pool and spa, a championship tennis court built atop the garage and a 1,000-bottle wine cellar. A wellness center includes a fitness studio, a sauna, a steam room and a waterfall spa.
The compound was also designed for an extraordinary level of privacy. In addition to dual gated entrances, it features separate guest accommodations, discreet security features and direct access to the beach below the bluff.
“Most people drive by it every day and don’t even realize it’s sitting there,” Lockhart said.