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The Economic Times
The Economic Times
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In 1979, Beach Boys star Mike Love bought a 2.5-acre Lake Tahoe plot for $435,000; 47 years later, the nearly 19,000-sq-ft mansion he built on it is up for $43 million, with six surrounding acres permanently protected

Beach Boys co-founder and lead singer Mike Love has put his sprawling Lake Tahoe estate on the market for $43 million, ending more than four decades of family ownership. The 83-year-old musician bought the 2.5-acre hillside property in 1979 for $435,000. Over the years, Love and his wife, Jacquelyne, transformed it into an 18,922-square-foot compound designed as both a family home and a creative retreat.

Located at 969 Fairview Boulevard in Incline Village on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, the property is listed for nearly 99 times the couple’s original purchase price for the undeveloped land.

Built for privacy and creativity

Rather than building directly on the lakefront, Love chose an elevated hillside location that offered greater privacy along with sweeping views of Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada.

The family later purchased six surrounding acres and placed them under permanent conservation, protecting the nearby pine forest and rocky landscape from future development. The three-level home was built using stone sourced from the property itself.

For years, the estate served as Love’s primary creative workspace when he was not touring. It originally featured a built-in recording studio with specially designed acoustic ceilings where he wrote music. The studio has since been converted into a lounge and walk-in closet, although its original acoustic features remain.

Distinctive design and spiritual influences

The estate reflects Love’s long-standing practice of Transcendental Meditation and interest in Eastern philosophy.

The entrance features a stone archway and a 10-inch-thick solid wood door commissioned from temple craftsmen in southern India. Decorated with rubies, diamonds and pearls, the door features a carved image of Ganesh and was blessed by a temple priest.

Inside, a spiral wrought-iron staircase rises above a koi pond beneath a hand-painted ceiling depicting a celestial scene. The main living areas feature floor-to-ceiling windows and retractable walls that open onto expansive terraces.

The great room has a two-story river-rock fireplace, while the formal dining room can accommodate up to 14 guests beneath crystal chandeliers.

The compound has 10 bedrooms and 15 bathrooms. The main bedroom occupies a private wing and includes its own deck and a cathedral-shaped headboard made from reclaimed wood.

Resort-style amenities

The estate was designed to accommodate large family gatherings and features a range of custom entertainment and recreational spaces.

Inside are a professional chef’s kitchen, private movie theatre with massage chairs and a popcorn station, wine tasting room with a backlit agate ceiling, poker room, arcade, boardroom, gym, cedar sauna and two elevators.

Outdoor amenities include a swimming pool, a 10-person hot tub overlooking the lake, an outdoor kitchen with snow-melt decking, a trampoline and a custom ice-skating rink on the upper lawn.

Listing agent Jeannette Harpole of Habitat Nevada at Keller Williams told SFGATE that the property combines privacy with protected natural surroundings and access to nearby travel facilities.

“There are views from every window, whether you're seeing Diamond Peak or you're seeing Lake Tahoe. It's majestic out there, and it's protected,” Harpole said.

The listing comes as ultra-luxury home sales have increased along the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. Incline Village has also attracted wealthy buyers partly because Nevada has no state income tax, corporate tax or capital gains tax.

According to listing information published by Realtor.com and JamesEdition, Love and his wife are selling the longtime family home as their children have grown and the couple plans to spend more time travelling.

The family has also maintained close ties with the North Shore community. Love and his wife helped found the Lake Tahoe School and supported Incline Village Community Hospital.

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