xAI Co-Founder Rumored To Be Buyer Of $70 Million Estate Inspired By Lake Como
In the hills of Silicon Valley, one of Northern California’s most extravagant private estates has sold for $70 million, setting a new record and doubling the previous one of $35 million.
Known as Villa de Verano, the Lake Como–inspired residence was commissioned by private-equity investor Ted Kruttschnitt and his wife, Alexia, who spent six years building the home.
Completed around 2010, the over 12-acre estate is designed as a full-scale homage to the Italian lake region, complete with terraced gardens, dramatic water features, and one of the most extensive private amenity collections in Hillsborough.
While the buyer’s name has not been officially disclosed, the New York Post reported that the property may have been purchased by xAI Co-Founder, “Tony” Yuhuai Wu.
Property Highlights
Price: $70 million
Location: Hillsborough, California
Size: 12,404 square feet on 12.33 acres
Bedrooms: 6
Bathrooms: 7 full, 10 half
Notable Features: 150-seat amphitheater, redwood grove, reflection pond, Asian garden with koi pond, executive-length golf course, sports pavilion with championship courts, 2,100-gallon saltwater aquarium, theater, fitness center, spa, game room
For more information about this sale, reach out to the listing agent, Jenn Gilson of Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty at Jenn@JennGilson.com.
The Main Residence
At the center of the property is the 12,404-square-foot main residence, a three-level home connected by an elevator and designed around a mix of formal living spaces and private amenities.
Custom furniture and art fill the interiors, while dedicated spaces include a fitness center, theater, game room, spa, and saltwater aquarium.
Outside, the house opens onto a series of covered and open-air patios arranged for dining and lounging.
Tall arches, oversized lanterns, and floor-to-ceiling windows frame the outdoor spaces, with views extending across the surrounding pool and reflection pond toward San Francisco Bay.
The patios wrap around different sides of the residence, creating several places to step outside and take in the gardens, redwood grove, water features, or the wider views beyond the property.
Guest House & Sports Pavilion
At the front of the estate, the 4,612-square-foot guest house and sports pavilion form their own separate destination away from the main residence.
Inside, the sports pavilion rises two stories, with an upper viewing platform positioned above the sunken tennis court.
Surrounding it are dedicated pickleball, volleyball, badminton, bocce ball, horseshoe, and shuffleboard courts, along with a putting green.
Formal Gardens & Reflection Pond
Behind the main house, a series of cascading fountains descends through the landscaping toward a massive reflection pond modeled after the Bellagio in Las Vegas.
At the far end, an open-air pavilion sits directly on the water, framing the view back toward the house and out across the city.
Pathways branch away from the pond into an Asian garden with a koi pond, a rose garden, a redwood grove, and an English spiral mound.
Why Did Villa de Verano Sell?
Villa de Verano is one of Silicon Valley’s most elaborate private residences, designed with a level of scale and customization rarely seen in California real estate.
Between its Lake Como inspiration, breathtaking gardens, and long list of amenities, the Kruttschnitts managed to create a true legacy property.
However, now that they spend most of the year down South in Palm Desert, where they own a home at the Bighorn Golf Club, Villa de Verano no longer made sense for them to hold onto.
Fortunately for its new owner, the sale offered an opportunity to take possession of an estate unlikely to come to market again anytime soon.
