A 5295-square-foot ocean view estate in Del Mar

It may seem like we spend a lot of time here at Unreal roaming the same few neighborhoods. La Jolla, Rancho Santa Fe, Del Mar — lather, rinse, repeat. But that’s because we’re here to gawk at rich people’s houses, and by and large, those are the places toward which our wealthiest fellow San Diegans gravitate. As of this writing, there are 46 homes for sale in the county with an asking price topping $10 million, and 33 of those are concentrated in the three primary ZIP codes for the aforementioned cities. So this week, we’re headed back up I-5, to where the turf meets the surf, for a peek at 1616 Camino Del Mar, a 5295-square-foot ocean view estate, set on just under a half-acre, that was originally built in 1982.

“With panoramic ocean views spanning the coastline & located walking distance to the beach, restaurants, shops, L’Auberge Hotel & the world-famous Del Mar Racetrack, this exquisite estate is a one-of-a-kind opportunity!” Or so the home’s Zillow listing promises, going on to describe a “masterpiece” that “offers the very best indoor/outdoor living year-round.” Let’s have a look for ourselves.

We start in the backyard, where the “extraordinary pool with jacuzzi” seems to be flanked on three sides by the home’s exterior walls and on the fourth by some terraced artificial grass. There are a couple of second-floor balconies that appear to face west (the correct direction, given our location), and a confusing series of stairs and passageways that lead from them to the pool deck below. Above the pool, a glass-covered walkway runs from one side of the house to the other.

Next we get a few shots of a kitchen that appears to have been recently upgraded and features a full suite of commercial appliances, including a built-in fridge, oversized range, heavy-duty restaurant vent hood, and even a flat-top griddle. For some reason, the oven doors are painted orange, and I like how the countertop from the center island has been extended out to include something more akin to a built-in dining table than the typical bar seating we’ve seen so many times before. A sunny living room features plenty of windows, through which we’re able to get a peek at the promised views of the ocean, less than a quarter-mile from the edge of the property. And it looks like we’d enjoy that view even more from a dining set outside on the square balcony. Next we’re into what I’m assuming is the main bedroom suite, which opens to the rounded balcony we saw on the other side of the pool before we came inside. This is fine, really — there are dual vanities in the bath separated by a little makeup desk, and the daybed on the deck is certainly inviting. All standard rich folk fare, I suppose.

It’s when we get to the glass-topped walkways above the pool that I become confused. It looks like this side of the pool is partially enclosed like an atrium, but also this may be the only way to get from the kitchen/living room to the bedrooms? If it’s raining or cold, would you have to walk through this open space to get a late night snack? Can the neighbors see you up there? Also, a staircase leads down into a room with a pool table and what looks like a bed adjacent to the pool deck. Is this a game room or a bedroom? I’m not even sure if this room is fully enclosed, but there are no walls anywhere, just glass. I hope this isn’t a bedroom.

Our tour of the inside finishes with a few more pictures of bedrooms and bathrooms, all of which seem luxurious enough if not remarkable, save for an interesting semicircular bathroom with stone tile from floor to ceiling. Then we’re back outside for some aerial shots and stops at some of the other patios and balconies we only glanced at from inside. There is indeed a great view from the top level, but hedges and walls in the lower yard seem like they’d obscure some of the vista, cramping the view in the name of privacy. A twilight photo shows that elevated glass hallway again; this time there’s a spot in the middle that glows neon purple, despite there being no visible light source. I am still confused about the logistics of this space.

Public records list Lee and June Stein — whose website mentions the home as a summer retreat and collaborative workspace — as owners of the Camino Del Mar estate. Last sold in 2000 for a reported $3.25 million, it’s back on the market for the first time in over 20 years as of March 1 – the list price of $16,500,000 remains unchanged to date.

1616 Camino Del Mar| Del Mar, 92014

Current owner: Stein Family | Listing price: $16,500,000 | Beds: 5 | Baths: 6 | house size: 5295