Make Myself at Home: Cute Villa Constance Condo

Address: 8 West Constance Avenue, #8

Status: On the market

Price: $525,000

The balconies of the Villa Constance condominiums sport metal awnings with sweet scalloped edges and decorative, circular-patterned white iron railings. I’ve admired these cute retro details for years, every time I drive past, which seems to happen quite frequently. Given their central location — spanning the block between State and Chapala and Constance and Alamar — it’s not too surprising that they feel so familiar.

Visiting an open house on Sunday at Villa Constance South, it was fun to see these ornamental elements up close and imagine what it would be like to live here. Villa Constance is made up of separate, small two-story buildings, each housing eight units. The appointed address was easy to find, with one entrance on Constance Avenue and a back door opening to the interior gardens of the complex.

I walked through the landscaped pathways of Villa Constance, admiring the lush green lawns and perfectly manicured plants, bushes, and palm trees towering overhead. A long, low fountain gurgles near the building, delighting both eyes and ears as it sparkles in the sunlight with a gentle splashing background sound.

Inside, a carpeted interior staircase led me up to the doorway of unit number 8. With its one bedroom and one bath, it’s notable that my first impression of this home was how expansive it feels.

I stepped through the front doorway to find myself in a large living room with sliding glass doors opening out onto a balcony that runs the length of the room. Whether it’s the big balcony itself or the mountain view that it frames, the living room is a primary reason why this home feels so spacious. An L-shaped alcove between the living room and the kitchen makes an ideal dining space or could be fashioned into an office or even a kids’ play area. While I don’t generally think of a one-bedroom home as a family abode, with a little creativity, this one could work.

The kitchen itself is long and narrow, in a typical galley-style design, with the sink on one side and the oven, stove, and refrigerator across from it. I walked in to check out the view from the window on the far wall and was delighted to find that it provides another great mountain vista. Standing in the kitchen, I realized that it has an almost identical layout to my own kitchen. While it’s not ideal for a crowd, I love that everything in my kitchen is within arm’s reach.

In the dining area, doorways lead to the bathroom and the bedroom, with storage cabinets in the hallway between them. The bathroom has been upgraded, with a glass-enclosed shower/bath combo, white-tile floor, and extra counter space. Double windows provide yet another glimpse of the mountains and palm trees.

If you’re tired of the views, don’t even bother looking into the bedroom. This bright, airy room has huge windows on two adjoining walls, providing a panorama to rival the living room’s vantage point. The room itself is large as well, balancing out the rest of the home.

Other convenient features of this home include a covered garage, an elevator as an alternative to the staircase, and its location within the coveted Peabody School District. The association fees cover all utilities, as well as all of the exterior upkeep. So a lucky new owner can admire the manicured landscaping while enjoying gorgeous views from their stylishly retro balcony perch all year long without ever lifting a finger.

8 West Constance Avenue, #8, is currently for sale in Santa Barbara, listed by David Kim and Devin Wong of The DK Group at Village Properties Realtors. Reach David at (805) 296-0662 or david@villagesite.com or Devin at (805) 451-6157 or devin@devinwong.realtor.