Mediterranean masterpiece in La Jolla

The 10,300-square-foot mansion at 308 Vista de la Playa in La Jolla is billed in listing remarks retrieved from Zillow as “a rare legacy property.”

Built in 2000, the seven-bedroom, nine-bath residence is described as a “custom Mediterranean masterpiece that boasts lavish custom appointments throughout,” including “imported Carrera marble accents, floor to ceiling panoramic view windows, oversized ocean viewing decks on all three levels” and a private elevator to provide passage for those uninclined to use the grand marble staircases.

The home features the requisite custom kitchen with commercial-grade appliances, oversized center island, two chandeliers, and a butler’s pantry. A formal dining room includes intricate molding, recessed tray ceiling with decorative detail work, and another crystal chandelier. There’s also a “generous game room” with wet bar and fireplace, a custom home theater, an “impressive home office” lined with built-in cabinetry, and a wine cellar.

While each of the seven bedrooms has its own en-suite bath, the owner’s suite enjoys a fireplace retreat, private ocean view deck, his-and-hers separate bathrooms, and a “closet large enough to be your own clothing boutique” spanning several rooms on its own. (A previous listing notes this includes a temperature-controlled fur closet.)

Outside, the rare double-wide oceanfront lot occupies nearly three-quarters of an acre, with a gated front entryway providing secure parking for residents and guests. The backyard includes a “unique and rare impressive oceanfront pool,” spa with built-in cocktail table, and a sunken outdoor dining area to keep dry guests at eye level with others who choose to soak. A tightly manicured lawn in back slopes down to one of only a handful of private beach access points a few blocks south of Marine Street.

The Vista de la Playa estate was last listed for sale in 2013; at that point it had an asking price of nearly $20 million and was one of the first homes Unreal Estate ever examined. At the time, we noted that the location was just a few doors down from US Senator and onetime presidential hopeful Mitt Romney’s vacation home and its controversial “car elevator.”

While it was reported in 2015 that Romney had sold his nearby residence at 311 Dunemere Drive, public records still list him and his wife Ann as the owners. The Vista de la Playa house, on the other hand, did sell — but at a price far short of what the former owner, a defense contractor who also sold the Romneys their beachfront getatway, had hoped. Tax rolls show local professionals Yongquan He and Xiaomei Zhang paid just $13.8 million for the home in August 2013, while luxury markets were still recovering from the Great Recession — far short of the $19,950,000 originally sought.

After more than seven years off-market, the property, seemingly unchanged in condition from the time of its last sale, was re-listed in early December. Its asking price of $25,988,000, good for the fourth-highest currently on offer throughout the county, remains unchanged to date.

• 308 Vista de la Playa | La Jolla, 92037
• Beds: 7 | Baths: 9 | Current Owners: Yongquan He and Xiaomei Zhang | List Price: $25,988,000