You'd Better Have a Really Good Mortgage Broker




A new estate has popped up on the grounds of Richard Nixon's former Western White House in San Clemente, and it's for sale. The property that after the Stubbly One's 1969 arrival hosted dignitaries, treaty signings and the Frost-Nixon interviews was subdivided into 16 lots in 1980. The new Spanish Colonial Revival-style estate is two doors down from the Nixon's former home.

Asking price: $15 mil. But that's a steal because David Silver-Westrick, representing the sellers for Keller Williams OC Coastal Realty, tells us another home in the same community sold for $21 million a year ago. See, it really is a buyer's market.

“Everything about the property is exceptional–the neighborhood, the grounds, the design of the estate, the construction quality, and the detailing which includes extensive use of imported items such as lighting fixtures from Morocco,” Silver-Westrick says of the current listing. Included is a 36-seat theater and lobby, a full spa and workout room, and a “resort quality negative edge pool” with a sunken bridge, a sports court, cabanas and fountains. The Trestles surf breaks are mere steps away.

Good luck getting that mortgage approved!


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Sayeth the Keller Williams press release:

Although newly built, the estate features many of the same architectural elements evident in the former Western White House, according to the architect for the estate, David York. The new home is approximately 13,000 square feet with seven bedrooms and ten baths. It is situated on a spectacular, ocean view parcel that is nearly an acre in size. “Entering the residence through the grand court yard,” says York, “parallels the palaces of Andalusia, Spain.”

Construction of the newly built estate was not without controversy. A wall built at the behest of President Nixon in the early 1970s for security purposes cut across the back end of the parcel for the new estate. Some residents of San Clemente fought to have the wall designated a historic landmark. The dispute was ultimately resolved in favor of the property owner.

Dick, of course, would have wanted it that way.

Speaking of those Frost-Nixon sessions from the property's past, Guardian UK wonders: What would be the equivalent interviews of our times? The smart money's on the mock interview in the colon-cleanser informercial, the one where the “expert” talks about his daughter's poop. That's one thing you can't pin on Nixon.

Actually, the fish and chips wrap's Ben Walters suggests some possible Brit interviewers who might be able to catch George W. Bush in a when-the-president-does-it-that-means-that-it-is-not-illegal moment. His best nominee? Ali G! “Mr. President, are you sayin' No Child Done in the Behind was your wikkidest edumacation situation? Respect, boyaka-sha, big up!”

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