Akash Nigam was practically living in his Los Angeles office when he finally decided enough was enough.

"It was during the pandemic-I just separated the desks upstairs and put a bed there because nobody was allowed in the office," says Nigam, co-founder of Genies, an AI avatar technology company. "Then Genies started taking off."

Needing an escape from the daily grind, Nigam purchased a home in the city's Venice neighborhood for about $4.27 million in 2021. There he created a wellness sanctuary with a sauna, steam room and cold plunge.

"I wanted this to be almost like the yin to the yang," Nigam, 34, says. "If you were just coming off Abbot Kinney Boulevard, which is action-packed, you could immediately enter this Zen arena."

Can't-miss features

Nigam spent roughly $1.5 million on renovations, adding a guesthouse with the wellness sanctuary on its ground level.

The space opens to an outdoor rain shower and swimming pool, while the rooftop deck features a barbecue area, retractable television and fire pit.

Being on the rooftop "feels like you're overlooking treetops in Costa Rica," says listing agent Josh Picker of Douglas Elliman. To maximize privacy and enhance the property's Zen-like atmosphere, Nigam added dense greenery to the yard.

Reason for selling?

Nigam and his partner recently had a baby and have another on the way. They are in the process of building a home nearby to better accommodate their growing family and be closer to friends. They plan to incorporate similar wellness features into that property.

Market snapshot

Picker says the Venice market has seen several big-ticket sales this year, including a $14.5 million deal in June that ranks among the most expensive ever recorded in the neighborhood.