A showcase home built by a luxury builder in the Henderson hillside development MacDonald Highlands has shattered the all-time Las Vegas Valley sales record by going for $25 million.
The buyer is billionaire Anthony Hsieh, the founder and chairman of LoanDepot, a California-based nonbank consumer lender of home mortgages throughout the country.
Hsieh won’t immediately take possession of the home but will lease back the property to Blue Heron to use as a show home for 30 months, said Blue Heron CEO and founder Tyler Jones. The home, which was listed for $28 million, was designed to be an experience center for Blue Heron’s custom home division.
“That was always the intention to use this to demonstrate what we’re capable of and for ideas and inspiration for our clients,” Jones said.
Jones said that Hsieh said he bought the home because he appreciated what “a work of art this home is.” He said Hsieh owns other special real estate in California and elsewhere, and this is the newest piece of his collection.
“We have been working on our design philosophies and everything we think makes our homes special for 17 years now,” Jones said. “This is a huge validation of our approach and type of homes we design and build. It’s a great win for Blue Heron but also for Las Vegas and our real estate market. We are proud to be the ones breaking this record by such a huge margin.”
The newly built three-story Blue Heron home shot past the previous record of $17.55 million in 2016 when magician David Copperfield bought a home on what’s called Billionaires Row in Summerlin. Kristen Routh-Silberman, a global real estate advisor for Synergy Sotheby’s International Realty, represented both the buyer and Blue Heron.
“I’m grateful, appreciative and humbled about breaking the record,” Routh-Silberman said. “I had a team of superstars to help make this happen, and all of the stars had to align to get this done. While I’m so thrilled for the buyer and seller, I’m deeply thrilled for Las Vegas, the city of Henderson and MacDonald Highlands. It’s a big win for everybody.”
Jones and his design team created the Vegas Modern 001 in the exclusive Dragon Reserve of MacDonald Highlands, and the 15,000-square-foot show home epitomizes Blue Heron’s 17-year design evolution of innovative custom home design.
“It’s 100 percent an evolution,” Jones said. “The architecture of this house is an example of everything we do and an interpretation of the thought process behind how we approach all our projects.”
“Vegas Modern is not a style,” Jones said. “It’s a thought process, approach and philosophy totally independent of style. This is about designing and building environments that are true to our time and place. It’s about homes that are appropriate for the social and human side of things as well as the climate and the environment.”
Sited on 1.26 acres, the three-level modern mansion features state-of-the-art technology, three en suite bedrooms, including a master suite with outdoor experience and the second-level Sky Suite accessed over a glass bridge. Every room showcases views of the Strip, mountains and surrounding landscape.
Home amenities include an executive office casita, digital den, glass-encased wine cellar, upper-level sky bar and lounge, second-level billiards room, formal dining room around a private garden, powder room with 35-foot ceiling, elevator, craft room with pet bath and feeding area and 5,000 square feet of exterior deck space. The garage, customizable up to 11 vehicles, has televisions and an electrical vehicle charging station.
The entry winds through a canyon-style walkway, while teasing a view of the home’s entrance. Along the path, a trickle of water begins early in the progression, building to a water feature at the home’s entry. The water’s path divides the main-level living area from a private master wing. A stone path leads off the home’s entrance through the waterway and calls attention outward toward a view of the Strip framed by the walls of the home.
“This path to nowhere invites you to take a few more steps out to experience the space,” Jones said about the walkway across the water. “It’s about framing that view and drawing your eye and interest through the project to one of the most important concepts, the view.”
The grand foyer showcases a three-story, lighted floating staircase set against soaring 31-foot ceilings. The distinctive foyer is what Jones refers to as one of the home’s incredible architectural moments.
Surrounded by water on three sides, the main-level great room’s design combines polished concrete flooring, central fire feature, custom furnishings, 90-inch television and 25-foot ceilings with second-level views. Expansive pocket doors open the entire space to the outdoors.
“When this is open, it is really hard to distinguish what is inside and what is outside,” Jones said. “You get this great layered effect with plants, stone walls and water spilling over the water element.”
From the great room, clear views open to the digital den and its 13½-foot LED display across another waterway on the west side of the room. Custom textured stucco walls add to the visual appeal.
The kitchen is a chef’s paradise with linear islands, Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, built-in touch screens and concealed catering kitchen with a hidden oversized pantry. Bordering the entire space is a custom eatery bar with walnut top designed by Blue Heron’s Furnishings, a custom furniture design division of the company.
“Most of the furniture in this house is customized specifically for this project,” Jones said, noting the firm’s desire to provide turnkey homes for its clients. “Literally, bring your toothbrush and your clothes. You could have a party the day you moved in because it’s a fully functioning home.”
On the other side of the entry, the private master retreat features metaquartzite stone walls, a beverage bar and expansive walk-in closets. Sourced from the south Vegas quarry, the metaquartzite stone provides the home with further connection to the region.
“That was important to us to pick a material to design the aesthetic around that was appropriate for the Mojave Desert and Vegas Modern philosophy,” Jones said.
Stepping down into the sleeping area reveals unobstructed views of the Strip through walls of glass. The zero-edge water feature bordering a custom-designed bed contributes to the home’s seamless tie to nature.
“When you’re in bed, you’re literally looking across the water to the city view,” Jones said. “Nighttime it’s incredibly gorgeous.”
The spa-like master bath serves as a relaxing retreat with a black soaking tub, waterfall-edge vanity with retractable mirror, walk-in shower and stone accents. The layered design welcomes the outdoors, creating a serene environment.
The second level’s Sky Suite, a second master, is accessed over a glass bridge. The suite’s custom-designed bed is bordered by a glass wall showcasing views of the Strip.
The personal space features custom furnishings, retractable television, wood flooring, private patio, washer/dryer and bath with huge walk-in shower, soaking tub and vanity with retractable mirror.
The home’s second-level billiards room features built-in couches, cozy furnishings and beverage bar. The space opens to an upper-level deck with a cantilevered walkway extending toward the Strip skyline.
Rising three levels above the main level, the sky bar and lounge are designed as a space for social gatherings. Floor-to-ceiling windows reveal unobstructed views and access to an exterior deck.
The home features innovative cutting-edge energy technology. The property has one of the largest solar systems in Nevada. Two hundred solar panels sit atop the property’s multiple rooftops.
It also has a groundbreaking energy-management system. Partnering with Racepoint Energy, the system works with Savant home technology to optimize the creation and storing of energy through passive and active solar strategies. The result is the storage of excess energy in an expansive battery storage system.
The property is the first installment of several planned Blue Heron showcase homes. Jones said his company is working on finding a location for Vegas Modern 002.
“I think Vegas historically hasn’t been taken seriously in the design industry,” Jones said. “The architecture in this home is a serious conversation about high-quality design and construction. I think Las Vegas deserves to get a lot of credit for what we do here.”
Jones said the sale shows the Las Vegas luxury market “is extremely strong” and represents the wealth coming in from outside of Nevada.
This is the beginning of a long-term trend for that, he said. Jones said the homes he is planning nearby will go for a similar price range as the record sale.
“We moved the mark from previous sales, so it may be a little while,” Jones said. “I expect there will be more higher dollar closings than what has been typical for sure. There will be a lot of expensive homes closing this year and in the coming years.”
About the mansion
Price: $25M, sold
Location: 685 Dragon Peak Drive, double-gated Dragon's Reserve in MacDonald Highlands, Henderson,
Size: 15,000 square feet, three en suite bedrooms, including a private master suite and secondary Sky Suite accessed over glass bridge, nine bathrooms, customizable five to 11-car garage.
Features: Custom Blue Heron designed three-level estate on 1.26 acres; biophilic design; main-level great room showcase 25-foot ceilings and surrounded by water on three sides; digital den; executive office casita with private entrance; upper-level sky bar and lounge; formal dining centered around a private garden; polished concrete flooring; hardwood flooring; seamless indoor/outdoor living; floating staircase; elevator; gourmet kitchen with linear islands, custom cabinetry, built-in touch screens, concealed catering kitchen with a hidden oversized walk-in pantry, custom eating bar with walnut top, professional-grade Wolf and Sub-Zero stainless steel appliances; a temperature-controlled glass-encased wine cellar; billiard game room; Strip and mountain views, 5,000 square feet of exterior deck space; three interconnected pools, two outdoor kitchens, comfortable conversation areas; custom-designed stucco-finished walls; metaquartzite stone walls; craft room with pet area; seven fire features, integrated sound system, Savant Smart Home technology, solar technology with 200 solar panels; energy management system from Racepoint Energy.
Listing: Kristen Routh-Silberman, Synergy Sotheby's International Realty
