Photo: Compass (Composite)
Living on a superyacht for months at a time or even longer must be the definition of a perfect life. Unless of course you are a big fan of water travel, have a bad case of seasickness or are just a fan of boats in general, in which case you will be offered the next best thing.
What’s a multimillionaire without a big boat to show off? That’s an overgeneralization and perhaps an unfair one, but you get the idea: today’s top one percenters are all about showing off. Having the biggest, flashiest superyacht is just one way to outshine others in your circle, along with a host of other valuable assets ranging from luxury cars to real estate.
This villa in Encinitas, California is a combination of two of those things, a superyacht and a luxury villa, and at the same time offers us a delightful and unattainable escape.
Our daily bread is cars and anything with wheels, engines and motors, but the very large and diverse community of people who share our interests also loves related things. Whether it's custom car galleries, collectible bunkers or mansions built around car shows, we're all for it.
Photo: Compass
This piece of real estate also falls into this category, being what one might describe as a superyacht design translated into a concrete building. It is a superyacht deconstructed and frozen on land. A superyacht anchored in a sense, but still surrounded by water.
Recently completed, this three-level oceanfront property has direct beach access and is built on a buff-top, so it is suspended 65 feet (20 meters) directly over the water. San Diego County restricted the size and location of oceanfront homes in 2012, which makes this property “the first and last of its kind”, as the list duly emphasizes. The bottom line is that another one will never be built again.
Real estate developer Peter Kerserovich bought the land in the late 1990s, but only started building on it in 2014, according to a news agency. It wasn’t the smoothest development, given the shared timeline, but the result is comparable to launches by prestigious Dutch, German, or even American shipyards. Without the push.
Photo: Compass
The villa offers nearly 7,100 square feet (660 square meters) of living space and amenities of the kind you’d find on a large superyacht. It features four bedrooms and 7.5 bathrooms, three separate terraces, and stunning common areas tailor-made for entertaining large parties. Every room has direct, nearly unobstructed views of the ocean, creating the impression of being isolated from the world.
It also boasts a spa area of the kind you would find on a private yacht, complete with sauna and gym. It has a private cinema with a TV screen that “hides” behind the fireplace wall when not in use, so as not to spoil the beautiful style. It has a chef's kitchen and an open kitchen, a bar and lounge nearby, and a wine cellar for another of your precious collections.
The three levels are connected by a commercial-grade elevator because, obviously, you should never walk indoors if you can avoid it.
Photo: Compass
The solar-cell-lined roof hides a small terrace that looks like the bow of a pleasure boat, right down to the safety railing and teak deck. As such, it could be perfect for Titanic-inspired “I’m the king of the world” moments, if that’s the sort of thing you’re into. There’s a secondary but larger terrace on the ground floor, where you also get a dining area and fountain, and an intimate sun terrace tucked further down, on the way to the beach.
From both sunbathing spots, your field of vision is completely unobstructed, so you look directly out at the water, just like you would on a superyacht. The developer says the sun deck is also protected from prying eyes, whether from people in other homes or your own. A private little sunny hideaway, surrounded by flowers and overlooking the ocean.
The home features a 2-car garage with three Tesla Powerwalls, and access to the property is via a custom gate that lowers completely into the ground. Impressive, all right, but not so much for an avid car collector who may need to consider purchasing a second property for those assets.
Photo: Compass
Jokes aside, this villa is a stunning interpretation of superyacht design and, at the same time, completely different from it. It is asking for 25 million dollars, which also makes it the most expensive listing in the area in recent years, if it were to sell for that amount. For us, who work 9 to 5 and don't have that kind of money for a house, or at all – it’s a nice dream. But hey, at least dreaming doesn’t cost anything.
