Noteworthy new listings….
The spec renos by Matic Design & Build—such as 3817 Calle Cita and 1250 Bel Air Drive, to name two—reliably have a glam-yet-warm energy that’s very now, and 1062 Camino del Retiro ($4.995 million) is no exception. The firm bought the undistinguished 1964 house for $2.45 million last August and gave it a thorough makeover, including reverting back to the original garage; turning the outbuilding into a swanky ADU; adding a pool, bocce court, and putting green; and introducing indoor-outdoor moments and stylish finishes throughout. (Visitors may find themselves touching many a shower wall.) While I’m unconvinced by the “wine room” off the living room, and I wish a ceiling or two had been popped, it feels like the kind of spread—with four bedrooms, all en suite, plus that ADU—that will impress the neighbors with its freshness. P.S. Is this Park Highlands? I’m never quite sure where the borders are…. UPDATE: Lesley says this is the Rancho San Antonio neighborhood.
The rustique 1962 Mediterranean at 4451 Via Alegre ($16.45 million) in Hope Ranch is in need of updating, but from what I can tell, the floor plan looks solid, with a main-level primary bedroom. The swell mountain views are presumably why the backyard and pool are on the north side of the house. The lot is 2.52 acres.
1029 Alston Road ($7.975 million) also wants to be updated—I’d lighten up those ceiling beams—but the 1948 architecture has nice flow, with an upstairs office and a pleasant backyard.
The elegant photos of 2615 Foothill Lane ($4.495 million) smooth out some of the stylistic inconsistencies in the 1990 house, such as various styles of Saltillo tile, and a refresh would be welcome. But the architecture feels as if it could date from before the 1990s, which is a compliment, even if it’s less than ideal that all of the guest rooms share hallway baths. The biggest draw might be the lot: two acres with a pretty south-facing pool, sport/pickleball court, and lovely landscaping. N.B. This is a floops, as the seller paid $4.325 million in March 2024.
The kitchen at 648 Orchard Avenue ($2.5 million) belongs in a Residence Inn, but the charm of the three-bedroom, one-and-a-half bath cottage, built in 1930, is apparent elsewhere. It’s tiny, of course, but what did you expect for $2.5 million in Montecito these days?
And a few others worth checking out:
••• 15 Loma Media Road ($2.995 million): Another floops: the seller paid $2.494 million in September 2024 for the pair of one-bedroom villas in a romantic Riviera setting.
••• 284 Gould Lane ($6.85 million): A big hunk of ’80s cheese in Ennisbrook with twin staircases, catwalk, and six levels (if I counted correctly).
••• 2081 N. San Marcos Road ($3.95 million): “6,145 square-foot retreat offers 9 beds, 7 baths across 6 self-contained units.” Plus: three driveways.
••• 1212 Shoreline Drive ($3.5 million): Old-school (1951) three-bedroom, one-bath cottage across from Shoreline Park; the listing says it’s been “thoughtfully updated,” but there’s no kitchen photo….
••• 25 W. Islay Street ($3.199 million): Perfect for the failure-to-launch family, the 1915 three-bedroom bungalow includes “two two-bedroom units—one above the detached two-car garage and one beneath the main house.”
••• 4436 Meadowlark Lane ($3.35 million): 1992 three-bedroom on the edge of a slope (below).
Love real estate? Sign up for the Siteline email newsletter.
1062 CDR is in Rancho San Antonio neighborhood, not Park Highlands which is bordered by San Antonio creek road.
Loma Media is *so* pretty, they scraped some of the funk off of it but did a wonderful update. I love it but I’m not sure how I’d live in it unless I split the place with a friend. Also, phrases like “perfect for the failure-to-launch family” are what keep me coming back to Siteline, thank you.
I want 2615 Foothill Lane just so I can play pickleball whenever I want. Life could be a dream.