This four-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom Ojai home for rent is located on approximately one-half acre just a short drive from downtown Ojai and Meiners Oaks but feels like a secluded country retreat. Set on a private ranch and surrounded by beautiful mountain views, residents enjoy a family orchard, rose garden, mature trees, and landscaping that is maintained weekly.  

Features include:

Four bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms
Large bonus room
Wood-burning fireplace
Laundry room
Ceiling fans
Tile and carpet floors
Breakfast bar
Granite counters
Two water heaters
Flexible spaces
Approximately .5 acre
Two-car garage and storage room
Circular driveway with rose garden
Ample guest parking
Mature trees and landscaping
Family orchard
Mountain views
Short drive to Meiners Oaks and downtown Ojai
Water, trash, and landscape maintenance included

Visit the property information page for more photos and more information about this Ojai home for rent.

Contact AimeeJo to schedule a showing.

Enjoy the Ojai Valley lifestyle minutes from Lake Casitas and just a short drive from the downtown Ojai village.

From here, you can walk to the neighborhood market, bike to the Ojai Valley Trail, or head just a few minutes down Santa Ana Road to fish in the lake or spend an afternoon at Casitas Water Adventure water park. A short drive up Santa Ana Boulevard takes you past the nearest elementary school and delivers to you the town of Oak View, where you will find gas stations, restaurants, shops, markets, the post office, a bank, and a locally owned coffeehouse.

Features include:

Three bedrooms, two bathrooms
Remodeled kitchen with breakfast bar and beverage refrigerator
Granite counters
Family room and dining room for additional flexible space
Large laundry room with space for office or craft room
Vaulted ceilings
Ceiling fans
Lots of storage
Two-car garage
Large parking area
RV, horse trailer, or boat parking
Mature trees and landscaping
Vineyard and mountain views
Close to Lake Casitas
Short drive to shops and restaurants in Oak View
Short drive to downtown Ojai
Extra space available with room for horses
(Unfurnished)

Rent: $4,700
Security deposit: $4,700

Visit the property information page for more photos and more information about this Oak View home for rent!

Contact AimeeJo to schedule a showing.

Many herbs are even easier to grow than vegetables and often take up less space, which makes growing herbs great for beginner gardeners, folks with small yards, and parents or caregivers teaching kids about growing food. Of course, growing herbs is also popular with anyone who enjoys the freshest possible herbs for culinary, medicinal, or ceremonial purposes.

Fresh ingredients make the best cocktails and mocktails, and there is nothing quite like cooling off beside the pool or on a patio with a cold, flavorful beverage. I had the most refreshing, non-alcoholic cucumber fizz the other night at dinner, which was the inspiration for this month’s column.

While I do enjoy a cocktail now and then, I am not much of a drinker, but I do very much enjoy a well-made drink with fresh ingredients. I also enjoy having a signature cocktail and mocktail to serve guests when hosting game nights and other gatherings. Incorporating ingredients right from my garden makes this even more fun.

Just about any edible herb can be worked into a drink recipe, so if you have favorites, that is a great place to start.

Here are a few more suggestions if you need a bit of inspiration:

1. Mint – Mint is so easy to grow it will take over your garden if you do not keep it corralled. Mint is best grown in a container or border to keep it from spreading. It is one of the most commonly used herbs in cocktails and mocktails, including mojitos, juleps, fizzes, mules, and spritzers, which makes it a perfect addition to a cocktail herb garden.

2. Basil – Basil is another easy-to-grow herb that has many uses in the kitchen. Aside from soups, salads, and pastas, basil can be added to pitchers or water or muddled or used as a garnish in cocktails and mocktails.

3. Sage – Sage pairs well with gins and bourbons and brings a distinctive flavor to non-alcoholic drinks. I have a huge pineapple sage plant in my garden that is one of my favorites for mocktail and cocktail crafting.

4. Lavender – If you have a garden in Ventura County, you are probably growing a bit of lavender somewhere anyways, so you might as well have some culinary lavender in your borders or right in your herb garden for drink-crafting purposes. Lavender is a pretty, aromatic garnish, but it also is perfect for infused spirits and makes a great addition to lemonade, sparkling water, and cocktails made with vodka or gin.

If you have space, you might want to consider expanding your garden to include other cocktail ingredients, such as cucumbers, jalapeños, tomatoes, limes, lemons, tangerines, tarragon, rosemary, thyme, and other herbs.

Harvesting fresh herbs from your potager to craft your own cocktails will make even the most consummate host just a bit fancier, so don’t be surprised if you suddenly find yourself referring to your covered porch as a veranda.

Fall is finally here, and I could not be more excited. If you also wait all summer for the return of sweater weather and cozy nights around the fire pit, then you are likely just as ready to transition into the fall entertaining season. Here are five things you can do to prepare your outdoor spaces for entertaining in the coming months.  

1. Transition your outdoor living areas.

As we move from summer into fall, the kids are back in school, pool parties are not as common, and the focus moves from keeping your guests cool to keeping your guests warm. Pool toys make way for portable heaters and signature cocktails at soirees transition from margaritas and mojitos to fall favorites with maple, cinnamon, pumpkin, and warming spices. To facilitate this transition, clear the summer clutter and stock up on fall entertaining supplies.

2. Improve your outdoor lighting.

Check your landscape lighting for any fixtures that are not working, bulbs that need to be replaced, or timers that need adjusting to accommodate the shorter days ahead of us. This is also a good time to assess your outdoor lighting to see if more path lights or task lighting would improve the safety or function of your outdoor living areas. To add soft light to create warm, inviting spaces, consider adding festive string lights.

3. Plant an herb garden for fall and winter cocktails.

Now is the perfect time to plant a cocktail herb garden with herbs you can use for fall and winter entertaining. Options to consider include sage, rosemary, mint, thyme, lemon verbena, and basil. Herbs are great for crafting cocktails and cooking and also make good ornamentals, so fill containers and borders to beautify your entertaining space and have fresh herbs close at hand.

4. Plan to keep your guests warm.

If you entertain often in the cooler months of fall and winter, consider installing a patio heater to help keep your guests warm. An outdoor fireplace or fire pit is perfect for creating ambiance and gathering around with friends, but they can only radiate so much heat in larger outdoor entertaining areas. If an installed heater is not in the budget or if it would be too challenging to run electrical for one, portable heaters that run on propane might be a better option. Another nice touch for cozy gatherings is to keep a basket of throw blankets near outdoor seating areas for your guests to use.

5. Prepare your fire features for fall.

With the weather finally starting to cool off, we are all going to be able to use our fire features more. That means it is time to make sure they are functioning properly and can be used safely. Before your next party, make sure your chimney, fire box, fire screen, and fire tools are clean and in good repair. If you do not have a fire screen, get one. There are plenty of attractive options and no excuse for not having one.

You will also want to stock up on the proper fuel and make sure you have fire extinguishing supplies nearby.

Fall home maintenance tip: Cooler temperatures and rain are likely on the way, so it is time to prepare our homes for the changing weather. It is time to clean your gutters, change your HVAC filters, and adjust your irrigation system. Remember: Cleaning your gutters is not just about reducing the risk of water damage; it is also about reducing the risk of fire damage by avoiding an ember carried on the Santa Ana winds igniting debris in your gutters. If you need assistance with any of these tasks, support the local economy by using local contractors.

Located in the heart of Ojai, Three Oaks Cottages is just a four-block walk to shops and cafes and is close to hiking trails, the Ojai Valley Trail, and all that Ojai has to offer.

The three cottages on the property make this the perfect opportunity for someone who wants to live in one and rent the others, rent all three as an investment property, or share the property with extended family or friends.

The approximately 1,137-square-foot main house has one bedroom plus an office or possible second bedroom and a private backyard with a patio and laundry hookups.

The second unit is approximately 456 square feet with one bedroom, a kitchenette, and a sliding door to a private, fenced backyard shaded by one of the three heritage oak trees on the property.

The third cottage is an approximately 326-square-foot studio with extra cabinets in the kitchen, a spacious bathroom with storage, and a private backyard with a patio shaded by two oak trees.

These two units, completed in 2024, share laundry hookups.

Visit the property information page for more photos and information, or contact Nora today to schedule a showing of this Ojai triplex for sale.

Earth experienced the hottest day on record on July 21, 2024, and then broke that record on July 22nd. This comes after weeks of headlines reporting record-breaking heat in cities across the country and a climate scientist from the Imperial College London’s Grantham Institute noting a high chance that 2024 will be the hottest year ever recorded.

Of course, we do not really need climate scientists to tell us that it is hot and is going to get hotter in the coming weeks. Most of us have lived here long enough to know just how hot the summers get. Since this one could turn out to be one of the hottest summers ever, let’s look at a few ways to beat the heat.

Increase Shade
You, your family, your guests, and your pets are all going to need more shade for the next few months. The easiest ways to increase shade in your yard include adding umbrellas, installing shade sails, hanging patio curtains or roller shades, setting up portable canopies, or moving seating areas into shade created by fences or buildings.

Create Cooling Stations for Pets
Setting out extra water bowls is a good first step in making sure your pets are safe on hotter days. If possible, keep animals indoors in climate-controlled areas where they will be the most comfortable. When that is not possible, make sure there is plenty of shade and plenty of water. Consider cooling beds and bowls that keep the water cold to help them even more. Smaller animals, such as rabbits, chickens, or small dogs may benefit from mason jars filled with ice for them to lay against to cool off.

Service Your HVAC System
You are going to be using your central air a lot in the next few months. If you have not already, have your HVAC system serviced – or at least change the filter – to help keep your system running smoothly.

Weatherproof Your Home
While you cannot completely heatproof your home, there are several steps you can take to make your home more energy efficient and help keep it cool. Some ideas include replacing old weatherstripping and caulking, adding more insulation to exterior walls, hanging blackout curtains or roller shades, installing ceiling fans or setting up portable fans, upgrading exterior doors and windows, and installing heat-blocking window film.

Install a Drip System
When preparing our homes to beat the heat, we must not forget our plants. A drip system that delivers water at the soil level will help your plants survive the coming heat while conserving water.

Reduce Fire Risk
We are starting to see lots of headlines about wildfires across North America again, so now is a good time to make sure you are doing all you can to reduce fire risk on your property. This includes keeping your roof and gutters clean, trimming your trees, managing weed growth, moving wood piles away from buildings, and creating a defensible space around structures.

If you plan to implement some of these suggestions to keep your family and pets safer and more comfortable, be sure to use local contractors and vendors to help keep the local economy healthy and the community strong.

If you are looking for an East End address adjacent to Soule Park Golf Course and walking distance to downtown Ojai, your search is over.

Its 1970s vibe, East End location close to town, and 2,594 square feet of sprawling, flexible space make Fairway Rambler a rare find.

The earthy tones, vaulted ceilings, large windows bringing nature in, and floor-to-ceiling fireplaces – one brick and one stone – exemplify the reasons 1970s ranch-style homes are trending right now.

Other interior features include two dual-sink vanities, walk-in closet, skylights, large breakfast bar, double ovens, formal living room, family room, sunroom, and laundry room with additional storage.

Outside, there is a covered front porch, covered patio for entertaining, swimming pool and spa, gated RV parking, U-shaped driveway with extra guest parking, and a privacy hedge separating the main outdoor living area from a large back area with plenty of space for fruit trees, a large garden, additional outdoor entertaining areas, or hobbies.  

Features include:

Four bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms
Approximately 2,594 square feet
Two fireplaces
Large living room and family room
Formal dining room
Large kitchen with breakfast bar
Laundry room
Large closets
Two dual-sink vanities
Walk-in closet
Vaulted ceilings
Skylights
Sunroom with sliding door to pool area    Approximately .6-acre lot
East End location close to town
Two-car garage
Gated RV parking or toy parking
Mature trees and privacy landscaping
U-Shape driveway
Large, covered patio
Large, covered front porch area
Swimming pool with surrounding patio
Huge back area for garden, fruit trees, or hobbies
Adjacent to golf course
Bike or walk to downtown Ojai
Approximately one-half mile to shops and restaurants

For more information, photos, videos, and the floor plan, visit the property information page. To schedule a showing for this or other Ojai homes for sale, call Nora Davis today.

Oakcrest Roost is filled with recently updated, flexible spaces that allow you to truly make this spacious home your personal roost. Five bedrooms are just the beginning and include a first-floor primary bedroom and guest bedroom, plus three bedrooms upstairs where you will also find a large loft divided into two spaces that could be used for work, play, or hobbies. Downstairs features include a breakfast bar and reverse osmosis in the large kitchen, gas fireplace in the living room, laundry room with pantry, dining room, family room, large windows and skylights for lots of natural light, and a walk-in closet in the primary. Exterior features include two-car garage, extra-wide driveway, mature landscaping, covered porch with mountain view, solar panels, paving stone patio, large entertaining deck, second paver patio with vine-covered pergola, natural grass lawn, fruit trees, and gated RV or toy parking. All of this is just a short drive from all that downtown Ojai has to offer.

Features include:

Five bedrooms
Three bathrooms
Gas fireplace
Breakfast bar
Laundry room
Large loft
Vaulted ceilings
Large closets
Skylights
Two-car garage
Gated RV or toy parking
Extra-wide driveway
Large entertaining deck
Paving stone patio
Hot tub
Solar panels
Fruit trees
Located in cul-de-sac

Visit the property information page to learn more about this five-bedroom Ojai home for sale, or contact Nora Davis to schedule a showing.

Watching vibrantly plumed hummingbirds flit between flowers is one of life’s little pleasures. We are fortunate to be able to enjoy this throughout the year here, but you may see fewer as spring blossoms subside and food sources become scarcer in the summer heat.

If you would like to attract hummingbirds to your yard for the colorful and entertaining show, their assistance in naturally controlling the insect population, their prowess as pollinators, or just to help them out as they adjust to warming temperatures causing flowers to bloom earlier, you can take several simple steps to provide a welcoming habitat.

1. Add a hummingbird-friendly water source.
Other birds may love bird baths, but hummingbirds are quite particular about many things, and stagnant water is one of them. An inexpensive, solar-powered fountain pump can turn your bird bath into a hummingbird oasis.

2. Create rest areas for travel-weary hummingbirds.
Even traveling from one yard to the next could be exhausting if you flap your wings somewhere between 75 and 200 times per second. If your yard has trees and shrubs with lots of branches, a clothesline, or a trellis, you may already have enough perching opportunities available for visiting hummingbirds. If not, consider adding perches to provide resting spots in your yard.

3. Make sure there are nesting spots available.
Remember how we said that hummingbirds are particular and don’t like stagnant water? Well, they also don’t really like birdhouses. So, no matter how many birdhouses you hang around your yard, it will probably not increase your chances of hummingbirds choosing to nest there. The best way to provide nesting options for hummingbirds is to plant native trees and shrubs that provide sheltered, safe spots for nest building.

4. Do not clear spider webs off your fascia and eaves.
Spider webs provide access to protein and nest-building materials, so leaving them intact allows hummingbirds to use them for these purposes.

5. Let native flora and fauna reign.
According to Audubon, hummingbirds “consume half their body weight in bugs and nectar, feeding every 10-15 minutes and visiting 1,000-2,000 flowers per day.” (Audubon.org) Leaving spider webs intact is a start, but you can help hummingbirds even more by creating a habitat where beneficial insects, such as smaller pollinators, are also attracted to your yard.

One way to do this is to stop using pesticides to kill off bug populations. Another way is to plant native plants that attract beneficial insects to your yard. When selecting native plants, include options with bright, tubular flowers that produce a lot of nectar. Hummingbirds are particularly attracted to bright red, orange, and yellow blooms, so choosing plants that fit this description will attract both hummingbirds and the insects that hummingbirds like to eat.

6. Add a brightly colored hummingbird feeder to your yard.
Hummingbirds are attracted to bright colors and are most likely to use feeders that are easy to see when they are flying by, easy to access, and safely out of reach of cats, dogs, and other predators. Skip store-bought nectars and make your own sugar water by mixing one part sugar to four parts boiling water. Stir until the sugar dissolves, allow the mixture to cool, and then fill your feeder. Avoid adding red coloring, which might be harmful for the birds, and make sure you change out the sugar water at least twice per week and more often when it is especially hot out. You will also want to make sure that your feeder always has sugar water, since they will remember and will look elsewhere if this food source is regularly unavailable.

You might consider hanging more than one feeder in your yard, since one more thing hummingbirds are not fond of is sharing.

This East End charmer will steal your heart as you pass through the front yard filled with spring blooms behind a river rock border and step inside to find wood floors, a cozy wood-burning fireplace, and a built-in bookshelf in a living room bathed in natural light from large windows.

Just beyond this, the eat-in kitchen exudes vintage charm with tile counters, vintage stove, and a handy lazy Susan in the corner cabinet.

Two of the bedrooms have wood floors and large closets, while the third has cozy carpet and a door to the sunroom, which might make this the perfect office for folks who work from home.

The sunroom is a flexible space for a studio, playroom, family room, or other fun use with a skylight, lots of windows, and access to the kitchen, garage, and backyard.

The drive-through garage houses the laundry room, a half bath, a workshop area, and a garage door opening to the huge backyard where you will find a flower garden, fruit trees, and plenty of space for outdoor living.

This home for sale in East End Ojai went into escrow right away. While this one might not be available any longer, The Davis Group would love to help you find other Ojai homes for sale. Give Nora Davis a call today to start the search for your next dream home!.

You can see more photos of this home on the property information page.