Funky Midcentury Oceanfront on the Far Side of More Mesa

Noteworthy new listings….

I’d love to get my hands on 5325 Dorwin Lane ($6.45 million), on the other side of More Mesa, where the smell of salt air mixes with midcentury zest—and not, one hopes, odors from industrial nurseries.

················

At first glance, photogenic 1445 E. Mountain Drive ($8.45 million) seems underpriced—four bedrooms in a house with character off the street in the Golden Quadrangle is exactly what people have been snapping up for a year now. The only clear demerits from the listing photos are an iffy roof and the stone floors, which large rugs would go a long way toward fixing. One cause for concern is the 12.77-acre lot next door, where a possible subdivision could mean years of construction.

················

Located at the eastern end of Padaro Lane, where the lots get Jane Fonda thin, 3543 Padaro Lane ($11.895 million) is a pair of one-bedroom, one-bath cottages right on the beach. As adorable as the cottages are, many surfaces are tired, and the price is high for something so small and not turnkey.

················

The seller of 700 Mission Canyon Road ($3.75 million) bought it a year ago for $2.884 million and had it painted and staged. Even if there are surfaces that want updating, the 1925 main house has charm, and the stone guest house has even more. The location next to a Rocky Nook Park parking lot, however, leaves a lot to be desired.

················

2519 Foothill Lane ($3.995 million) could stand lightening up inside, but the exterior and 1.2 acres are an entertainer’s dream, from the glamorous front entrance, to the deck atop the garage, to the courtyard, to the pool, to the sport court….

················

Cool and contemporary, 2215 Elise Way ($2.5 million) is a rarity for the Mesa. It won’t last long.

················

1220 San Antonio Creek Road ($4.25 million) is that same heavy-handed Mediterranean pastiche you see all over Santa Barbara. But the bones look good and the house is off the street, with appealing grounds.

················

Pre-Covid, 155 San Leandro Place ($3.795 million) in the Hedgerow was on the market for a long time, starting at $3.075 million in April 2017 and ending at $2.299 million in September 2019. It’s an uninspired ranch house with contemporary interiors; many of the rough edges could be smoothed out, but if you start at $3.8 million and add a million more, you’ve dropped a hefty amount on a house so close to the freeway.

················

After a chilly first impression, the spec reno at 1328 Manitou Road ($2.695 million) in Bel Air Knolls recovers well enough, although (a) BW will probably disagree; (b) the staging makes me wonder if the floor plan is awkward; (c) and that sea of gravel in the backyard could indicate a hesitancy to invest. The seller paid $1.381 million in December.

················

I honestly can’t tell which door at 2718 Macadamia Lane ($2.75 million) is the front and which is the back.

················

And a few others worth checking out:
••• 226 Dawlish Place ($1.95 million): Amazing how little $2 million gets you in the Cold Spring School District.
••• 1903 Coyote Circle ($3.799 million): Another Mediterranean-ish one. Is this what wineries in Idaho look like?
••• 494 N. La Cumbre Road ($1.995 million): San Roque four-bedroom with lots of awkward surfaces.
••• 2558 Mesa School Lane ($1.695 million): Two-bedroom near the Douglas Family Preserve.
••• 2726 Williams Way ($1.45 million): nicely staged but the bathroom never lies.
••• 35 Las Alturas Road ($2.199 million): You know things are grim when the only interior photo is of the garage.
••• 4878 Vieja Drive ($2.765 million): Abutting More Mesa but no interior photos (see above).
••• 424 Las Alturas Road ($2.725 million): Could be cool if you blew out the interior walls and treated it like a loft (below).

················

Love real estate? Sign up for the Siteline email newsletter.