By Farzan Parvizi, First Team Real Estate
Introduction to the Enclave: Crown Point is a wonderfully unique neighborhood overlooking the ocean and consisting of small, cul-de-sac streets. It’s just off the west side of Pacific Coast Highway in North Laguna.
Bordered By: (from east, south, west and north) This enclave is just south of Smithcliffs and Emerald Bay between the Pacific Ocean and the PCH.
Views: Those fortunate enough to live in Crown Point enjoy some of the most spectacular ocean vistas in Laguna, along with views of Catalina Island, the city lights and the North Laguna hilltops.
Homes: (style, architecture, when built): This enclave features a mix of homes, from one- and two-bedroom condos on Via Capri, to single-family homes of up to 2,000 square feet along Via Majorca and Via Corsica, to luxury oceanfront estates at the tip of McKnight Drive that sit on the cliffs and capitalize on the breathtaking, panoramic scenery. Many of the homes are one-story traditional.
History of the Area: The area was developed in the early 1900s by Howard Heiseler, the Thumb Brothers, and L.C. McKnight, for whom the community’s main street is named.
How the Community Has Evolved: Homes don’t often come on the market in Crown Point because once people get there, they fall in love with the lifestyle and don’t leave. Most of the homes were built in the 1940s and ’50s but have been renovated and are beautifully modern and contemporary. The demographics run from younger professionals moving into Laguna Beach who find the condos to be a good entry-level option, to older, more established residents who live in the luxury homes.
Community Features/Amenities/Special Events: One of the best things about Crown Point is that, while it is not a gated community, it feels very private and exclusive because there are no through streets and therefore no non-resident traffic. Neighbors tend to know each other and establish long-lasting relationships because of the low property turnover. Residents enjoy a short walk to Crescent Bay and Crescent Bay Point Park with its great opportunities for scuba, snorkeling and body surfing. There are also a lot of hiking trails and plenty of places to enjoy the ocean scenery. Of course, many of the great North Laguna shops and restaurants are also nearby.
Why I Love This Area: I first came to Crown Point in 1986 when I leased a condo on Via Capri. I got hooked, and though I stayed only one year, I found my way back to my beloved North Laguna in 1999 when I bought a house in neighboring Boat Canyon. What I loved about Crown Point was the sense you have of being in a quiet, private neighborhood yet just minutes away from the action. Walking to Crescent Bay Point Park was part of my daily routine, and I took in as many sunsets as I could, observed the sea life in Crescent Bay, and enjoyed the serenity and magnificent beauty of the waves against the backdrop of the horizon. To me, the area is the best place on earth to live.
Current Market Activity:
Crown Point features a mix of one and two-bedroom condos ranging between 900 to a little more than 1,000 square feet and priced between 400,000 to $500,000.
Single-family homes of around 2,000 square feet are priced near $1,000,000. The majestic oceanfront estates are priced to $10,000,000.
Currently in escrow is a two-bedroom, one-bath, 928-square foot condo on Via Capri priced at $399,900.
The neighborhood’s only active listing is a four-bedroom, four-bath, 5,000-square foot luxury home on McKnight listed at $7,995,000.
Two condos sold recently, a two bedroom, one-bath residence on Via Capri that closed in March at $430,000 and a 1008 square foot property on McKnight that sold in June for $439,000.
