The Extraordinary Whale House in Mission Canyon

Noteworthy new listings….

The photos don’t do justice to 999 Andante Road ($3.25 million), a.k.a. the Whale House, built in 1978 by architect Michael Carmichael. You have to explore it in person to understand the otherworldly feel and appreciate the exquisite details. (Gaudí is an obvious reference point, but I was reminded more of Javier Senosiain.) And while the Mission Canyon property has been available as a vacation rental for years, it’s in good shape—possibly because booking is limited to people age 40 or over. Livability takes a back seat, as you’d expect, with a small kitchen, a ton of stairs, and many duck-or-else moments. But it’s built for fun: you pass through a sauna to reach the extraordinary pool, which starts in the courtyard—note the stone bar—and extends 75 feet into a grotto. While the guest house in the “tail” has the lines you’d expect, the surfaces are more mundane. Here’s hoping that whoever buys the landmark will redo it—and, moreover, that the public can be allowed to tour the house every now and then. Like any great work of art, it deserves to be seen.

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The seller of 1260 E. Mountain Drive ($25.5 million) paid $14.725 million in late 2020 and freshened up the 13,231-square-foot house to appealing effect, including painting the exterior white, combining the kitchen and dining room, and adding an elevator. The main level is dreamy, with large rooms and ocean views. The only room upstairs is a study. Downstairs, meanwhile, you’ll find a rec room, home theater (complete with concession counter), gym, and wine room. That’s a lot to offer, for sure, but a utilitarian storage area gums up the flow and the lower level doesn’t have the same elegance as the rest of the house. The pool is also downstairs, with an indoor/outdoor cabana and a striking aqueduct-style fountain that cascades into the pool. (The kid in me would be tempted to use it as a diving board.) P.S. The property is just off the Hot Springs Trailhead, which cuts both ways.

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Newly constructed 82 Hollister Ranch Road ($6.495 million) has midcentury-inspired architecture; cool, contemporary interiors; and a secluded location on the 112-acre lot. (The property is a 25 percent partnership.) The frosted glass in the shower is kind of a bummer—Hollister Ranch is the kind of place where peepers shouldn’t be a concern.

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Not long after Richard Neutra‘s 1956 Slavin House at 1322 Dover Road was essentially destroyed by fire in 2021, the property was bought by someone who vowed to rebuild it. Then, in March 2022, the .82-acre lot was put on the market for $10 million—whether the price included the completed house was unclear. Now it’s back for $3.297 million and, according to the listing, “a new design by local firm Flynn Architects has adapted and expanded the original Neutra concept, bringing the 1950s midcentury design into the modern era.”

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2517 Mesa School Lane ($3.149 million) is a spec reno; the seller paid $2.4 million last March. The 1939 three-bedroom house has enough character to handle the de rigueur white interiors, and the .23-acre lot is relatively large for the neighborhood. Personally, I wish the renovation included central air instead of split-ductless units, but adding ducting would’ve been a challenge, and at least the house opens up nicely.

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It’s amazing how far money goes in Ventura: 580 Mint Lane ($4.25 million) is new construction, with three bedrooms, three and a half baths, and ocean views.

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And a few others worth checking out:
••• 800 Rockbridge Road ($4.1 million): 1.52-acre vacant lot in Riven Rock; the seller paid $3.9 million in April 2022.
••• 217 Conejo Road ($3.65 million): “Newer Spanish style home” (built in 2010) on two acres.
••• 326 Argonne Circle ($2.5 million): 1947 house at the center of the San Roque spider web.
••• 3037 Calle Rosales ($1.995 million): 1948 cottage in San Roque.
••• 1725 San Andres Street ($2.65 million): Sweet 1925 house, but that’s a heck of a price for the Westside. UPDATE 7/24: The listing agent points out that it’s actually a duplex with an additional accessory building.
••• 214 W. E. Figueroa Street ($1.995 million): Two-bedroom townhome with two-car garage (below). [Update: Christine pointed out that the listing on Zillow is incorrect.]

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