Address: 985 Monte Drive
Status: On the Market
Price: $4,495,000
One of my favorite places for morning walks with my dog, Scout, is the Santa Barbara Harbor. I admire the activity on and around the fishing boats, gaze at the pelicans soaring overhead, and take way too many photos of sunrises and sunsets. Scout sniffs all the smells and encourages me toward the sand no matter the time of day.
So, we usually start out walking toward the breakwater, then circle back in front of the Santa Barbara Yacht Club and walk back along the beach. The yacht club features prominently in my photos; it’s always a stylish and stalwart landmark.
When my friend Kelly Knight told me about her team’s latest property for sale, I was intrigued to hear that the house was designed by architect Richard Bliss Nelson — the same architect who designed the yacht club.
The home at 985 Monte Drive is a stunning residence in Hope Ranch: dual-level living set on an acre, with gorgeous mountain views and access to the private beach and riding trails that are the trademarks of ranch living. One glance at the exterior of the house shows similarities to the yacht club building, so of course I wanted to see more.
Soaring vaulted ceilings on the main level give the open-plan living room, kitchen, and primary suite an expansive feeling, enhanced even further by walls of glass that bring the outside in. There’s a second bedroom and bath, an office, and a dining area between the kitchen and living room on this level, too. Really, everything one needs is right here — but this is only half the house.
The lower level has a beautiful family room with a wet bar and gleaming hardwood floors, plus another bedroom suite and office. A huge covered patio is a super-flexible space that could be a gym, an art studio, game room, or more. A separate entrance gives even more options. The windows on this level look out onto the property’s lush grounds, giving it a cool, green, treehouse feel.
My favorite space in this home is the wraparound view deck upstairs. It’s a room of its own, big enough for large-scale dining and entertaining, and also perfect for quiet reflection while gazing out onto the view. This spot, along with the pathways meandering throughout the property, would certainly keep me enchanted.
The gorgeous mountain views from this home might almost be enough to make me and Scout change our harbor-walking habits. But we’ll continue watching the pelicans and sniffing the sand, while wishing the best to a new lucky Hope Ranch homeowner.
The home at 985 Monte Drive is currently for sale in Hope Ranch, listed by the Knight Real Estate Group of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties. Reach Kelly Knight at (805) 895-4406 or kelly@knightrealestategroup.com, or Gabe Grandcolas at (805) 450-4723 or gabe@knightrealestategroup.com.
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