Home prices are rising even for the ultra-wealthy.
A $100 million home hit the market in Rancho Santa Fe Wednesday, and, Realtors say, it's the most expensive home ever listed in San Diego County.
The Willow Creek Estate at 16401 Calle Feliz in Rancho Santa Fe is a sprawling Argentinian-style equestrian ranch with 15,000 square feet of livable space, including 24 bedrooms and 15 full baths, a game room, a bowling alley and a private 15-acre bass-filled lake.
The property features two stables that can accommodate 35 horses and a competition-size equestrian training grounds, which were originally created for the daughter of the Haas family of (Levi Strauss fame) to train for the Olympics, according to Realtor Jason Barry of Jason Barry Team who describes the locale as the West Coast Wellington, the unofficial equestrian capital of the world.
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The highlight of the property, though, is the sweeping 77 acres of land, which creates a serene escape from the nearby city.
"When you're inside here, you could be anywhere, really, in the world — but to actually think that you are in San Diego, the best weather in the world, you're in Rancho Santa Fe," Barry said. "This property here, Willow Creek, is literally minutes to the beaches, minutes to the freeway, minutes to all the amenities of shopping, of schools, of restaurants, of health care."
Jason Barry Team said the previous owners purchased the home in 2004 and have used the space for some of life's biggest moments, from weddings to family gatherings, but they're ready to move on.
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"They're a very successful local financial family who's done incredibly well in business, and they wanted to curate their dream in Rancho Santa Fe because of the convenience and the unique piece of land that this offers," said Ryan McGovern of Jason Barry Team. "I mean, where are you going to find a flat, usable 77 acres in Southern California? It just doesn't exist.
"So they had so many memories, weddings, events, charity events. They had campouts — you name it. Great equestrian memories. And they decided that they love it so much that they want to go bigger and have a maxed-out version of the same experience."
The family was inspired by ranches in South America and enlisted architect Mark Appleton to design the main house. While the home sits on a multimillion-dollar lot (seven parcels, to be exact), the family home is unfussy and cozy with Spanish-style interior design throughout.
The Jason Barry Team had a launch party Wednesday to celebrate the listing and said they have already seen interest in the property. At least seven billionaires were expected to be in attendance for the lavish event that featured brands like Ferrari, Pamplemousse and more.
"I know that there are ultra-high net worth individuals coming in who are excited to see this property," McGovern said. "And this is something that people dream of having, this opportunity to both own this estate, to live here, and [for] people in real estate, to launch this estate."
The same home was listed in 2020 and several other times since at $98.5 million but was not sold, according to Zillow. The seller said the price increase was due to the inclusion of several pieces of furniture authentic to the feel of the home curated over several years.
If the estate were to sell for $100 million, it would add to a growing number of properties sold at that mark in 2024. CNBC reports that the number of homes sold at or above that price is expected to double this year; at least six properties already have.
NBC 7 reached out to the San Diego County Association of Realtors to confirm the listing price is indeed the most expensive home ever listed but has not yet heard back.
