The Home Page | Scarface Settings, Historic Ventura Views, and More

What’s Happening in Real Estate at Home and Afar

This edition of The Home Page was originally emailed to subscribers on May 29, 2022. To receive Sarah Sinclair’s real estate newsletter in your inbox each Sunday, sign up at independent.com/newsletters.

VENTURING TO VENTURA

Looking a little farther afield than The Home Page usually travels, we learned about a house for sale in Ventura that’s too cool not to share. First of all, the drive down offers a dolphin-filled ocean view. As long as you time it to avoid the traffic, what’s not to love? This seven-bedroom Craftsman is a stately home with an historic pedigree. Built in 1911 for Ida Foster, the daughter of E. P. Foster — known as the “father of Ventura” — and her husband, Frederick Neill Baker, who opened the first hardware store in Ventura, and listed as Ventura Historic Landmark No. 109, the house has been lovingly restored to maintain its original character. Leaded doors! A sunny parlor! Carved wood mantel! And located walking distance to Ventura’s Main Street — including the public library, which is named after E. P. Foster himself. Listed by Bob Walsmith and Magda Nordahl for $2,550,000, the home was the site of many philanthropic community events in Ventura’s founding days, so I’m sure there are plenty of stories to share.

SUNDAY SPOTLIGHT

CBS Sunday Morning focused on Santa Barbara last week in their annual “By Design” episode, as Jane Pauley reported from one of Montecito’s grand estates, El Fureidis. In addition to hosting the likes of John F. Kennedy, Albert Einstein, and Winston Churchill, the home was also seen in the 1983 film Scarface as Al Pacino’s Florida mansion. Pauley called the home “cozy by today’s mega-mansion standards,” but it certainly holds its own. Designed to resemble a classic Roman villa, El Fureidis, which means “tropical paradise,” is set on more than 10 acres of water gardens, lush landscaping, and terraces with stunning ocean views, and it can be yours for only $39,995,000, offered by Riskin Partners. The CBS Sunday Morning episode also takes us behind the walls of Bellosguardo, as well as some history and familiar Santa Barbara scenes. The full episode is here.

POWDER ROOM PANORAMA

It’s not usually the most talked-about room in the house, and you don’t often see it highlighted when you’re looking at homes for sale, but let’s admit: Bathrooms are important. Part spa and sanctuary, part efficient space to get organized for your day, having a bathroom that feels good and makes you feel good can make a big difference in your life. The clean, serene space shown above is from the Cottages Carpinteria — a group of five brand-new custom homes in my favorite neighboring sleepy beach town to the south. I couldn’t get there this week, but my friend Marisa sent me a bunch of photos from her tour. They’re offered by Yolanda Van Wingerden, and open today from 2-5 p.m., so don’t miss your chance to visit. For more bathroom inspiration, check out Keith Hamm’s article in this week’s issue. There’s a style for everyone!

REAL RESULTS

Local real estate professionals Monica Lenches and Cindy Feinberg were so touched by the need in Ukraine that they held a fundraising event this week, raising awareness and more than $45,000 for the relief effort, to be administered by Direct Relief International. Monica shared that “May 24th, the day of our Ukraine fundraiser, marked the three-month anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It was a day of remembering the loss and devastation inflicted on Ukraine and its people and honoring the remarkable resiliency, courage, and hope of its people.” Thank you Monica and Cindy for seeing a need and taking action to help. It’s heartwarming to see our community come together to find solutions.

Memorial Day means honor and remembrance. In Santa Barbara, it also means I Madonnari at the Mission. Make sure to check out this week’s issue for all the details, plus open houses and more. Enjoy!

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