The Sea Ranch House
A short drive north of San Francisco, in the bucolic community once described as “the California architectural monument of the 1960s,” we had the distinct pleasure of helping a Bay Area couple procure, purchase, design, remodel, and ultimately position a uniquely lucrative addition to the creatively inclined pair’s real estate portfolio.
With one investment property already in place across the Oakland Bridge providing a steady stream of cash flow, and enjoying the flexibility of a lease in the city, our client was in search of a property that could serve as a fun weekend retreat, while still having the legs to be easily leased short-term when not in use.
We jump-started a plan to narrow in on rural, accessible, & culturally relevant geographies which could sustain short term rental consumer interest and demand, year round. Having identified these markets, and the economics of the potential yearly returns if marketed as a short-term rental property, we narrowed in on The Sea Ranch—a remote outpost of modernist architecture built along a ten mile stretch of rugged Northern California coastline.
The Ranch House—nestled into a private meadow and surrounded by dense forest—was emblematic of the community’s distinct vision of charming, inventive architecture, driven by its natural surroudings. Having the feel of a much larger structure, and already a recipient of an AIA award for its original design by Don Jacobs, the home presented a unique value proposition driven by a distinct sense of place, rather than room count, or square footage.
Following the acquisition, we passed the baton to our in-house design studio, Alta Projects. In need of cosmetic updates and repair, Alta Projects reinvisioned the dated interior as a warm, sophisticated, and earthy retreat. What the home did not have in size, Alta amplified in experiences—creating a visual backdrop which centered on comfort and delight, while allowing its surroundings to take center stage.
The Ranch House made its new debut in Spring of 2020, and although facing strong headwinds of a global pandemic, the space immediately caught the attention of adventurous travelers and the design community. The Ranch House has now set the tone for further investment, quickly ascending in value, drawing strong demand from vacation rental platforms, and reappraising at nearly 150% of its purchase price within 24 months. Above all, it continues to serve as a space for our clients’s family to share a bit of its many joys with the world.
Price
$502,527
Location
36550 E Ridge Rd, Gualala, CA 95445
Details
1 Bed, 1 Bath
800 SF Single Family Residence
