Latest news with #LyonEstate
Forbes
25-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
This Prestigious Orange County Compound Can Be Yours For $125 Million
The Lyon Estate was built in 1986. The Lyon Estate in Orange County, California feels more like a private resort than a residence. The extravagant property was built in 1986 by US Air Force Reserve Commander and real estate magnate Major General William Lyon and his wife, Willa. The former Air Force major was the founder of William Lyon Homes, a homebuilding company acquired by Taylor Morrison in 2020. The estate is located in Coto de Caza, one of Orange County's oldest guard-gated, master-planned communities, which features more than 4,000 homes and a golf and racquet club. Not only is the Lyon Estate the largest in all of Coto de Caza, but the most expensive. It was recently listed for $125 million by Josh Altman of Douglas Elliman and Mauricio Umansky of The Agency. The Georgian mansion. The price might seem outlandish, but it's outfitted with every amenity you could imagine and those you never thought you'd need, like a private gas station. The property's main residence is a 21,000-square-foot Georgian estate, which has welcomed esteemed guests like former president Ronald Reagan and wife, Nancy Reagan. The regal, three-level home is fronted by a manicured circular driveway and has a grand front entrance. The home's classic architecture and interior design was inspired by the family's former residence in Virginia. Inside, there are eight bedrooms and 11 bathrooms, as well as elegant living spaces, a wood-paneled library, chic formal dining room, and an oversized primary bedroom larger than most New York apartments. Coffered wood ceilings, intricate crown moldings, detailed light fixtures, and ornate ceiling details can be seen in nearly every room of the house. There's also a brick-clad, lower-level wine cellar. The regal wood-paneled library. Of the numerous standout features is the main residence's backyard, complete with a massive pool rivaling most resorts, hot tub, and a standalone pool house with a dry sauna, bathrooms, and changing rooms. The backyard also features Italian villa-style gardens at every turn. The property has three additional guest homes on the property. One has two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a full kitchen, and the remaining homes have a bedroom and a kitchenette, offering a grand total of 12 bedrooms, 15 full bathrooms, and five half bathrooms and an incredible total square footage clocking in at 47,044 square feet. The resort-style pool. The property's amenities are second to none and include a private helipad, state-of-the-art equestrian facilities with a 10-stall barn and riding arena, a tennis court, and a playhouse. If that's not enough, there's a spectacular 23,679-square-foot car museum that hosts up to 70 vehicles, plus a professional auto shop (the aforementioned gas station is part of this), recessed turntable for displaying cars, and a car wash station. The car showroom. Those who enjoy nature and the Southern California sunshine can enjoy it near the two lakes, which are used for irrigation, pond, greenhouse, and 41 acres of orchards with Valencia and Naval orange trees. If you don't know what to do with the entire plot, there is an approved 64-acre development for 25 homes on the southern end of the property. This once-in-a-generation compound is considered one of the most prestigious estates in California, if not the country.
The Drive
31-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
This $125M Estate Doesn't Just Have a Big Garage—It Has Its Own Car Museum
The latest car news, reviews, and features. Who would've thought that the best feature of a 137-acre estate in Southern California would be a 24,000 sq. ft. building with a bunch of preserved animals in it? Oh, and it can also house dozens of preserved cars, too. Nestled in the foothills of Orange County, California, is the Lyon Estate, a property built by the late Major General William Lyon in 1986. Lyon was a former U.S. Air Force Reserve Commander turned real estate mogul. According to the Wall Street Journal , which just released a feature story on this property, Lyon died in 2020 at the age of 97, followed by his wife, Willa Dean Lyon, in 2024. Hence, the reason for the sale. 'With my parents not there, it's not the same place,' said son Bill Lyon to the WSJ . That place, Bill's childhood home, is impressive for several reasons. Located in the ultra-private, ultra-gated community of Coto de Caza, the main eight-bedroom residence is 21,000 square feet of stately Georgian architecture. The property also has three separate guest homes, a helipad, a tennis court, a brick-clad wine cellar, a playhouse, a resort-style pool with a standalone poolhouse, and equine facilities that include a 10-stall barn and riding arena. In addition to the intricately manicured lawns and gardens, the real estate listing notes that the estate is also surrounded by 41 acres of orange orchards. However, what caught our eye, of course, is the absolutely palatial automotive storage and curation area. It's really far too nice to call 'a garage.' Elliman Real Estate Go figure that the Los Angeles-raised Lyon grew up a car nut. Bill said the defining 'car guy' moment was when his father saw actress Norma Shearer exiting a red Cadillac on Sunset Boulevard. Being in the presence of a Hollywood star is one thing, but the addition of the Cadi was enough to get the pistons going in the then nine-year-old's brain. 'There was something about the girl and the car and the whole scene that solidified his love of prewar American classic cars,' said Bill. And so, on the estate is a 23,679 sq. ft. car museum, which the WSJ called the pièce de résistance . However, there is no mention of the vehicles being included in the property's sale. At its peak, Lyon's car collection reached 100 vehicles, but not all were kept onsite. The museum can comfortably accommodate 70 vehicles, but about 80 were staged at one point. The overage, according to Bill, was displayed in another museum at the John Wayne Airport. *cough* That would be the Lyon Air Museum, which was founded by his father. With such a vast collection, did his father have a favorite? Absolutely. A 1929 Duesenberg Model J was the elder Lyon's golden child, a surprise 60th birthday gift from his wife. Not stopping with a mere personal, albeit massive, display case, the late major general also added a private fuel station, an auto shop, a car wash, and hired a full-time mechanic. Not just for show, all the vehicles are operational and taken for a spin a couple of times a year 'to keep the seals and gaskets going,' said Bill. Elliman Real Estate Automakers rent out private homes for vehicle showcase events all the time. Why not the Lyon Estate? The car museum even includes a recessed turntable for those sheet-pull unveils. The taxidermy presence might turn heads just as much as any vehicle, though. Said to all be from a family hunting trip in the '80s, the numerous game pieces from the Tanzania outing share the stage with the shimmering sheet metal. In general, the Coto de Caza estate is expansive but not necessarily closed off. A 64-acre section of the property is actually already pre-approved for further development. If the new owners choose to do so, as many as 25 new homes could be built there to create a new gated neighborhood. You gotta make back that $125 million asking price, right? If sold for anywhere near that, the Lyon Estate would set a real estate record for Orange County. The current title holder is a Newport Coast mansion that sold for $61 million in 2020. Pfft, peanuts. Seen any other epic car-dork estates? Send them our way at tips@
