One of Bel Air's biggest privately held residential spreads is about to be broken open to the highest bidder, with no safety net. A 15.9-acre collection of seven homes in Lower Bel Air, assembled over decades by a single owner, is being marketed for $105 million and is headed to a no-reserve online auction next month. The cluster is anchored by two landmark estates on a quiet cul-de-sac and ranges from a 1960s Mediterranean main house to a midcentury architectural residence and several 1950s-era homes. Bidding is expected in early May, and the sale is structured so each parcel can sell on its own or, if certain price thresholds are hit, as one mega-portfolio.
The auction page on Concierge Auctions advertises the offering at $105,000,000, with estimated starting bids for individual parcels generally running from about $2.5 million up to roughly $50 million. The site also points out that would-be buyers can register in advance, tour the properties, and review diligence materials before the online gavel comes down.
According to Mansion Global, the combined holding spans about 15.9 acres across nine separate parcels and is being marketed under the name "The Crown Bel Air." The outlet reports that Aaron Kirman of Christie’s and Josh Altman of Douglas Elliman are among the star brokers attached to the listing.
Owner and provenance
The Real Deal identifies the seller as Kuwaiti billionaire Bassam Alghanim, who began stitching together the lots in 1979 after inheriting a stake in Alghanim Industries following his father’s death. The properties encircle the longtime home of late music producer Quincy Jones at 1101 Bel Air Place, a nearby estate that itself has been on the market in recent months.
What’s in the package
Listing materials and coverage by Mansion Global highlight a marquee 1960 Mediterranean-style mansion with botanical gardens and an approximately 11,000-square-foot main residence that was listed last fall for around $49 million. Other pieces of the puzzle include a midcentury home by architect Gus Duffy, a gated 1970s Mediterranean, a 2002-built house with a lagoon-style pool, and two 1950s homes, one of which is described as needing renovation.
Auction terms and timeline
Online bidding is slated to open May 1 and wrap on May 13, according to Concierge Auctions. As outlined by The Real Deal, the properties will first hit the block individually. Only if the top offer for the entire collection beats the combined high bids for the single parcels will the whole portfolio trade as one.
Why this matters
Contiguous spreads of this size rarely surface in Lower Bel Air, which is exactly why this auction could draw everyone from would-be megacompound builders to developers eyeing phased projects or investors content to hold a cluster of luxury rentals. Bel Air’s ZIP code ranks among the most expensive in the country, according to Realtor.com, helping explain the expected wave of deep-pocketed, likely international interest in a 15.9-acre prize like this.
