1904 Craftsman on the Lower Riviera

Noteworthy new listings….

519 E. Pedregosa Street ($2.795 million), a 1904 Craftsman on the Lower Riviera, is rich with classic Santa Barbara details—unfortunately, the floor plan is very early 20th century, too. All four bedrooms are upstairs, with the sink and shower on one side of the hallway and the water closet on the other. (There’s also a small full bathroom downstairs.) A fair amount of work will be required to bring it up to date. Nice backyard, though.

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The eastern end of Montecito feels wilder and more rugged—more western, if you will—with ridged land and dramatic ocean and mountain views. The land is the main draw at 2870 East Valley Road ($7.2 million), on 6.41 acres at the end of a private lane and crisscrossed with roads and paths. Exploring the property feels like being in a state park. There are three structures: a sweet three-bedroom, three-bath house; a one-bedroom guest house down the hill; and a semi-finished garage/barn. They all want updating, and/or there’s a potential building site on the upper slope.

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Hidden Valley Lane, which extends east off Ladera Lane, has that land magic in spades, and it’s certainly on view at 2946 Hidden Valley Lane ($5.7 million). The 1984 architecture misfires now and again—low doorways throughout, for instance, and a primary bedroom where the bed is forced into the corner by a doorway—but the infinity pool, flanked by glamorous stairs leading to an expanse of lawn, is a winner.

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The seller of 865 Romero Canyon Road ($7.995 million) paid $6.75 million in June 2022 and made some improvements to the infrastructure and landscaping, but the finish line is still a long way off. The house was built in 1939 and presumably added onto, because look at it. Glimpses of what it once was are visible here and there—the stonework, in particular, is a treat—and the 2.81-acre property is a big, tasty chunk of land, if you have the appetite for a project.

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The seller of 1435 Estrella Drive ($7.9 million) in Hope Ranch paid $3.925 million in September 2021 and gave the 1976 house what I would assume is a spec renovation, because anyone planning to live there would have likely invested more in the doors and windows. And yet, while spec renos almost always play it safe across the board, there are plenty of quirky choices on view—two urinals; separate side-by-side showers in one bathroom; a massage nook, complete with sink, on the way to the master closet; and porch lights hung at navel height. It’s all totally livable, and the 3.4 acres includes a broad pool deck and tennis court, the latter fenced in the optimistic hope that you’ll never shank the ball. (*There goes the lesbian market.)

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I’ll bet that 265 Rametto Road ($4.75 million) sells fast and for over ask: the 1939 house and 1.38 acres of land have tons of potential. P.S. What a sad little bathtub.

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And a few others worth checking out:
••• 2298 Featherhill Road ($3.5 million): 1962 house on an acre in eastern Montecito; no interior photos.
••• 176 Ocean View Avenue ($3.195 million) 2017 four-bedroom at the southern end of Toro Canyon Road; generally nice finishes throughout.
••• 525 Alston Road ($3.875 million): The seller paid $2.4 million in February 2022 and gave it a showy renovation (below); the entrance is on Norman Lane.
••• 129 Palisades Drive ($2.795 million): Three-bedroom West Mesa house with a “sleeping room” and full bath attached to the garage.
••• 1227 Calle Cerrito Alto ($2.495 million): 1976 house on an acre on the Westside.

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