Back on the market for $13.99 million after a major makeover, the property in a gated community has an ‘almost enchanting quality,’ the owner said
A 3-acre equestrian estate in California’s Orange County is back on the market again after only a year, this time with a $13.995-million price tag—more than double the previous purchase price.
The property,which is in Coto de Caza’s premier gated community of Los Ranchos Estates, last sold in November 2025 for $6.3 million It previously traded hands in December 2022 for $5.95 million
The price increase reflects the extensive renovation work the seller, local business owner Christopher Cooke, undertook, said Plus Real Estate co-founder Ariana Gaffoglio, who listed the property Monday.
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“He completely gutted the entire house, redid all the landscaping and really brought this property back to life,” Gaffoglio said. “The house was in original condition before—it was very dark and heavy and dated.”
The luxury compound in Trabuco Canyon in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains is among the large, privacy-laden estates Coto de Caza is famous for.
There’s something truly remarkable about driving through this
“There’s something truly remarkable about driving through this community and seeing the magnificent estates, the expansive grounds and the natural beauty that surrounds you,” Cooke said, adding that his property “encompasses an entire side of the street, stretching nearly one-seventh of a mile.”
It includes a renovated 8,400-square-foot main house built in 1981 that has five bedrooms and a 1,700-bottle wine cellar and tasting room.
The one-bedroom guest house has a full kitchen and family room as well as a spa with a sauna and steam room. There’s also a bedroom in the barn, which doubles as a residence.
Brandon Beechler
To the four-stall barn with a tack room,
In addition to the four-stall barn with a tack room, an office, a saloon and a full bath, there’s a riding arena and three pastures.
There also is a pool and spa, an outdoor kitchen, a built-in barbecue and fireplace, a workshop/garage, fruit trees, a private well and a water-storage tank.
Cooke said the renovation has made the estate even more special. “There are moments when I step through the back doors, look out over the property and am genuinely taken aback by its beauty,” he said.
Calling the evenings magical, he added
Calling the evenings “magical,” he added that “as the sun sets and the landscape lighting begins to illuminate the trees, gardens and architecture, the entire estate takes on an almost enchanting quality. It’s breathtaking in a completely different way.”
The location, Gaffoglio said, is prime. “It’s a fantastic community, where there’s two country clubs, and you’re close enough to Newport Beach and Laguna Beach,” she said.
Living there, Cooke said, “feels like you’ve been transported to a beautiful, secluded equestrian community somewhere in the Midwest or along the East Coast, yet you’re just 15 minutes from the California coastline. It’s a side of Southern California that very few people ever get to experience.”
Another appeal of the estate, Gaffoglio said,
Another appeal of the estate, Gaffoglio said, is its turnkey condition. “The seller did a really good job of building out the space to be an equestrian-zone property as well as a venue for the entertainment of friends and family and a home for people with children.”
Although Cooke had planned to keep the property, he has found another that he longs to own and renovate that’s closer to the coast.
“Every day, as I walk the grounds, I’m reminded of what a privilege it has been to call this place home,” Cooke said. “I think what I’ll always cherish is that, even after living here, the beauty of this property has never become ordinary to me. It still inspires the same sense of awe and gratitude every single day.”
