The Home Page | Pearls of Wisdom & Mermaid Dreams

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This edition of The Home Page was originally emailed to subscribers on May 24, 2026. To receive Sarah Sinclair’s real estate newsletter in your inbox each Sunday, sign up at independent.com/newsletter

Give me a cute cottage over an ostentatious estate any day; $13,995,000 listings aren’t usually my cup of tea. However, this 8-bedroom, 10-bathroom estate behind private gates outside of Austin, Texas, caught my attention with two little words: Lazy. River. “The Reserve at Stoneridge” boasts more than 10,000 square feet of indoor space, but the feature that captured my fancy is the promise that “a current-fed lazy river meanders through the pristine landscape” out back. Check out the listing on Zillow Gone Wild, where our hilarious host takes on a guided tour, complete with a Tyrannosaurus rex sighting. If you’re similarly intrigued, pop on your sunnies and join me in my dreams of being a lazy mermaid all summer long.

There’s a discreet little 5-unit boutique hotel in my neighborhood called Casa Castillo. A huge palm tree in the front yard and a shared BBQ patio in the back create a welcoming, walk-to-everything downtown vibe. How do I know about the backyard, you ask? I made friends with the cleaning crew on one of my Scout walks, naturally, and they allowed us to check it out! When Kim & Angel of the Crawford Speier Group called last week to tell me about their newest listing, it sounded familiar. When I visited, there was no doubt that Casa Jardin — a quiet, 13-unit hotel located at 1018 Garden Street — is a sister property to my neighbor.

With a sleek style and gorgeous mountain views, it’s walking distance to dinner on State Street or a concert at the Bowl. Operating as a staffless and keyless hotel with all the best aspects of Airbnb-style accomodations, Casa Jardin is the first ‘condo hotel’ ever to be listed in Santa Barbara, because each unit is also approved as a separate condominium, allowing for future potential to sell the units individually. Co-listed with William Reed of Village Properties and Christos Celmayster of Hayes Commercial Group for $7,600,000.

What would Pearl do today? In the late 1960’s, a nine-story, two-tower condominium project was proposed for downtown Santa Barbara. Pearl Chase organized opposition to the city’s plans and eventually prevented the project, instituted height limits in Santa Barbara, and helped create Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden, shown above. Fast forward to 2026: On Thursday, May 21, Cheri Rae, local activist, author, and award-winning columnist will take a look at these events from our past, and how they may shed light on housing challenges facing Santa Barbara today. The Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara (AFSB) will hold this event as part of their Spring Lecture Series: 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, May 21, at 229 East Victoria Street, Santa Barbara. Visit the AFSB website to reserve your seat.

THIS WEEK’S COVER HOME:

The views from 922 Roble Lane remind me why Santa Barbara is known as the American Riviera. Nestled between the majestic Santa Ynez Mountains and the ocean’s wide expanse, almost every room of this lovely 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath home enjoys sweeping, unobstructed vistas of the city, harbor, coastline, and rolling foothills. On a clear day, you can even see the Channel Islands.

Generous windows fill the space with natural light, and high-end finishes, hardwood floors, custom millwork, and crown molding delight throughout the 2500+ square foot home.

The terraced backyard connects to adjacent open space for added privacy and even more natural beauty. This rare opportunity is offered by Chase Enright for $2,999,000.

THIS WEEK’S OPEN HOUSES:

There are so many open houses around town today! They’re all listed here.

THIS WEEK’S ISSUE:

Here’s the flip-through version of this week’s issue, chock-full of informative, entertaining inspo both front and back. Thanks for reading, and for making The Home Page part of your Sunday. Enjoy!