$110 million Laguna Beach mansion sale topples Orange County price record

A beachfront property in Laguna Beach’s guard-gated Emerald Bay set a new Orange County sales record at $110 million.

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The all-cash, off-market deal recorded June 9, becoming the county’s first residential sale to surpass nine figures, eclipsing the previous record by $40 million.

That former record holder was a $70 million oceanfront mansion in Abalone Point, sold to hedge fund billionaire Joseph E. Edelman in November 2021. Prior to that, LoanDepot founder Anthony Hsieh bought a Newport Coast estate for $61 million in October 2020.

John Stanaland of The Agency represented both the buyer and seller in the Emerald Bay transaction. He said maintaining confidentiality was a top priority for his clients.

The Real Deal, which first reported the record-breaking sale, described the property as a 10,000-square-foot residence built within the last five years in Emerald Bay. Stanaland later confirmed via email that the residence is “approximately” that size.

Property records viewed on PropertyShark later revealed the address and the limited liability companies that bought and sold the estate. The June 9 grant deed signed by the seller Faith 5 LLC imposed $121,000 in transfer taxes, confirming the $110 million purchase price.

The buyer is Delaware-registered Dlareme LLC, an entity whose name is “Emerald” spelled backward and shields the purchaser’s true identity.

The $110 million sale aligns with an ongoing surge in ultra-high-end listings across south Orange County.

Supporting the momentum is an $85 million asking price for a 42.75-acre “Casa Grande at Coral Farms” compound in San Juan Capistrano, which includes a 21,500-square-foot multiuse building and permitted plans for a 39,000-square-foot mission revival-style primary residence.

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Closer to the shore in Newport Coast’s guard-gated Crystal Cove, inventory continues to push the boundaries with a new 11,500-square-foot estate — also listed by Stanaland — seeking $68 million, an 11,095-square-foot estate commanding a $65 million ask and a 15,500-square-foot estate on the market for $64.9 million.

Stanaland did not discuss those properties but said the latest record price reflects growing demand from wealthy buyers who increasingly favor south OC’s coastline over traditional luxury enclaves in Los Angeles.

“Orange County offers a different lifestyle, away from big city noise and traffic,” he said. “The abundance of high-end, guard-gated communities is also a huge selling factor for those who value privacy.”

As a fifth-generation real estate professional and a fourth-generation Laguna Beach native, Stanaland views the sale as a natural progression.

“I had no doubt the area would hit the $100 million mark at a point in the very near future,” he said. “Obviously, given that I have been selling exclusively in this market for nearly 30 years, it was a huge honor to represent this sale. I have no doubt we will see many, many more.”

Stanaland wouldn’t reveal if he has another record-breaking deal in the pipeline, but hinted that more trophy-property sales are on the horizon, telling observers to “stay tuned.”

“This sale is not an anomaly — the buyer and seller are highly sophisticated and this transaction reflected that,” he said. “We will absolutely see more transactions in the nine-figure range. The ultra-luxury inventory in coastal Orange County is a lot larger than most realize.”

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