The Home Page | Strawberry Fields Forever

It’s a short work week for “INDEPENDENT’s” Day, so I hope you don’t mind a short newsletter. This week, here are three local homes for sale with details that captured my eye, my taste buds, and my heart:

Nothing says summer quite like ripe strawberries. The four-plus-bedroom home at 967 Garcia Road has been in the same family for more than 50 years. It sits on a huge lot in the lower Riviera and enjoys rare unobstructed views. And the strawberries? Apparently, part of the English-garden-style backyard includes large strawberry plantings. The family used to take them to a stand at the farmers’ market. They are organic and delicious. If you ask nicely, you might even be able to sample them today at the open house. It’s offered by Ken Switzer and is open today from 2-4 p.m.

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Another one of Ken’s listings is located in the Upper East, with the recognizable address of 1730 Anacapa Street. This circa 1888 farmhouse is set back from the street, and the house itself boasts a beautiful blend of old-world charm and modern updates. It’s on the market for only the second time in more than 80 years and has a walkable location to parks, dining, and the theater district. The details that made me smile are the huge oak tree in the front yard, and the multiple inviting porches front and back. Visit today and sit a spell; it’s open from noon-5 p.m.

This next listing captivated me both inside and out. Just a few doors down from Montecito’s famed San Ysidro Ranch, the 6,000-square-foot home at 770 San Ysidro Lane has a gourmet kitchen, three luxurious bedroom suites, a media room, a gym, an office, a sauna, four fireplaces, and more. And that’s just inside. In the backyard, the pool and spa are surrounded by mature oaks and fruit trees, fire pits, a bocce court, and a deluxe chicken coop. The pièce de résistance is the custom-built treehouse, shown above and below:

Yes, I could show you the inside of this beautiful home; but the treehouse has captured my heart. To learn more about this and other luxury homes, contact Crysta Metzger.

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And here’s Scout on the rocks at East Beach, ready for the heat wave by staying close to the shore. Stay cool, pick up your Indy here and here or at one of 700 locations around town, and enjoy your Sunday!