In the 1970s, a sprawling swath of land once owned by a prominent banking family in San Diego was subdivided and sold to buyers.
One of those plots included a natural waterfall and pool. While the buyers could have eliminated the natural cascade before building a home on the property, they opted for a more creative approach: They enlisted the help of architect Rob Quigley to design a house that could be built around the waterfall.
Aptly named the "Waterfall House," the four-bedroom, four-bathroom house hit the market last month with a $2.8 million price tag, according to a listing on Homes.com. It last traded hands at the end of 2021 for just shy of $2 million.
“It’s unassuming,” listing agent Lanz Correia of Coldwell Banker West said in an interview. “You go down a few stairs and you come into this house, and it’s expansive.”
The house was designed by Quigley, a California architect known for his focus on sustainable design, and built in 1980. Inside, 30-plus-foot ceilings tower over a rock lined waterfall and pool that serve as the centerpiece of the home. Quigley’s touch adds another layer of intrigue to the property, said Correia, who holds the listing alongside agent Nicole Van dobben of Compass.
“He’s kind of got a cult following,” Correia said. “People absolutely love it or just don’t appreciate it, there’s not too much in the middle. It’s like art…this one you get to live in.”
While Quigley’s design remains intact, there have been some updates to the home since it was built. They include adding heating to the pool and installing water features to control the flow of the waterfall, according to Correia.
“At one time, the house was really a natural setting, but it’s evolved, so it’s more of a swimming pool,” he said. Also, he noted, there are features to prevent humidity from encroaching on the home.
Agents seek a creative buyer
Now, Correia and Van dobben are searching for a specific kind of buyer, namely someone who will appreciate the residence as a piece of art.
“The property is calling for some creative type of person,” Correia said. “It’s set up so you could have an incredible party, but it’s also teed up that you could roll your yoga mat out.”
Next to the indoor pool there’s a stage, and outside there’s a back patio and a small guest house that could serve as a workspace. Past owners have taken advantage of those features, according to Correia.
“It’s been owned by opera singers. The acoustics inside are amazing,” he said. “Everybody who comes wants to either have a jam session or entertain.”
Ultimately, Correia said the house is best suited for a buyer who wants to have fun, to use the property as their main residence, a second home or a creative space.
“It’s like your friend who’s like the Peter Pan friend and never wants to grow old,” he said. “It’s just a youthful house.”