Noteworthy new listings….
I love getting to see inside a house that I wondered about during one of my walks—in this case, 1103 Harbor Hills Drive ($8.95 million), which caught my attention both from TV Hill while it was still under construction and, more recently, while exploring the Harbor Hills part of Alta Mesa. Designed by Salt Architecture, the three-bedroom house (with one-bedroom ADU) is at the end of a cul-de-sac, with spectacular views out over Honda Valley Park and the coastline. And the finishes throughout are sharp. The only quibbles are that the deck is the sole outdoor space,* and while there’s only one direct neighbor, it’s close enough to touch. *UPDATE: There’s also an undeveloped area below the house with ocean views.
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What the 1932 Reginald Johnson at 1682 East Valley Road ($13.995 million) lacks in character—the exterior looks a little like a nice apartment complex, and inside you’ll find a lot of flat ceilings—it makes up for in size (2.86 acres, with a well to keep it all green) and convenience.
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1130 E. Mountain Drive ($12.995 million) is a four-bedroom house, built in 2003, way above E. Mountain Drive proper. The architecture is that “contemporary” style not made much anymore, and the putty color does it no favors, but the streamlined interiors are easier to update than, say, ersatz Mediterranean. And the views are as astounding as you’d expect.
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At the end of the long, winding Hidden Valley Lane, 3091 Hidden Valley Lane ($10.495 million) is a prime example of the Supertuscan style so popular in Montecito at the start of the century. Stripping away some of the flourishes will help calm it down, and it does have size (four bedrooms, five baths, two half baths) on its side, with views. P.S. Note the fireplace by the bathtub.
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Sea Meadow doesn’t come on the market very often, so 1473 Bonnymede Drive ($8.695 million) will likely garner a fair bit of attention. The pros: three bedrooms, three baths, and classy interior design. Less appealing is the shared wall with the property next door, but at least there’s no one on the other side. The listing sites don’t mention an HOA fee, which must be an oversight, because one of Sea Meadow’s big draws is that the community handles the landscaping and frequent exterior painting—neither of which come cheap, especially in Montecito. UPDATE: A tipster says the HOA fees are $3,543 per month.
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I’m always writing that houses are “way up the hill,” but 1090 Toro Canyon Road ($6.25 million) is way, way, way up the hill—any due diligence would have to include assessing the insurance potential, or lack thereof (aside from the California FAIR Plan, natch). It’s like a little village of Santa Fe–style architecture, with some funky lines, more beige than is healthy, and a Murphy bed that’s fooling no one.
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Calling 822 E. De La Guerra Terrace ($4.895 million) “an extraordinary and unparalleled masterpiece” is a bit much, particularly when you consider that that part of town is filled with very similar Alex d’Alfonso houses. The seller paid $3.57 million in March 2023 and gave it a spiffy makeover. (The last time it was listed, the house was said to have five bedrooms; this time, it’s three.) While the .47-acre lot has a fair amount of outdoor space, it’s almost all behind the house, where you don’t get to admire the same terrific view you see from inside.
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I can’t decide whether it’s bold to build “Belgian Farmhouse-style architecture” in Solvang, land of the Danish, or close enough to be appropriate. Either way, 1325 Ladan Drive ($8.2 million) is something to behold: 9,189 square feet divided among the main house, guest house, pool cabana, shop/studio and six-car garage. The outside comes off a bit twee, but inside plays it much cooler, and I’m sure the whole compound feels like a world of its own. I’m not familiar with the Regency Hills Estates area that the house is in, and 1325 Ladan is probably more turnkey than anything else around; nonetheless, the price seems a little ambitious.
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And a few others worth checking out:
••• 891 Paseo Ferrelo ($1.475 million): Two-bedroom, one-bath fixer on a charming Lower Riviera street.
••• 827 Cheltenham Road ($3.495 million): 1981 Mission Canyon house with three bedrooms and two and a half baths.
••• 285 Olive Mill Road ($2.45 million): Attempted flip of the .72-acre lot at the corner of Hot Springs Road; the owner paid $2.3 million in March 2022.
••• 1535 San Roque Lane ($4.295 million): Four-bedroom in the hills above San Roque built in 2024—but you’d never guess (below).
••• 588 Paso Robles Drive ($4.25 million): Three-bedroom house with two-bedroom guest cottage walkable to Cold Spring School.
••• 2300 Gibraltar Road ($2.995 million): 52.45-acre lot east of Skofield Park.
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