Malibu Custom For Sale

Written by Jim the Realtor

March 2, 2011

From the latimes.com:

A Malibu estate with a studio nearly as large as the contemporary main residence, its own dog park and an ecologically friendly design gives new meaning to the phrase “custom built.”

The gated compound, created by Los Angeles artist and designer Douglas Busch as his personal residence, sits on 10 aces with 360-degree ocean, mountain and canyon vistas. Busch, who is also an internationally recognized photographer, has used steel and glass, sustainable materials and water features to create an eco- and health-conscious home.

“I looked for a place for two years, and this site had the best views,” says Busch, who owns the home with his wife, Lori Bruce Busch, also a designer. “I wanted privacy and a site where I could have my studio and not go anywhere. It took five years and two full-time architects who worked with me to complete the place.”

A winding driveway leads up to the artist’s studio, which is surrounded by a turtle and koi pond — filled with 50 turtles and 75 koi that had been rescued. Opposite the studio is a solar-heated saltwater pool and sauna, an entertainment pavilion and a 200-square-foot pool house with bathroom.

The studio is set up as an office with conference rooms and a kitchen downstairs, and office space, a bathroom, a breezeway gallery and guest living space upstairs. The guest quarters, which have a separate entrance, include a bedroom/living area with a kitchen and a bathroom.

At the top of the hill is the main residence, designed to capture unobstructed views through strategically placed windows and an open floor plan. On the lower level is a laundry room, media room and an office that could be used as a bedroom, with a bathroom. A split-level library wraps around the back of a staircase that leads to the home’s main level.

The main level includes a living area, separated from the dining area by a cantilevered fireplace, and a kitchen with custom-made cabinets that hide the appliances. Marble counters surround deep sinks.

The master suite features a section of roof that opens to the sky. One dressing room has cedar-lined, built-in closets with hanging bars that pull out of the wall and a safe for jewelry. A second dressing room spans a smaller space on the other side of the master bathroom, which has a walk-in double shower that opens to the outdoors.

The dog park is off one side of the master suite, and doggie doors are installed throughout the house.

The property features three bedrooms, two bathrooms and one half-bath in about 4,100 square feet in the main house; two bedrooms, two bathrooms and one half-bath in 4,000 square feet in the studio; and two bedrooms, one bathroom in 1,200 square feet in the guesthouse.  The list price is $9,495,000.

22 Comments

  1. ewhac

    Ten million for ten acres with prime views in Malibu? And it comes with a house? ${GOD} forgive me for saying so, but that sounds like a comparative deal.

    I wouldn’t begin to know how to care for the turtles, though…

  2. Aztec

    How does an artist/designer afford that??!!

  3. Jakob

    Wow, awesome place. That pool is ridiculous.

  4. no_techie

    Can I have it? Please! I want it, I want it, I want it!

  5. CV Owner

    Wish I had 10 mill. Simply stunning.

  6. MarkB

    That is really beutiful. It does seem like a good deal compared to some of the other examples we’ve seen at that price and higher. Looks like a bidding war price to me.

    And “doggie doors are installed throughout the house”…lol.

  7. charlie

    winning!!!!!!!!!

  8. Tom Stone

    It is nice to see an estate done right. And a rarity. Very nice indeed.

  9. kbeachguy

    Here is what 9.5 gets you in Del Mar, http://www.sdlookup.com/Pictures-110005973. I think I would rather have the Malibu estate, but you do have to worry about it burning down every 5 years! I wonder if you can even insure that house?

  10. dacounselor

    For that kind of money, they should have at least been able to build the fireplace straight. Very disappointing attention to detail.

  11. lcjim

    Jim, we want to see a video tour of the property, inside and out. Get on it.

  12. tj & the bear

    I love it! Unfortunately, $9.5M will get you in the door but won’t keep you there for long. Most of us don’t make enough to cover the property taxes 🙁

  13. Craig M

    When the artist/desinger’s last name is Busch (think King of Beers) then one can afford to have very good taste.

  14. emmi

    And my parents insisted I not go into art because it doesn’t make any money.

    (oh, and spam clean up needed on comment 14)

  15. Jim the Realtor

    Thanks emmi, it’s been deleted.

    W.C., that’s one of those in-betweeners. The tax rolls show Solana Beach, 92075 – same as parts of Fairbanks Ranch, which on the MLS is always considered 92067.

  16. UCGal

    Beautiful house. But I noticed it’s listed by Chad Rogers… Isn’t he one of the obnoxious kids on Million Dollar Listing on Bravo?

    Even if I had the money, and loved the house (which I do)… not sure it would be worth dealing with him.

  17. GW

    UCGal – Chad Rogers WAS on MDL. His obsessive compulsive disorders were taking center stage and he was cut this year and was replaced by another poser.

  18. Jim the Realtor

    was replaced by another poser

    LOL 🙂

  19. UCGal

    OCD is being nice. LOL

  20. MrBEE

    The see through garage door thing for an interior room doesn’t work for me. Might want to keep a fly swatter handy.

  21. Tampa Architecture

    Love the design and modern layout of this home. One of my favorite views of the home has to be the pool area with the 2 chairs overlooking the ocean. Wow, just amazing!

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