Ever Dream of Being an Innkeeper in Wine Country?

Noteworthy new listings….

The current owners of the Ballard Inn at 2436 Baseline Avenue ($7.65 million) paid just $1.075 million $4.94 million [see below] for the 15-room hotel in September 2021, and according to the listing, they’ve put $1.3 million into the property. (Much of that appears to have gone toward decor in the public rooms, including the restaurant, and building a terrace with pizza oven.) The rationale for the price must be that Ballard is a sweet town, the 1985 building has potential, and the hotel market in greater Santa Barbara has been on fire in recent years. The guest rooms, however, have a quirk that won’t easily be remedied: the sinks are in the rooms proper, across the entry from the rest of the bathrooms. P.S. “The sale includes a Type 47 liquor license which authorizes the sale of beer, wine and spirits on the premises.” UPDATE: I got the $1.075 million number from a 2022 Santa Maria Times article, but the official records show it as $4.94 million—which makes the current price much more justifiable.

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A DIY renovation has done 315 Malaga Drive ($7.25 million) no favors—you can feel the flooring buckling underneath you—but the flat, .81-acre Hedgerow lot is attractive, with compelling mountain views from the pool. Unfortunately, the 1973 house is situated near the two others that share the driveway, there’s no family room, and none of the three guest rooms are en suite. Bring your imagination—and an architect—and see what can be done with that sea of gravel.

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While the black facade of 925 El Rancho Road ($4.5 million) reads a bit heavy—even the chimney got painted—inside has charm, showing what can be done with 1970s architecture. The house is not huge; living room, dining area, and kitchen all share one space. But the four bedrooms are en suite, and anyone who starts to feel cramped can hang out in the treehouse. Bordering Hale Park is a big plus; the vacant lot next door is more of a question mark.

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4701 Via Los Santos ($3.995 million) packs a lot onto its .77 acre: four-bedroom main house, two-bedroom guest house with separate motor court, tennis court, and a couple patches of lawn. Inside is blah, though.

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And a few others worth checking out:
••• 712 Ladera Lane ($2.395 million): Wooded two-acre lot in east Montecito with a two-bedroom, one-bath A-frame and an outbuilding with a half bath and outdoor shower (below).
••• 3241 Lucinda Lane ($2.495 million): Renovated three-bedroom above San Roque; the seller paid $1.255 million in February 2021.

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