$3.5 Million Homes in California – The New York Times

Marina del Rey | $3.495 MillionA 1923 beach house with four bedrooms and four full and one half bathrooms, on a 0.07-acre lot

Four miles south of Santa Monica and 25 minutes from Los Angeles International Airport, Marina del Rey is a small beach community centered around a man-made harbor, one of the largest in the country. Boats are almost exclusively small pleasure vessels, and kayaking, paddle-boarding and other water sports are popular. Housing is a mix of large condominium buildings and more traditional beach homes. This house, with dcor inspired by the beach cottages of the Hamptons and Nantucket, is on a pedestrian-only street about two minutes walk from the beach.

Size: 2,938 square feet

Price per square foot: $1,190

Indoors: The front door is set back from the street, behind a gate and a small courtyard.

The lower level is laid out in open-plan style. The front door opens directly into a large room with a sitting area anchored by a wood-burning fireplace and white built-in shelving, and a dining area with space for a long table. From the sitting area, a door leads outside to the pool area.

Beyond the living and dining area is a spacious kitchen with an island that offers additional counter space. The countertops in the kitchen are mahogany, and the appliances are stainless steel, including a Viking range. A small desk is built into the kitchen for use as a home office.

A jute-covered staircase leads up to the second-floor hallway, where built-in shelves offer storage space between the master suite and the guest bedrooms. At the end of the hallway is the master bedroom, which has its own fireplace and two walls lined with windows. French doors open to a private deck with ocean views. The master bathroom has dual sinks, a matching French-style tub and a glass-enclosed steam shower.

Three guest rooms off the main hallway are each large enough to hold a queen-size bed. One of the bedrooms has an en suite bathroom with a combination tub and shower; the other two share a bathroom with a shower stall.

Outdoor space: Behind the entry gate is a stone-and-gravel patio with a firepit and room for seating. At the back of the house, a narrow plunge-style swimming pool is surrounded by a paved patio. The one-car garage has an attached room for storing bicycles and surfboards, along with an outdoor shower, to rinse off sand after a trip to the beach.

Taxes: $43,692 (estimated)

Contact: Tami Halton Pardee, Halton Pardee + Partners, 310-907-6517; haltonpardee.com

Corona del Mar is a seaside community in Newport Beach whose main thoroughfare is the Pacific Coast Highway, running along Californias coastline. Most of the areas single-family homes have gated front yards and easy access to the beach. This house is a 10-minute walk from Little Corona del Mar Beach in one direction and a two-minute walk from the Buck Gully Trailhead, a popular hiking destination, in the other direction. Fashion Island, an upscale shopping mall, is a 10-minute drive, while John Wayne Airport, Orange Countys only commercial airport, is about 15 minutes by car.

Size: 2,385 square feet

Price per square foot: $1,465

Indoors: Set on a hillside lot, the house is split-level, with one floor above the entry level and two below. A white picket fence with a gate encloses a paved entry courtyard, screening the front door from the street.

Just inside the entry is the kitchen, which has stainless steel appliances, white Carrara marble counters and an island big enough to serve as a casual dining space. A powder room is also on this floor.

Several steps up is a loft-style living and dining area with white-oak floors. A wall of windows opens to a deck, offering wide canyon views. On the far left of the space is a fireplace flanked by built-in bookshelves.

One floor below the kitchen is the master bedroom, open to a large en suite bathroom with a Carrara marble shower and counters, a soaking tub illuminated by a chandelier and an adjacent walk-in closet. The master suite has its own deck with an outdoor soaking tub and space for lounge chairs.

On the floor below the master suite are two guest bedrooms connected by a hallway, each with its own bathroom and a walk-in shower. Also on this floor is an open office area and a laundry room.

Outdoor space: Like many Corona del Mar houses, this one has a front courtyard big enough for a set of chairs and a barbecue grill. The backyard, accessible from the lowest floor of the house and stairs from the master suite deck, is relatively large for the area and offers hillside views. A stone patio includes space for a firepit and seating. The attached garage holds one car.

Taxes: $41,591 (estimated)

Contact: Casey Lesher, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, 949-702-7211; caseylesher.com

This Spanish-style home was designed by Austen Pierpont, a member of an influential local family. Although he wasnt licensed as an architect, Mr. Pierpont designed many buildings in Ojai, including the post office and the Ojai Valley Inn and Country Club.

Upon visiting the city in the early 1920s, the original owner was so taken with his style that she asked him design this home, which she called El Pedregal, or the rocky ground. In the early 2000s, the current owner added a guesthouse designed in the style of the main house.

The home is about a 10-minute drive from the restaurants and hotels of downtown Ojai and about an hour south of Santa Barbara.

Size: 2,443 square feet

Price per square foot: $1,412

Indoors: Coming up the driveway, a visitor is greeted by the original stone garage, which has been converted into a wine-tasting room and artists studio. Beyond is a newer garage and a pool. The main house is set above the pool, with a stone path leading from the pool area to the front door.

Inside the house, an arched doorway to the left of the entry leads to a formal living room with a stone fireplace and exposed beams. Behind is a more casual den and a powder room.

Through the arch to the right of the entry is a formal dining room with original hardwood floors. The hardwood floors continue into the kitchen, which has been updated with soapstone countertops and farmhouse sinks imported from France. A small dining nook at the back of the kitchen has a door to a dining area outside.

A hallway leads from the foyer to the bedrooms. At the far end of the hall is a bright master bedroom with an en suite bathroom that has a double vanity and a Japanese-style soaking tub in addition to a walk-in shower.

One guest room off the hallway has exposed wood beams and is large enough for a king-size bed, while the other could be used as a home office. The two bedrooms share a large bathroom with a walk-in shower.

Outdoor space: To the right of the main house is the guesthouse, which has a living room, a kitchenette, an alcove sleeping area and a bathroom with a stall shower. At the front of the property is a saltwater pool surrounded by landscaping and low stone walls. Behind the main house is a large outdoor dining area; the guesthouse has its own patio. The main house, guesthouse and pool area are connected by a series of stone paths that are surrounded by olive and citrus trees and offer a number of seating areas. The garage has room for three cars.

Taxes: $36,559

Contact: Char Michaels, Michaels + Associates, Keller Williams Ojai, 805-620-2438; ojaihomes4sale.com

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$3.5 Million Homes in California - The New York Times