Newport Coast's Villa del Lago, "Home of the Lake" - Oh, Wow!

"$57 million palace hits O.C. market"
The Orange County Register (May 21, 2010, updated May 23, 2010)

"It's been more than four years since luxury-home agent and spec-home builder John McMonigle launched his vision of a hilltop estate in Newport Coast.

"Dubbed Villa del Lago, or the home of the lake, the 12-acre retreat has a lake, naturally enough.

"It also has a 17,500-square-foot, Tuscan-style house that resembles a palace, with marble columns, marble floors and gold leaf on the ceilings and doors. Add to that a vineyard, stables and equestrian area, a lighted tennis court, wine cave, and a subterranean garage the size of 1 ½ basketball courts.

"Now, at long last, McMonigle's vision is reality.

"The home officially went on the market this month, with an asking price of $57 million...."

Even if I were looking for a new home, that'd be over my budget. But that's okay.

The Orange County Register article is an informal, fairly detailed, review of this distinctly high-end property. (Any time I see "stables and equestrian area" instead of "barn and pasture," I know that we're not talking about a place in my part of the world.)

Which is okay. I enjoy getting a look at how folks who are encumbered with that sort of wealth live. And, I suspect that it's a whole lot more fun daydreaming about piles like that, than trying to keep them maintained.

Anyway, there's a 16-photo slide show that goes with the article that starts with this:


(from Cindy Yamanaka, The Orange Country Register, used w/o permission)
"What to see what the most expensively-priced property in O.C looks like? Follow us on a tour of Villa del Lago in Newport Coast. The 12.5-acre property, developed by John McMonigle of Monarch Estates, has been reduced from the original placeholder price of $87 million to $57 million. This 18,000-square-foot home boasts a wine cave, lake, vineyard, tennis court and equestrian stables."

A Bargain: Now Only $57,000,000!

Like intro to that slide show says: Villa del Lago is a real bargain: only $57,000,000, down from $87,000,000.

I still can't afford it - but those photos are fun to view.