🏡 A Legacy in the Colony: Three Generations of Malibu History with Andy Lyon
How one family helped shape Malibu’s most iconic beachfront community — and how the story continues at 107 Malibu Colony Road.
🌟 Growing Up in Malibu Colony
Few people can say they grew up living on the beach of Malibu’s most storied beachfront enclave — and even fewer can say their family helped build it. For Andy Lyon, Malibu Colony isn’t just a neighborhood. It’s home. It’s heritage. It’s the backdrop of his family’s story spanning nearly a century.
As a third-generation Malibu native, Andy’s roots run deep. His grandfather, Norman M. Lyon, played a pivotal role in Malibu’s early development through the pioneering Marblehead Land Co., a group instrumental in shaping the neighborhoods we now know as Malibu Colony, Malibu Road, and surrounding coastal communities.
Norman M. Lyon (center) at the Marblehead Land Co. office — helping lay the foundation for Malibu’s early real estate community.
🌊 From Norman Lyon to Modern Malibu
Before Malibu became synonymous with oceanfront luxury, surfing culture, and celebrity hideaways, it was a quiet coastal stretch known mostly to locals, ranchers, and artists. Norman Lyon and the Marblehead Land Co. were among the first to envision Malibu as a place where community and coastline could coexist.
That forward-thinking legacy continued through the generations. The Lyon family watched Malibu evolve from a tucked-away beach town into a world-renowned destination — all while staying deeply connected to the community that made it special.
Andy Lyon — continuing his family’s Malibu legacy as a lifelong resident and Malibu Colony specialist.
🏠 Growing Up Behind the Gates
Andy spent his childhood in what locals call “The Original Malibu.” Surf days. Tidepool explorations. Bonfires on the sand. A neighborhood full of artists, actors, surfers, and pioneers who helped shape Malibu’s identity.
“The Colony has always been about more than just the homes — it’s about the people,” Andy shares.
“Everyone knew everyone. It was a community built on connection, creativity, and a love for the ocean.”
Those values guide Andy’s work today — blending a lifetime of local insight with a deep respect for the Colony’s heritage.
🌅 Coming Full Circle — 107 Malibu Colony Road
Today, Andy represents one of the Colony’s most exclusive listings: 107 Malibu Colony Road — a property that perfectly captures the balance of heritage and modern Malibu living.
This oceanfront home blends classic coastal architecture with modern elegance, offering a rare opportunity to live along one of Malibu’s most storied stretches of sand.
For Andy, this listing isn’t just another address—it’s a home that symbolizes where his family’s story began and where his professional journey continues.
107 Malibu Colony Road — a modern Malibu Colony residence that continues the neighborhood’s legacy of coastal living.
💬 5 Questions with Andy Lyon
A personal look at life behind the gates — past and present.
1. What’s your earliest memory of growing up in Malibu Colony?
“Probably before my parents built our house on the lot that they purchased just after I was born, when we would go and spend the day at the beach and have parties on the vacant lot that would become the house I grew up in. In and out of the water all day, running up and down the beach with friends, salty, and sandy all day long. Those were great memories spending the whole day there with friends on the beach, having barbecues and setting the tone for what living on Colony Beach was going to be like…. Having the best backyard a kid could have.”
2. Your grandfather, Norman Lyon, helped shape Malibu’s early development. How did his legacy influence your path in real estate?
“My grandfather was the exclusive agent for the colony with the Marblehead Land Company when the Colony first went up for sale in the 30’s. The funny thing is that I didn’t give it too much thought as to following that path because I remember him most as being a captain in the Navy who flew anti-submarine lighter than aircraft blimps. In fact, the real estate office that he worked out out of was just down the street from my house growing up where I would wait for the bus for Webster School at and never really thought about the fact that that’s where he was all those years before, selling the original Colony homes! It is pretty crazy though to think that I’ve sold many homes in the Colony that he originally sold almost 90 years ago!
His legacy though, through him bringing my dad here, and him falling in love with surfing and the beach in Malibu is what led to me being here. The fact that he was selling the Colony and now I am, is what I’m very proud of.”
3. How has the Colony changed since your childhood—and what has stayed the same?
“Probably the biggest change has been the transformation of homes from the original Colony cottages to what you see now architecturally, and size wise. Growing up, most of the houses that are now on the land-side of the Colony were just gardens and tennis courts, but over the years of being such a desirable location and the private beach accesses inside the Colony that the land-side shares, those lots and tennis courts were built into beautiful homes behind the gates of the world famous Malibu Colony.
What has stayed the same?
That the Colony is and always will be seen as the most exclusive location in Malibu. The beach, the history, the location nothing can change that …. It’s always going be number one.”
4. What makes 107 Malibu Colony Road stand out to you personally?
“To me, what stands out is the location being at the south end of the colony with the surf spot old Joe’s right out in front and the view of the tide pools and the iconic Colony old Joe’s rocks right out in front. I love that it still has the old feeling of an original Colony cottage style house, but has been updated, lending itself to what living on the beach is all about. Super casual beach lifestyle. You don’t have to be afraid of enjoying this house … it’s comfortable and it doesn’t matter if you walk in with sand on your feet you can just enjoy living at the beach.”
5. If you could describe Malibu Colony in one word, what would it be—and why?
“One word … Malibu! It’s where it all started … The Malibu Motion Picture Colony.”
🌴 The Lyon Legacy Lives On
Three generations later, Andy Lyon continues to uphold his family’s tradition of excellence in Malibu real estate. His deep local roots and firsthand knowledge of the community make him not just an agent—but a true ambassador of Malibu’s coastal lifestyle.
📞 Experience Malibu Colony Through the Eyes of a Native
Interested in a private showing at 107 Malibu Colony Road?
Want to learn more about the community?
Or considering buying or selling in Malibu Colony?
Work with the agent who grew up here — and whose family helped build its legacy.
👉 Contact Andy Lyon | Malibu Colony Specialist
📞 310.924.9086
🌐 4Malibu.com
Third-generation Malibu native | Malibu luxury real estate expert
- Written by the Team at 4 Malibu Real Estate
