Noteworthy new listings….
A bunch of boxy houses got built in Montecito in the 1980s and 1990s, and they haven’t always aged well. But 900 Park Lane ($16.9 million) has had some work done, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it has never looked better. The house is positioned sideways on the A+ street, so pretty much every room has a terrific view, and the finishes enhance the architecture; the effect is that of a sharply tailored suit. And that’s before you discover the classy little pool tucked off to the side and the one-bedroom guest house reached via footbridge. That said, the upper-level primary suite will turn off the age-in-place crowd, and there’s an argument to be made that $16.9 million should buy a larger house and/or more land—with more usable land, in particular—than 1.13 acres. (Converting some of the six-car garage would free up space.) P.S. Bonus points for walkability to the Buena Vista trailhead.
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Beachfront living on Sandyland Road in Carpinteria usually means a unit, not a house, but behold 4923 Sandyland Road ($8.1 million), built in 1957 and given a thorough remodel. While the style is basic beach house, you can’t beat the location—right on the sand and a block from Linden Avenue—and it’s far cheaper and wider than you’d get from a similar property in Montecito.
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Interior designer Erinn V. bought 2700 Holly Road ($5.75 million) for $2.2 million in July 2021 and gave it a captivating makeover. The listing agents say that it wasn’t intended as a spec reno, that V. simply had a change of plans, which would explain why it transcends the usual flip. The open-plan living/dining room radiates a powerful I-want-it pull, with views that extend down the hillside to the ocean, and the style throughout is flawless. The panache will have to do some heavy lifting: the location is not exactly convenient; the third bedroom is really more of an office; there’s no garage or air conditioning; and the primary bath has just one sink and an alfresco bathtub. None of that may matter to someone on the hunt for a turnkey weekend house.
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You could probably use 2700 Holly as a playbook for 1250 Northridge Road ($3.2 million), way above San Roque. The bones of the 1987 house look good, and you might be able to take it to the next level without too much investment. (Caveat: We only get to see one bathroom.) Plus, you get a 500-square-foot casita and a shed that can function as an office.
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The 1930 house at 1753 Grand Avenue ($2.395 million), on the Lower Riviera, has scads of historic charm. The seller paid $1.355 million in 2019 and “updated the bathrooms and recently replaced the HVAC and air conditioner, water heater, rain gutters, downspouts as well as some lighting and electrical outlets in the kitchen, bathrooms, and finished garage areas.” It’s a shame the kitchen didn’t make the cut.
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And a few others worth checking out:
••• 210 Las Alturas Road ($3.85 million): The seller paid $2.75 million in July 2022 for a fixer/teardown with approved plans (rendering below)—and now hopes to make a buck by flipping the property without having moved it forward. Is that a pool by the motor court?
••• 2712 El Prado Road ($2.4 million): Samarkand three-bedroom set up as a two-bedroom on street level with a one-bedroom ADU downstairs; nice view from the deck.
••• 126 Loureyro Road ($4.995 million): Spec reno of a cluster of cottages across the street from the 101 in Montecito; the seller paid $3.951 million in July 2022.
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