Balboa Peninsula, Estate of the Day

A lot of Orange County, California's real estate doesn't move me but I love this one. It was designed by Wallace Neff in 1928 and although it was restored with modern systems in 2005 it maintains a quirky charm. The historic bay front villa has views of the ocean clear to Catalina. It's a tall home that could not be built in the area today and remains the tallest home on Newport Beach's elite Balboa Peninsula.

Neff didn't spend a lot of time in Orange County most of his work was in Pasadena, Los Angeles and Beverly Hills. This one was built in 1925-1928 with the finest materials including Malibu Potteries tile, thick masonry walls and heavy hand-hewn beams. The four-bedroom home has a hydraulic elevator but also has a curving staircase. There is a boathouse ground floor game room with a beer tap, wok kitchen and barbecue. This home is listed at $8.5 million.