Buying God's House

One Laguna Beach family will be moving to a home that used to be God's House:

After nearly four years on the market (just two days shy of four years exactly), Laguna Beach’s St. Paul’s Lutheran Church has sold.

Spanning three land parcels that total 2.64 acres, the property was originally listed for $5,250,000 in June 2006. The church finally sold for $2.1 million.

That’s a 60% discount from the original list price.

The church, which includes a sanctuary, offices, a meeting hall, a childcare center and large parking lot is located at 1190 Morningside Drive.

Ocean views can be seen from the property.

Inge Bunn, the agent who represented the buyer, confirms that the new owners intend to use the property as a single family residence.

The structure is zoned RHP – residential hillside protection. Laguna Beach City Manager Ken Frank says that this particular zoning allows for a single family residence and he doesn’t foresee any planning problems with the new owners’ desires to remodel the church to a home.
“There shouldn’t be a problem to meet requirements,” he said.

Frank also said the neighbors may even be happy with the decision to use the property as a single family residence because it will reduce traffic in the area.

Chances are the church was selling their property because they didn't have much traffic anyway, so the difference may be minor.  I think I went to a wedding there many years ago and it was a nice facility, though I'm not sure I'd want to live there.