Palm Springs | $2.395 Million
A 1926 stone house with four bedrooms and three bathrooms, on a 0.6-acre lot
This house, made of locally quarried stone, is in the Araby Cove neighborhood. It was built as a retreat for the Giannini family, who founded the Bank of Italy in San Francisco, now known as Bank of America. In the mid-1980s, the well-known modernist Albert Frey was commissioned to add a carport with an expansive roof deck on top, offering panoramic views of the desert landscape.
The property is less than a 10-minute drive from popular shops and restaurants along Palm Canyon Drive, as well as the Palm Springs Art Museum and Palm Springs International Airport. Driving to Los Angeles takes a little over two hours, depending on traffic.
Size: 3,087 square feet
Price per square foot: $776
Indoors: A stone wall encircles the property, and the house sits behind a large lawn and a wide, raised porch with stone columns.
The glass front doors open into a living area with its original stone walls and fireplace; a high, beamed ceiling; and a large wrought-iron chandelier.
Behind this space is a recent addition that includes a dining room, a butler’s pantry, a bar area with access to a full bathroom and a kitchen with stainless steel appliances and glass doors that open to a patio.
All four bedrooms are off the living room. The primary suite has a bedroom big enough to hold a king-size bed, a sitting room and a bathroom with a walk-in shower that has a large stained-glass window. The bedroom next door is currently used as a den. The other two bedrooms, off the opposite side of the living room, are connected by a shared bathroom.
A laundry room, storage space and an original bank-style vault are in the basement.
Outdoor space: An original kidney-shaped pool and a separate in-ground spa are behind the house, surrounded by a concrete deck with ample space for sunbathing. The carport has four parking spots.
Taxes: $29,940 (estimated)
Contact: Patrick Jordan and Stewart Smith, PS Properties, Bennion Deville Homes, 310-339-8092; patrickstewartproperties.com
Los Angeles | $2.375 Million
A three-bedroom, two-bathroom house built in 1950, on a 0.2-acre lot
This home, a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument known as the Stoleroff House, was designed by the midcentury modernist architects A. Quincy Jones and Whitney Smith as part of a planned community in the Santa Monica Mountains. The floor plan remains largely unchanged, although the seller, who bought the house in the mid-1990s, added a new primary bathroom, in addition to rebuilding the original carport.
The house is less than half a mile from a playground and basketball courts at Crestwood Hills Park and from Crestwood Hills Cooperative Nursery School. Driving to the Getty Center or the University of California, Los Angeles takes about 10 minutes. Downtown Los Angeles is about 40 minutes away.
Size: 1,388 square feet
Price per square foot: $1,711
Indoors: The house sits near the top of the street, next to a carport.
The front door opens into a tiled dining area with a carpeted sunken living area on the right. This space has original wood ceilings; a cinder-block fireplace; steel-framed glass walls looking west toward the ocean and south toward the city; and access to a patio.
The kitchen, off the dining area, has its original wood cabinets and high windows that bring in natural light.
A hallway off the living area extends to all three bedrooms. The primary suite — down two steps at the far end, on a slightly lower level — includes a bedroom big enough to hold a queen-size bed and desk, a dressing area and a full bathroom with a walk-in shower and backyard-facing windows.
One guest room is set up as a home library, with built-in bookshelves; the other could be used as a bedroom or a cozy den. They share the home’s original bathroom, which has a combined tub and shower lined with glass brick.
Outdoor space: The patio off the living area, which has sweeping views of the neighborhood and the surrounding hills, is big enough to hold chairs and a small table. The property is landscaped with mature trees. The carport has one parking spot.
Taxes: $29,688 (estimated, but the home is eligible for reduced property taxes under the Mills Act) and a $96 yearly homeowner association fee
Contact: Michael D. Phillips and Crosby Doe, Crosby Doe Associates, 310-927-9189; crosbydoe.com
Sea Ranch | $2.35 Million
A 2020 compound with three structures and a total of three bedrooms and two bathrooms, on a 0.3-acre lot
Sea Ranch, a planned community on the ocean in Sonoma County, is known for its timber-framed houses designed by influential architects. Although many homeowners use them as vacation homes, there are some full-time residents as well.
This property is about a five-minute drive from Gualala, a small community with a grocery store, a bookstore and several restaurants and coffee shops. It is about an hour and a quarter from Mendocino and two hours from Santa Rosa. Driving to San Francisco takes about three hours.
Size: 1,907 square feet
Price per square foot: $1,232
Indoors: The main entrance is through a central courtyard enclosed by a low wood fence.
The front door opens into a foyer with wide-plank hardwood floors, stairs to the second level and access to a bathroom with a windowed shower that has built-in bench seating.
Beyond the foyer is a great room with sitting and dining areas at the far end, next to a Danish wood-burning stove and accordion-style glass doors that open to the courtyard. The kitchen, next to the dining area, has a large center island with an integrated electric cooktop and seating for four.
The second floor is configured as one large primary suite, with a bedroom that has an ocean-facing balcony and a bathroom with a deep soaking tub and a closet that holds a stacked washer and dryer.
The two other bedrooms are in detached structures off the courtyard. One, with more accordion-style glass doors, is currently set up as a yoga studio; the other has a lofted storage area and is being used as a home office.
Outdoor space: The courtyard has raised garden boxes and a deck with plenty of space for an outdoor dining setup. The property is equipped with solar panels that have backup batteries. There is one parking spot with an electric vehicle charger. Nearby community amenities include the Del Mar Pool and Sea Ranch Golf Links.
Taxes: $29,376 (estimated) and a $344 monthly homeowner association fee
Contact: Kathleen Ball, Sotheby’s International Realty, Wine Country Brokerage, 707-322-8112; sothebysrealty.com
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