Siteline | A Stone Cold Fox on the Lower Riviera

Noteworthy new listings….

Built in 1964 and given a revamp by Anacapa Architecture in 2014, 917 Paseo Ferrelo ($7.2 million) calls to mind a contemporary version of the house from A Single Man (but with a spectacular view!). The property is located at the end of a charming cul-de-sac and includes the adjacent parcel to the west. Note how the garage is on the south side of the house, greatly increasing the curb appeal.

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The famed Rancho Dos Pueblos at 1 Beach Road ($65 million) on the Gaviota Coast is back on the market. Developer Roger Himovitz bought it in 2021 for $33 million, and he told Bloomberg article that health issues are his reason for listing the property. “It took Himovitz several years to iron out all the legal issues that plagued the estate; today the titles are free and clear (he got Santa Barbara County to formally recognize several parcels that had murky records of ownership), and most idiosyncrasies are gone. (An approximately 11-acre agricultural area in the middle of the property is still owned by someone else, though, and accessed via an easement.) […] Himovitz eventually added to the land by purchasing an additional 5-acre plot, which came with a house he calls ‘the ranch house.’ In total the ranch now spans 219 acres. [….] The ranch comprises more than a dozen structures.” Whether a buyer will get behind the Dos Pueblos Institute, founded by Himovitz and now including the abalone farm, remains to be seen.

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Chutzpah with a capital C: the seller of 306 Meadowbrook Drive ($12 million) in Ennisbrook paid $7.1 million in November 2023 and doesn’t appear to have done much of anything to the place. The 2002 house is a bit of a conundrum, but you do get two acres to work with.

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462 Crocker Sperry Drive ($8.595 million), a 1971 two-bedroom house on the 18th fairway at Birnam Wood, has been renovated since it was last on the market in 2021. (Some before photos.) Turnkey is always a plus, even more so for the retirement market, but the cost per bedroom might be a turnoff. While the listing photos make me wish there were more/larger windows, you can always hang out in what the floor plan calls a media room (but I’m not sure where the TV goes).

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The Tudor elements of 237 Eucalyptus Hill Drive ($5.975 million), built in 1980, are far less convincing than they would be in something much older (or even much newer). The appeal lies in the 1.2 acres on a good street.

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2760 Sycamore Canyon Road ($9.585 million) sold for just under $4 million in August 2020, and it still looks sharp. The challenge remains the location on a busy street. UPDATE: Thanks to Mike for pointing out that this is a get-out flip attempt: the last time the property was sold was actually five months ago, for $9 million.

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I love the upscale-country-inn energy of 150 Cedar Lane ($5.995 million) on the western side of Eucalyptus Hill. The 1965 house feels like it could date from decades earlier. I haven’t seen it in person, but if I were to, I would investigate to what degree the house next door—which is a little close for comfort—impacts the property.

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Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi are hoping to divest themselves of 1134 Hill Road ($4.995 million), which they bought in late 2020 for $2.9 million. The 1954 house has two bedrooms, with a location that cuts both ways: walkable to Butterfly Beach, but up against the train tracks and the 101. P.S. I wish my laundry machines were raised like that.

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The 1936 two-bedroom house at 1420 Bega Way ($3.298 million), at the edge of farmland in Carpinteria, is a portal to another era. The details are precious.

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And a few others worth checking out:
••• 8105 Buena Fortuna Street ($4.695 million): 1978 four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath in Rincon Point; the seller paid $3.1 million just two months ago. The listing says it’s recently updated….
••• 789 Park Lane ($7 million): Semi-remodeled house, a.k.a. a “surreal slice of heaven,” at the corner of E. Mountain Drive.
••• 2408 Santa Barbara Street ($3.25 million): Fixer/teardown at the corner of E. Junipero Street.
••• 396 Las Alturas Road ($4.495 million): 1980 Mediterranean with an ocean view but not much outdoor space.
••• 120 Butterfly Lane ($4.195 million): 1990 three-bedroom next to the Montecito Bank & Trust on Coast Village Road.
••• 1114 E. Ortega Street ($1.95 million): 1920s Spanish Colonial Revival near Diana Road; love the kaleidoscopic outdoor shower.

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