The Most Glamorous Closet in Montecito?

Noteworthy new listings….

Down a pretty driveway across from the Wiman Trail, and a short walk to the San Ysidro Ranch, 1845 E. Mountain Drive ($8.95 million) has solid New England charm spread across three buildings: the main house, built in 1994; the older-seeming two-bedroom guest house; and a two-car garage with a studio apartment above. The property sold in July 2021 for $6.25 million, and I suspect the price would be even higher now, had the main house’s two guest rooms not been combined into one extremely glamorous closet. (Note the rolling library ladder!) The two bathrooms are still there, so you could feasibly convert the closet back to a room or two, although a lot of custom cabinetry would have to be tossed. I also think the backyard is crying out for a hardscaped terrace instead of all that lawn.

················

1545 Ramona Lane ($7.995 million), on one of the Hedgerow’s best streets, has snazzy curb appeal, with a crisp black-and-white palette and a semicircular driveway lined with boxwoods. Inside is rich with 1930s charm, including a hidden window for someone to pass drinks from a hallway to the living room bar. It’s a bit too 1930s, however, that the primary bedroom shares a bathroom with another bedroom. Given the era-appropriate height of the ceilings, I’d look for ways to lighten up the house—e.g., trimming the trees to the south. P.S. Off to the side, with its own entrance, is what might be the perfect one-bedroom guest house.

················

663 Lilac Drive ($12.5 million) was built in 1940 and renovated in 1975, which must explain the double-high living room with catwalk. I was surprised that the listing doesn’t include the square footage, because size is the chief appeal, both in the public rooms on the ground floor and the primary suite above. The floor plan is solid, even if surfaces throughout are ready for updating and the house would better served by one large deck than two small ones. Elsewhere on the 2.04-acre lot is a tiny one-bedroom guest cottage with a regular-size door and—kind of like at MOXI—a miniature one.

················

What 11 Cedar Lane ($2.675 million) lacks in size—the living room is the sole common area—it makes up for in good energy. (Never underestimate the effect of high ceilings and nice wood floors.) The primary bedroom is big, with a broad deck outside; the more private among us might prefer to grow a hedge to thwart any lookyloos among the neighbors. P.S. It went into escrow immediately.

················

And a few others worth checking out:
••• 431 E. Sola Street ($995,000): Attempted flip of a 1921 one-bedroom cottage; the seller paid $909,000 six months ago.
••• 18 E. Valerio Street ($1.525 million): Another flip: two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath condo for which the seller paid $1.525 million in August 2022.
••• 1270 Santa Teresita Drive ($3.395 million): 1961 three-bedroom with views.
••• 1972 Las Canoas Road ($2.45 million): You don’t see Kelly green used much in interiors….

················

Love real estate? Sign up for the Siteline email newsletter.