High surf and high tech

Tom Wilson bought this Malibu Colony house as an investment -- one he’s ready to see pay off. He runs his 4 Seasons Broadcasting Co. out of Cleveland but has partners in L.A., and that’s what brought him to the community. At first, he bought the late actor Burgess Meredith’s home and rented it out. Then Wilson sold that house and bought this one along the ocean.

After redecorating the house, which was built in 1990, Wilson has listed it for sale or lease. He is asking $10 million as the purchase price or $45,000 a month for the house as a furnished rental. Even the listing agent, Katie Bentzen, conceded that the rent is “more than many people make in a year.� But it’s a bargain next to what Wilson could get for it in the summer: It could rent then for as much as $95,000 a month.

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About this house: It’s not just the location that makes this house pricey. “It’s very high tech,� Bentzen said. There are a number of plasma TVs throughout the house, and in the master suite, electronics enable the residents to see who is at the front door. Bentzen estimated that Wilson spent more than $150,000 just on entertainment features.

Asking price: $10 million to buy, $45,000 a month to rent.

Size: There are five bedrooms and 7 1/2 bathrooms on three levels in about 5,000 square feet. The lot is 6,956 square feet.

Features: There is a teahouse and two master bedroom suites with balconies on the waterfront. Throughout the house, there is an audio-visual system with touch-screen controls. There also are a maid’s quarters, a gourmet kitchen, a private garden patio and an oceanfront deck.

Where: It’s behind the gates and on the ocean in Malibu Colony.

Listing agent: Katie Bentzen, Pritchett-Rapf & Associates, Malibu, (310) 456-8839.

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To submit a candidate for Home of the Week, send color photos (copies only, please; we cannot return the pictures) and a brief description of the house, including what makes the property unusual, to Ruth Ryon, Real Estate Section, Los Angeles Times, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012; or e-mail [email protected].