Siteline | A Handsome Renovation in Hope Ranch

Noteworthy new listings….

A single-level, five-bedroom house on 1.44 acres in Hope Ranch, 4328 Via Esperanza ($9.695 million) looks good on paper and in the photos, with more innate character than we tend to see in a spec reno of 1970s architecture. The question that prospective buyers will likely have is whether enough was done—the listing cites “updated flooring, new paint, and carefully selected finishes” as the improvements—in the three and a half months since the property was purchased off-market for $4.95 million. UPDATE: That sale was evidently an intra-family transfer, and this is not a spec reno; the headline has been changed accordingly. Also, there are two primary bathrooms. ~~P.S. Is that only one sink in the primary bathroom?~~

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There’s more 1970s architecture at 1438 Hillcrest Road ($5.9 million), which could pass for the cross-section of a house. The gray facade and pedestrian roof do it no favors, but inside is another story, with voluminous rooms, big back-of-the-Riviera mountain views, contemporary finishes (like the concave kitchen cabinets), and bathrooms that look especially sharp with no toiletries on display. The primary bath really goes the extra mile—check out the atrium with bathtub. N.B. The matching outbuilding is the garage; you access the house via a path alongside it.

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The seller of 210 Las Alturas Road ($6.389 million), at the street’s lower end, paid $3.132 million in September 2023 and gave the 1987 house a clean, of-the-moment renovation. (A before photo of the exterior is here.) The open-plan living room, dining room, and kitchen on the main floor are appealing, bolstered by bifold doors. The six bedrooms include a windowless one next to the garage and two on the lower level that share a small hallway bath.

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What a difference a little flair makes! While it’s hard to get the big picture—literally and figuratively—of 5510 Callejon Drive ($3.5 million) in Carpinteria’s Concha Loma neighborhood, the 1951 house is standard California ranch, but the interiors take a page from midcentury Italy. It’s like I Am Love, but in Carp. There’s a two-bedroom, two-bath main house, and a one-bedroom guest house on the other side of the pool.

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The thoroughly 1980s four-bedroom, three-bath at 406 Lincolnwood Place ($3.279 million) in west San Roque has terrific curb appeal and a lovely living room with windows on three sides. The backyard is a little tight, but it squeezes in a hot tub, lawn, and—embedded in the massive hedge—a treehouse.

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