An Abundance of Interesting New Listings

Noteworthy new listings….

The primary selling points of 1502 E. Mountain Drive ($23.5 million) are obviously size and location: the property includes a five-bedroom main house, a guest house, and an apartment, and it’s all high enough to get widescreen ocean views but still feel close to the Upper Village. And unlike many south-facing houses on the hillside, it has outdoor spaces that won’t broil in the afternoon sun. While some of the 1990s architectural flourishes feel fresher than others—and consistent floors would help unify the interiors—a sunken bar never goes out of style.

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2794 Kara Lane ($16.9 million), on 26 acres between Santa Ynez and Solvang, is built for fun, with “an unbelievable two-acre private lake with beach, equipped for swimming, fishing, and other recreational activities. There is also a rockstar party barn, sport courts, and a fully furnished airstream with hot tub that can sleep additional guests.” (Sleep in a hot tub? No thanks.) As for the main house, who can resist “a new modern chefs’ kitchen that includes a unique separate area for the family pets to dine”? More photos can be found here.

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Located on Hope Ranch’s main drag, 767 Las Palmas Drive ($9.25 million) is new construction in the “modern farmhouse” style that’s everywhere these days. A few idiosyncratic touches stand out, however: the cracks in the basement’s concrete floor (vestigial? intentional?); the “one-bedroom” unit above the garage (deep inhale before you try to reach the closet); and the rock garden—a surprisingly rare xeriscape strategy—with what I assume is a baby Buddha sculpture.

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“Donald Robertson, formerly the creative director for Condé Nast and, since 2007, the creative director at Estée Lauder” (as per Dirt) bought 1586 San Leandro Lane ($8.995 million) in the Hedgerow in 2015, redid it inside and out, and put it back on the market in early 2017. The 1924 house was on and off the market for years (for as low as $4.995 million and as high as $6.599 million), and occasionally listed as a rental. It has plenty of photogenic moments—the wall of windows in the primary bedroom, the party shower in the primary bath, the courtyard pool—but the floor plan remains tricky.

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Just around the block is 1564 Ramona Lane ($9.5 million), a 1940 Harriet Moody house that the seller bought just three and a half months ago for $8.752 million. The listing doesn’t mention any improvements.

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There’s more modern farmhouse style at 1180 High Road ($6.995 million), where turnkey plus the Lower Village could add up to quite a draw. For $7 million, however, you might expect cabinetry panels on the fridge and dishwasher.

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You’d think that one significant appeal of 1274 Eleven Oaks Lane ($6.7 million), directly behind Los Arroyos restaurant on Coast Village Road, would be the proximity to the many dining options a short walk away. And yet someone thought the house needed four kitchens—one on each level inside, and two outside. The interiors have panache, although I’m curious about how the cabinets above the primary bed work and why you’d want to block the lone window in that guest room. Up the hill behind the house is a cool deck.

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“Roland Sauter, a prominent local architect known for designing many local landmarks including Santa Barbara High and City Hall, designed this property as his personal residence.” And the facade and wood-block floors of 2065 Mission Ridge Road ($6 million) are fabulous. But in the decades since the house was built in 1930, it got carved up and added onto, and now it’s more of an apartment complex. (Try to follow along: “Enter the front 2 bedroom residence via a circular motor court which has 2 separate 1 bedroom residences & a 2 car garage [….] The rear duplex has 2 handsome 1 bedroom units above 6 carports.”) As delightful as the main house could be, and as useful as the rear duplex could be (if you need such a thing), the structures sit right in the middle of the lot, which means there isn’t a lot of opportunity for outdoor space.

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Talk about turnkey: the top-floor apartment at 105 W. De La Guerra Street Unit B2 ($3.995 million) was just totally redone, and it’s being sold furnished. Who needs a house when you have two en-suite bedrooms, a living room and family room, a primary bath with windows in both the shower and water closet (not to mention a “Champagne refrigerator”), two parking spaces, and a private deck up in the tower?

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We see so little midcentury style around here that anytime it appears, it feels refreshing—and 2150 Foothill Lane ($3.795 million) is no exception. There’s also a one-bedroom guest house, but it hasn’t been redone anytime lately.

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And a few others worth checking out:
••• 306 Meadowbrook Drive ($8.5 million) Sweet two-acre lot in Ennisbrook but the 2002 house needs to be rethought—too many rooms, too little outdoor space on the main level.
••• 962 Isleta Avenue ($3.35 million): 1926 Edwards and Plunkett French Norman Revival in the cute part of town just above SBCC; it spreads over three floors, and on the main floor there are side-by-side staircases sharing one sliding door—it’s like something out of a farce.
••• 1334 Alameda Padre Serra ($3.25): 1930 four-bedroom with neat bones but the driveway wraps right behind the house, with the backyard on the other side.
••• 750 Hot Springs Road ($4 million): The seller paid $3.4 million for the 1.02-acre lot, started building, and had a change of heart.
••• 988 Coyote Road ($3.499 million): Two parcels totaling 2.48 acres with a likely teardown.
••• 810 Largura Place ($2.495 million): 1973 Lower Riviera house with great views but little outdoor space.
••• 196 Santa Elena Lane ($2.25 million): Half-acre lot in the Montecito Oaks area.
••• 1124 E. Cota Street ($1.55 million): 1930 bungalow with an outdoor shower perfect for exhibitionists.
••• 501 Brinkerhoff Avenue ($1.249 million): 1910 bungalow on the corner of W. Haley Street.
••• 2865 Holly Road ($399,800): Three-acre vacant lot that, well, good luck (below).

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