One of my new listings is a breathtaking house nestled in the Calabasas countryside. It boasts a fascinating pedigree, plenty of land and spectacular views. A friend of mine (who doesn’t live in LA) asked me what you get for your money when you buy a house like this. His question got me thinking of exactly how to explain why such a home is worth the money. So here are seven things to look for when buying a luxury house in Southern California…and how this house has all of them and then some!
Location
Well that was a no-brainer right. The fact that the house is located in one of the most desirable parts of the country goes a long way to explaining the price. However this particular house is located in a very desirable part of a very desirable part of the country. The house is perched atop a hill and as you can see from the photograph the view is spectacular. Imagine taking your corn flakes out to the bedroom balcony and looking out across this beautiful view every morning.
Location
The house is very private and secluded but it’s also quite close to Calabasas one of the safest and most affluent communities in the area. The school system is consistently rated as excellent and the area’s infrastructure is second to none. If I were to suggest the top 5 areas to look at when moving to Southern California Calabasas would be high on that list.
Click here to take a short video tour of the house
Pedigree
The house was built for actor John Stamos and designed by renowned architect Les Makowski. Makowski has developed quite a reputation in this area and his houses are coveted, particularly by the rich and famous. As you can see the house has a beautiful grandeur to it that is reminiscent of a fine European Villa. But the other dimension of this pedigree is the house is well designed, has been well maintained and has had several key upgrades (like a spiral staircase) since being built.
The kitchen area is not only immaculate but also contains state-of-the-art amenities and a ventilated center island that makes preparing meals an enjoyable experience. As you can see the kitchen also contains plenty of space to hold the guests who invariably insist on congregating here.
It also doesn’t hurt that the house has been featured in both Architectural Digest and House Beautiful
Privacy
Like most homes in the area the house is gated and features a long driveway that isolates the house from road noise, traffic fumes and nosy neighbors. It is convenient to have a main road serving the house but having the house set back from the road maximizes the benefit while minimizing the downside.
Space
The house itself is an impressive 7500 square feet but still manages to feel cozy inside. Like most Southern California homes there is an intimate relationship between the interior and exterior space. Huge french doors fill every room with light and open up to the top level lawn that features the pool and hot tub. There is an attached guest house for the times you want to entertain overnight visitors but still retain your privacy.
Click here to view more photos of this house
Luxury
It goes without saying that the amenities are all top of the line with a professional level kitchen, huge dining room with handmade chandelier and enough on site parking for over 20 vehicles. Not to mention that guests are greeted to your property with a gorgeous working fountain.
Little extras
Two of my favorite parts of the property are the outside fireplace at the far end of the house. It overlooks a massive courtyard that is perfect for cocktail parties, dinner dances and intimate evenings under the stars. It is fully paved, has that breathtaking view and is serviced by it’s own outside bar. My other favorite part of the house (and you my see a trend here) is the wood paneled bar that is not so much a room as it is a fully functioning pub with it’s own beer taps, pool room, wine chiller and space to store enough wine to last a lifetime.
In conclusion
The house at 25665 Mulholland Highway is not for everyone but if you’re looking for a place with space, personality and unrivaled luxury it may be the best four million dollars you’ll ever spend.
$3,500,000 | 4 Beds 6 Baths 7,547 sq ft | Lot Size: 6.1 acres
Click here for more information
