A 3,974-square-foot home in the town of Kentfield, Marin County, California caused quite a stir when it first came on the market.
A reason? The four bedroom, 3.5 bath home is almost unchanged, virtually unchanged since it was designed by the architect John Marsh Davis in 1965. Original appliances, plumbing, tall bookshelves, bench seats and fir floors have not been replaced.
The home is listed for $4,995,000.
The same family has owned the home since they commissioned it from Davis. His other projects include other homes in the San Francisco Bay Area and wineries in the Napa Valley, such as Joseph Phelps Vineyards and Rutherford Hill Winery.
“It defines Zen life,” he says Elizabeth Freeman with Boulevard Real Estate. “It’s full of natural elements, it has loads of natural light, it’s surrounded by forest and [there’s] an iconic view of Mount Tamalpais.”
Seventeen days after the market launch, the house was under contract. The attractive property is currently for sale.
“The only changes that were made were repainting the upstairs and laying new carpet,” says Freeman. “Otherwise the house remains in its original condition. Everyone who was interested in the house wanted it for the house. They didn’t consider it a demolition, although that does happen in our community.”
Potential buyers were delighted with the open floor plan and the two 14 foot tall sliding glass doors that connect the living room to the gardens and patio.
Living Room (Brian McCloud)
Kitchen (Brian McCloud)
Breakfast Area (Brian McCloud)
Deck (Brian McCloud)
One of the Bedrooms (Brian McCloud)
One of the Baths (Brian McCloud)
Staircase (Brian McCloud)
“The owner who buys it likes it the way it is,” Freeman says, while still acknowledging that “it’s a work of art that needs a major update.”
Expected improvements include new decking (sun and humidity have taken their toll over the years) and air conditioning, which the house currently lacks.
The offer also includes a 19,000 square meter plot ideal for a pool or guest house.
“It feels like a nature reserve,” says Freeman.
Thomas Church designed the gardens of the estate. The famed landscape architect’s 4,000 projects included master plans for UC-Berkeley and Stanford University, as well as the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Mrs. Clinton Walker House in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, which sold over the counter for $22 million in February, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Kentfield is 20 miles north of San Francisco. There are currently only 15 listings in the region with an average price of $2.7 million on Realtor.com®.
“The local market is pretty hot, especially at the lower end,” says Freeman. “Most of our houses don’t last long. We have the constant stock and things sell pretty fast.”
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