Noteworthy new listings….
Short of seeing it in person, the easiest way to get your head around 1360 E. Mountain Drive ($27 million) is to spend some time with the floor plan: the main house is a sprawling 9,695 square feet, with a double-height atrium off the entry and many little rooms on the way to other rooms. The interiors are done in a standard Mediterranean style, but the architecture could handle something much more fabulous—a little more Tony Duquette. Needing no upgrade are the prime location, the 2.8 acres of land (with two-bedroom guest house and pool cabana), the lush landscaping (thanks to a well), and the driveway, one of the best in town.
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I may have more to say about 4426 Via Bendita ($12.995 million) in Hope Ranch after I visit it later this morning, but it looks good on paper and in photos: 7,142-square-foot house, built in 1965 on 3.25 acres, with six bedrooms, a pool, stable, and lighted tennis court. And the interiors appear to be in excellent shape. The property is at the corner of Las Palmas Drive, but the house is far enough away that that shouldn’t be an issue. UPDATE: Nothing to add other than it feels like quality.
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The 2017 house at 521 Santa Rosa Lane ($9.5 million) in the outer Hedgerow is what every California cottage spec reno aspires to be: it’s textbook, with lovely finishes and mature landscaping. I saw it before I knew the price, and I actually guessed $10 million $9.995 million. There’s no dining room, the lot is just .61 acre, and the upstairs rumpus room with a stage would give many non-parents nightmares, but the house is totally turnkey and close to three elementary schools. Plus, there’s a guest house.
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The 1947 four-bedroom at 20 Alston Place ($6.995 million) isn’t quite up to the same level of quality, but it has more intrinsic charm, and the tasteful decor shows the bones off rather nicely. I’d be inclined to pop a ceiling or two, just for the sake of variety.
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Judging from the bathrooms, which appear to be original to the house, 4450 Via Esperanza ($5.495 million) hasn’t been remodeled much since it was built in 1977. The question, then, is whether the job is merely surfaces or whether the floor plan wants rearranging. Also, the backyard could be expanded—the listings says there’s “over an acre of avocado trees,” but judging from Google Maps, the land looks like it could be put to other use. UPDATE: The floor plan is solid, with a downstairs primary; the backyard definitely wants to be opened up.
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420 Plaza Rubio ($2.987 million) wasn’t open this week, which is a shame, because I was hoping to get an answer to the question of why it’s priced so low. Sure, it only has two bedrooms, and it needs work, but 512 Plaza Rubio sold last fall for $3.508 million. Is the public path alongside the house that much of a deterrent?
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Here’s a fun one: 1807 Ladera Road ($2.995 million) on 9.77 acres in Ojai, “built in 1974 (est.) by acclaimed artist and Walt Disney’s most well known Production Designer, Frank Armitage.” The big round artwork—” mural created by Frank Armitage, reminiscent of his time spent working with Mexican Artist Siqueiros”—is included.
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And a few others worth checking out:
••• 533 Conejo Road ($2.097 million): 2012 three-bedroom awfully close to a neighbor.
••• 15 Francisco Drive ($2.975 million): 1965 three-bedroom way above San Roque.
••• 6 Soledad Street ($1.399 million): Midcentury spec reno “in the up and coming Eastside neighborhood”; the seller paid $925,000 five months ago.
••• 116 W. Los Olivos Street ($2.275 million): Cute 1933 cottage, a.k.a. The Little Yellow House (below).
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