See the Del Mar racetrack from the comfort of your home

Listing materials for the hillside estate at 2116 Balboa Avenue in Del Mar invite prospective buyers to “enjoy spectacular whitewater ocean, sunset & Del Mar racetrack views from this extraordinary seaside Villa in Olde Del Mar.”

Built in 2004, the gated residence is sited on a one-third-acre lot and was constructed “with a meticulous attention to detail and quality craftsmanship throughout.” Prestige appointments include “imported marble and mahogany wood flooring, and Venetian plaster walls” along with four fireplaces and “a cook’s dream” for a kitchen, “with custom cabinetry in solid Honduran mahogany, Brazilian granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances, a butler’s pantry, and floor-to-ceiling paneled glass doors that open onto a spacious Cameroon flagstone deck.”

The ground-level master retreat “offers an impressive 10000 square foot view loggia, his and hers walk-in closets, and a romantic bath.” The residence also features another three bedrooms, three full baths and a powder room, den, office/music room, and a “2400-bottle temperature-controlled wine room,” along with “three-level security and monitoring system, computer controlled radiant floor heating throughout, three zones of central forced air conditioning, built-in music system with independent stations, distinctive ceiling designs including custom Venetian plaster ceiling vaults, reclaimed wood beam ceilings, custom-designed solid Honduran mahogany doors, windows and shutters, custom light fixtures, smart wiring, and much more!”

Outside, the ocean-view “entertainer’s paradise” includes a “breathtaking yard” that’s “surrounded by gracious flagstone patios with mature landscaping, a large grassy area, a fire pit, built-in barbecue, vanishing edge pool and spa, all taking advantage of panoramic views spanning from the Pacific Ocean west to the Del Mark racetrack north.”

The Balboa estate last sold in 2000 (before the current 5600-square-foot home was built), when it was purchased for $2.2 million by Patricia and Charles Zuker — its current assessed value of just under $4.4 million carries an annual property-tax bill of about $44,000. Mr. Zuker is a New York–based molecular geneticist and neurobiologist at Columbia University. From 1987 to 2009 he conducted research at UC San Diego, where in collaboration with a partner he identified the cells responsible for the five basic taste perceptions in mammals: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami.

Though the Zukers have long since left San Diego, the property has served for years as a rental, fetching a reported $13,500 a month (though attempts were made to list the property on a short-term basis for as much as $40,000 monthly during the summer Del Mar racing season). It’s been listed for sale several times since mid-2016, at one point entering escrow while carrying an asking price of $10.7 million. That deal never materialized, and in late October the home was re-listed with an asking price of $9.8 million that remains unchanged to date.