Homes worth $3 million in California

Santa Barbara | $2.99 ​​million

Gaudi-inspired 1978 2-bedroom, 2.5-bath house and 1-bedroom, 1-bath guest house on 0.5 acre

This strange house, known as the Whale House, was designed by Michael Carmichael, an architect who was inspired by the work of the famous Catalan designer Antoni Gaudí to create a whale-shaped design: the entrance is located behind an arched opening. Like a fish’s mouth; The inner courtyard forms the belly of the whale. The guest suite resides in the tail. The house has no right angles, and the built-in cabinets, countertops and furniture are designed to fit the curved rooms.

The property is located in the Mission Canyon district, about half a mile from the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden and a 10-minute drive from downtown Santa Barbara’s shopping and nightlife. The famous Thousand Steps Beach is 15 minutes away.

measuring: 2606 square feet

Price per square foot: $1,147

Inside: The house is set behind a gated entrance and a brick patio used by vendors for outdoor dining.

The front door, behind a stone-lined arch, opens onto an interior courtyard with an exterior staircase leading to the second and third floors. Another door opens into a foyer with an elevator providing internal access to the upper floors.

To the left of the foyer is a living room with high ceilings, high windows, a fireplace surrounded by a rock wall, and a long, organically shaped built-in sofa. Behind this space is a dining area connected to a kitchen with windows, cabinets and wavy tables. Two stainless steel wall ovens; Slot window above sink; And access to the powder room.

The second floor serves as the master suite, with a sitting area. Space for a king-size bed; Hot tub surrounded by rocks and blue tiles; Fireplace in the same rock wall. And a bathroom with a walk-in shower in stone and red tiles, with direct access to the balcony.

There is another bedroom suite on the third floor. They include a seating area with a fireplace and a bathroom with a clawfoot bathtub.

The whale tail guest house includes a living area, a bedroom and a full bathroom. It features direct access to a 75-foot pool, making it possible to swim out to the central courtyard.

External space: The pool includes a swim-up bar with built-in seating. There is a bamboo-lined sauna in the courtyard. Designed with mature oak and sycamore trees, the property has two off-street parking spaces.

Taxes: $37,380 (est.)

communication: Daniel Carpenter, Sotheby’s International Realty, 805-770-0889; sothebysrealty.com

Los Angeles | $2.995 million

Tudor-style home dating from 1926 with four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a guest house with a full bath, on 0.1 acre.

Located in Playa del Rey, this home is less than 150 feet from the beach and a 5-minute walk from beachfront volleyball courts, biking and walking trails, and fire pits. It is located less than 800 meters from Del Rey Lagoon, a park with a small saltwater lagoon and a playground. Playa Provisions, a restaurant owned by a “Top Chef” winner, is two blocks away; Other nearby dining options include pizza and sushi.

Driving to Loyola Marymount University or Otis College of Art and Design takes about 10 minutes. Manhattan Beach and Los Angeles International Airport are 15 minutes away.

measuring: 2,785 square feet

Price per square foot: $1,075

Inside: The entrance to the house is located off a pedestrian-only street next to the main road, behind a white picket fence and a brick courtyard.

The front door opens into a living room with hardwood floors. High wood-beamed ceilings and a majestic chandelier. Fireplace with raised hearth. Staircase to the second floor.

Hardwood floors continue through the entryway, leading to an open plan kitchen and dining room with French doors opening to a Juliette-style balcony; La Cornue Blue Collection; Custom made cabinets painted a rich blue; gray and white chevron pattern backsplash; and a farmhouse-style sink with a gold-tone faucet.

Three bedrooms off the hall extending from the kitchen. One of them has an en suite bathroom. The other two, across the hall, share a bathroom with a bathtub and separate shower.

The master suite, located on the second floor, has a walk-in closet with custom closets and a bathroom with a walk-in shower and skylight. Off is a hallway extending from a raised family room overlooking the living area. This space has a built-in bench, a beverage refrigerator, and sliding glass doors that open to a small balcony with ocean views.

The guest house, which has a full bathroom, is located behind the main house, above the garage.

External space: The front yard, which is large enough to accommodate a dining table and lounge furniture, is surrounded by mature hedges. The garage can accommodate two cars.

Taxes: $37,440 (est.)

communication: Michael Grady, The Agency, 310-995-8774; theagencyre.com

San Francisco | $2.998 million

Recently renovated 1951 home with four bedrooms and three bathrooms, on 0.1 acre

This home is a 10-minute walk from Glen Canyon Park, which features playgrounds, tennis courts and trails that follow the canyon from which the park takes its name. The quiet Glen Park neighborhood with cafes, a record store, a public library and a BART station is also located nearby.

Traveling to the Civic Center or downtown Oakland by public transportation takes about half an hour. San Francisco International Airport is about a half-hour drive away. Half Moon Bay is 40 minutes away. Driving to San Jose takes about an hour.

measuring: 2460 square feet

Price per square foot: $1,219

Inside: From the street, steps lead to a covered entrance. The door opens into a long foyer with hardwood floors and a glass-railed staircase leading to the living spaces on the second floor.

To the left of the stair landing is an open plan living area with a stylish fireplace. Wide windows and glass doors open to a balcony overlooking the surrounding landscape; dining area; and a kitchen with stainless steel appliances and a marble-topped island with integrated sink and dishwasher. Off the kitchen is an area set up as a den, with floating shelves above stone-topped cabinets.

The hallway off the bedroom leads to a bedroom with windows facing the street and a bathroom with combined bath and shower.

The master suite is located on the entry level, off the end of the hallway. The bedroom has a large wardrobe and enough space for a king-sized bed; The bathroom has a double vanity and a glass-walled shower.

There are two more bedrooms on the lower level of the house. They share a bathroom with a walk-in shower.

External space: The balcony off the living area is large enough to accommodate chairs and a side table. There is a larger deck at the top of the terraced backyard, accessible from the lowest level of the house. The courtyard is landscaped with drought tolerant plants and has space to create additional entertaining areas or a storage shed. The attached garage has one parking space and an electric car charger.

Taxes: $37,476 (est.)

communication: Suhl Chen, Corcoran Icon Properties, 415-695-7707; corcoran.com

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