Noteworthy new listings….
I rarely do much research on a property before heading off to a brokers’ open, so 1402 Grand Avenue ($5.395 million) took me by surprise: it’s on a part of Grand Avenue that feels more like Jimeno Road, and it’s at the end of a very long private driveway (which I learned the hard way because I parked on the street). The house itself is a dud, aesthetically speaking, but the setting is insane. The 5.21-acre lot—huge for the Lower Riviera—feels like a world unto itself, if you ignore the house looming directly behind it, and the views are intoxicating. I’d love to see what an architect could do to breathe life into the 1962 architecture. (Either go full Italian or full contemporary?) The weird bathroom situation downstairs—where two guest rooms sort of share a half bath—means the property really functions as a two-bedroom house with a guest house.
················
1190 Garden Lane ($14.999 million) is a 1954 Riven Rock house that benefits greatly from the seller’s taste and furnishings. It’s single-level, it looks turnkey, and the area is certainly a draw, but the architecture isn’t remarkable, and there aren’t views to speak of from inside. I can’t shake the feeling that the price is off by a couple million bucks.
················
The seller of 2232 Santa Barbara Street ($5,555,888) paid $4,888,888 in September 2022—someone is crazy for for eights—and I overheard the listing agent say that the main improvement was painting the exterior. I adore the grandes dames of the Upper East, but they’re a lot of work to maintain and decorate appropriately. This one, which dates from 1904 and is so large (7,254 square feet, with eight bedrooms) you’d have to name the rooms to keep them straight, is still waiting for someone to treat it like the queen it is.
················
165 Canon View Road ($3.295 million), behind Eucalyptus Hill, is presumably a spec reno, although it has taken a while to come on the market: the seller paid just $1.3 million in late 2020. The 1978 lines have curb appeal, and the great room—with windows in front and back—is a winner. Things get a little cramped as you head toward the bedrooms, and while there’s also a guest suite above the garage, it has yet to be renovated. I do wish more effort had been spent on hardscaping. (Go play in the gravel, kids….)
················
There are ocean views from 2362 Whitney Avenue ($4.395 million), but the property is mainly angled the other direction, where a courtyard pool has a gorgeous mountain panorama as a backdrop. The 2001 house has the presence of a villa, helped in no small part by all the rustic stone and wood. That dual staircase goes to a bedroom to one side and a lovely office to the other. Four million dollars is a lot for Summerland, especially for a two-bedroom, 2,212-square-foot house, but this one does feel special.
················
Even though 2450 Whitney Avenue ($3.6 million), down the street, is only around 250 square feet larger, it comes off as much bigger. (Just look at it.) The 2002 house is split-level: upstairs is an open-plan living area—spacious for Summerland—and the primary bedroom; two guest rooms are downstairs. Surfaces throughout could use updating. The marquee moment is the substantial deck to the west, with an outdoor kitchen and swell mountain views. Do your due diligence about the striped angled parking across Temple Street—it’s likely for the adjacent house (to each his own…), but there’s also an entrance to Summerland Farm next door.
················
Also worth checking out:
••• 2121 Chapala Street ($2.015 million): 1928 fixer between Padre and Los Olivos; love those exterior walls (above).
••• 313 Salida Del Sol ($3.599 million): Turnkey?! There’s not one part of this Mesa house I wouldn’t change.
••• 36 Vista Del Mar Drive ($2.588 million): Pretty spec reno near Hendry’s Beach and with openness to the back; it’ll go fast.
••• 1066 Via Los Padres ($3.395 million): 1991 three-bedroom without a lot of neighbors.
••• 1721 Olive Street ($3.295 million): Renovated 1915 house on four levels; the seller paid $2.9 million in April 2023.
••• 313 Maleza Way ($22.4 million): That’s the front (below).
••• 1103 N. Nopal Street ($2 million): Fixer compound in the adorable Little Granada area north of Santa Barbara High School; the tennis courts are across the street.
••• 2332 Golden Gate Avenue ($2.15 million): 1910 Summerland three-bedroom in need of a redo.
••• 1011 Camino del Retiro ($3.299 million): Spec reno of 1992 Rancho San Antonio four-bedroom; the seller paid $2.2 million six months ago.
••• 1133 Palomino Road ($2.095 million): 1965 four-bedroom, two-bath notable for its green facade and the long footbridge between the house and guest parking (below).
················
Love real estate? Sign up for the Siteline email newsletter.
Comment: