A Splendid 1919 Reginald Davis Johnson House Atop a Riviera Ridge

Noteworthy new listings….

1138 Mission Ridge Road ($9.1 million) is a splendid 1919 Reginald Davis Johnson house atop a Riviera ridge, so you get views of both the ocean and the mountains. It’s a sprawler, with a Craftsman feel outside but in the shape of a hacienda, and of the seven bedrooms, only the primary has an en suite bath (albeit with sinks, shower, and toilet in three separate rooms). I imagine there will be a lot of interest, both because of the architectural provenance and the 2.24-acre lot. Here’s hoping we get to see “after” photos someday. P.S. According to a Mansion Global article, “the seller is cookbook author and food writer Janice Cook Knight and her husband, Jim, an engineer and entrepreneur in infrared cameras.”

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A third house singled out on my Harbor Hills walk has now come on the market: 1615 La Vista del Oceano ($8.65 million), which I thought looked like a behemoth from street level. It feels less large inside, not in a bad way, although there are rooms on three levels (and an elevator). The interiors are predominately in shades of black, white, and, um, purple, but warmer design might make for an appealing contrast with the blocky white 1990s architecture. The view is stunning, of course, although the only south-facing places to sit outside are balconies.

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Built in 2000 in a frill-free architectural style, 796 Hot Springs Road ($12.4 million) has nice flow, in part because it’s currently set up as a two-bedroom house (with office and gym). The main guest room is right outside the primary, and while there is an ocean view, a lesser house’s roof is in the foreground. N.B. The seller paid $11 million in March 2022.

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2775 Sycamore Canyon Road ($6.75 million) comprises a 1930 house and a new two-bedroom ADU adjacent to the garage. The latter comes off more like the main house, at least to me, but I imagine it could swing either way. The flat, one-acre lot feels very roomy—so much so that I’d say it wants a pool.

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The best things about 170 Butterfly Lane ($6.195 million) are the Lower Village location, the pool, and the arches here and there. The 1968 house has four bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths, and it needs a thorough refresh. Even if you end up having well north of $7 million in the house, it will always feel modest.

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The listing for 450 El Cielito Road ($5.7 million) doesn’t include the square footage, but the house is big, with surprises throughout: a guest apartment (with separate entrance) on one side, a mammoth primary closet, a sunken bar with seating for two, and a dining nook off the kitchen with wraparound mountain views.The interiors are from yesteryear, but the bones are solid. P.S. The bravery of a carpeted bathroom!

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The seller of 330 Salida del Sol ($4.25 million) paid $1.525 million in September 2020 and clearly put a lot of money into making the 1958 Mesa house turnkey. It looks sharp. But I’m a bit gobsmacked by how little $4 million gets you these days in Santa Barbara. There’s no family room or dining room—just the one big space that includes the kitchen; the two guest rooms share a hallway bath; the backyard is under a lot of power lines; and the property suffers from Scraggly Neighbor Syndrome.

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Way up the hill off N. San Marcos Road, 1460 Twinridge Road ($4.85 million) appears to be a spec reno, the seller having paid $2.575 million in May 2023. I haven’t seen it in person, and unfortunately there’s no floor plan online, so I can’t quite make sense of the mezzanine. At 3,878 square feet, size may carry the day, along with the views (despite the power lines).

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And a few others worth checking out:
••• 507 Brinkerhoff Avenue ($1.775 million): See if you can parse this: “Charming multi-use, multi-family Brinkerhoff Avenue Landmark District property featuring (507 Brinkerhoff) a Craftsman 2 BR/ 1 BA home with garage, + (508 & 510 De La Vina) A duplex currently used as 2 BR/ 1BA residential, & 3 office/ ½ BA commercial space.”
••• 509 Brinkerhoff Avenue ($1.9 million): Or this: “Commercial & residential usage comprises a Victorian house (509 Brinkerhoff) with 3 offices, a reception area, conference room and 1.5 BA, + (511 Brinkerhoff) A free standing Craftsman style 1 BR/ 1 BA two-story dwelling, + (512 De La Vina) A commercial structure featuring a commercial studio / ½ BA + residential studio/ 1 BA with large storage area.”
••• 25 W. Arrellaga Street ($1.295 million): 1920 two-bedroom with period charm.
••• 2827-2829 Serena Road ($2.425 million) Adorable 1930 two-bedroom—”built as a Pacific Ready-Cut Home Kit”—in Samarkand with a motley sibling in back.

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