This gated, 16+ acre Ojai ranch for sale offers privacy and plenty of space to spread out with four bedrooms, two offices, formal living room, great room, formal and casual dining, large laundry room with office area, and multi-room master suite.

The great room and formal living room each offers vaulted ceiling, fireplace, and French doors leading to outdoor living areas.

The remodeled kitchen features a Wolf range, Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer, wine refrigerator, breakfast bar, island with produce sink, and ample counter and cabinet space.

The master suite is a welcome retreat at the end of the day with a sitting room, bedroom, walk-in closet, balcony with gorgeous views, and en suite bathroom with soaking tub, separate shower, and bidet.

Outside, enjoy approximately 15 acres of avocados, a spacious, covered patio with an outdoor kitchen, an expansive deck with amazing views, lighted tennis court refinished in 2020, approximately 3,000-square-foot shop, and the lush lawn that surrounds the home.

Features include:

Four bedrooms + two offices
Three full bathrooms, two half bathrooms
Approximately 4,200+ square feet of living space
Vaulted ceiling and brick fireplace in great room
Formal living room with fireplace
Remodeled kitchen with breakfast bar, Wolf range
Separate Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer
Wine refrigerator
Formal dining room
Soaking tub, walk-in closet in master bedroom
Laundry and mudroom with office area
Central vacuum system
Soft water system and carbon filtration system
Ample space to spread out and enjoy country living
Security system
Located on 16+ acres
Gated entry
Approximately 1,000-square-foot, attached garage
Car lift
Separate, approximately 3,000-square-foot workshop
Tennis court refinished in 2020
Avocado orchard
Balcony with views off master bedroom
Spacious entertaining deck with amazing views
Covered patio with outdoor kitchen
Fountain with brick walkway
Lush lawn and well-manicured landscaping
2020 roof and gutters
Short drive to shops, restaurants, and farmers market
Short drive to Lake Casitas

To see more photos or read more about this Ojai home for sale with tennis court, workshop, and views, visit the property information page.

To schedule a private showing, contact Nora Davis today!

This Marc Whitman design sits on approximately 7.27 acres with fantastic views and offers upscale country living minutes from the cafés, shops, galleries, and farmers market in downtown Ojai.

The first- and second-floor master suites allow you to choose which will be your private retreat and which will provide a comfortable stay for short- or long-term guests.

In the kitchen, cooks will love the Wolf range, warming drawer, over-sized island with breakfast bar, walk-in pantry, butler’s pantry, built-in desk, and beautiful views of the pool, valley, and mountains.

Other interior features include vaulted ceilings, four fireplaces, jetted soaking tub, large closets, and versatile spaces.

Outside, a gorgeous outdoor living area offers a pool, outdoor kitchen, and patio fireplace.

There is also a large, flat area for gardening, RV parking, or horse facilities, as well as an avocado orchard, two-car carport, family orchard, mature landscaping, and beautiful mountain and valley views.

Features include:

Marc Whitman design
Two master suites + office
Four indoor fireplaces
Vaulted, exposed-beam ceilings
Travertine and carpet flooring
Large, granite-topped kitchen island
Wolf range
Walk-in pantry
Butler's pantry
Laundry room
Oval, jetted soaking tub
Built-ins and views in office
Designed for indoor-outdoor entertaining
Approximately 7.27 acres
Approximately 700 avocado trees (Calavo orchard)
swimming pool and spa
Large, covered patio for entertaining
Outdoor kitchen
Patio fireplace
Two-car carport
RV parking
Mature fruit trees and low-water landscaping
Large, flat area for garden, horses, hobbies
Amazing mountain and valley views
Short drive to downtown Ojai
Short drive to schools, parks, shops, cafes, spas, golf

See more photos and read more about this Ojai home for sale on the property information page.

To schedule a showing, contact Nora today!

Spring is here, and if you did not already start a vegetable garden while you were stuck at home for the last year, now is a great time to do so. Food you grow at home is fresher and more nutrient dense than grocery store produce. Plus, you cannot get any more local than your backyard, which means you can reduce your carbon footprint while enjoying the added benefit of knowing exactly how your food was grown and what products were used to grow it.
 
If you are interested in growing some of your own food but have not yet dabbled in backyard vegetable gardening, here are six tips to get you started.
 
1. Choose the right spot.
Most food plants do best with at least six hours of sun each day. It is best to choose a spot that receives morning sun but has a bit of shade to protect your plants from the afternoon heat. If possible, also choose a spot that is protected from the wind.
 
2. Choose your garden format.
Choosing raised garden beds or container gardening allows you to better control the structure and content of the soil. These options generally also mean less weeding and may make gardening a little easier on your body. Or, if you have furry family members like mine, growing in raised beds and containers will keep your dogs from peeing on your food plants all the time. Alternatively, growing in the ground does not require purchasing planters or materials to build beds and may ultimately allow for more gardening space.
 
3. Determine what to grow.
Growing food in a typical backyard garden is not going to replace trips to the grocery store or farmers market to stock up on produce. So, the best plan for beginner gardeners is to grow something that you eat a lot of or that is more expensive at the grocery store. For example, I like to grow some foods that are significantly more expensive when buying organic, since I can grow everything organically in my backyard. If you have never grown food before, start with something easy, like tomatoes, peppers, radishes, carrots, or just about any herb.
 
For each of the plants you grow, you will need to research common pests and diseases, how best to care for them, what kind of support or protection they need, and whether it is best to start that particular plant from seeds or opt for seedlings. Therefore, it is best to start with just a few varieties while you are learning the basics of vegetable gardening.
 
4. Put it on paper.
Making a garden plan helps you determine which and how many seeds and plants to purchase and where you are going to plant them. This is an opportunity to research which plants grow well together, how much space each plant will need, and the best time to plant different types of food plants. You can also use this planner to record planting dates and can refer to it next year to make sure you are rotating your crops properly.
 
5. Label the rows.
Labeling your plants or rows of the same plant will help you easily identify them, know how much water each row needs, know the planting date, and know when it is time to harvest. I use paint stir sticks for this, since they are biodegradable and you can purchase them inexpensively in bulk. Write the type of plant, planting date and prospective harvest date on the row marker, and then stick it in the soil to mark the row.
 
6. Learn from local gardeners.
As things begin to open again, keep an eye out for local gardening classes and workshops offered at the Ojai Community Demonstration Garden behind City Hall, Ojai’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture, Quail Springs Oasis & Permaculture Farm in Cuyama Valley, UC Hansen Agricultural Center at Faulkner Farm in Santa Paula, or Ventura College. You can also call the local Master Gardener Helpline at (805) 645-1455 with gardening questions and to learn about available gardening classes and resources.

As we move away from the rainy season (or not-so-rainy season) and the temperature begins to rise, it is time to prepare our homes for the next season. So, as you make your to-do list for this year’s spring cleaning, be sure to include these five home maintenance tasks to help you start the season right.
 
1. Service your HVAC system.
 
It is a good idea to change your filters and service your HVAC system at least twice a year: once before winter when you will be using your heater more and once before summer when you will be using your air conditioner. Most homeowners can change their filters, but you should hire a local professional to service the system.
 
2. Clean and repair window screens and screen doors.
 
As the weather warms up, you will likely be leaving your windows open more often to allow the fresh air and cool breeze to move through your home. So, spring is the perfect time to remove your screens, clean them with water and a mild detergent, allow them to air dry, and then reinstall them. While you are cleaning them, look for bent frames or holes in the screens. Even a tiny hole will allow insects to enter your home, so hire a handyman to repair them or pick up a screen repair kit at ACE Hardware to fix the holes yourself.
 
If you are having your windows cleaned as part of your spring cleaning, make sure your window washer includes cleaning the screens.
 
3. Clean your gutters.
 
Clogged gutters and downspouts do not function properly, attract critters and can result in damage to your home. Therefore, as the rainy season comes to an end, it is time to have them cleaned. Remember, in areas like Ojai, we keep our gutters clean to prevent damage from both water and fire, since dried debris can easily catch fire from errant sparks.
 
4. Clean your refrigerator coils.
 
Cleaning your refrigerator coils is an easy home maintenance task, but most of us forget to do it on a regular basis. In most homes, it is a good idea to vacuum the coils about every six months, but if you share your home with furry friends, you will want to do it more often. So, while you are giving the interior of your refrigerator a thorough scrub down as part of your spring-cleaning routine, don’t forget to clean the coils as well.
 
5. Check your irrigation system.
 
We are all about to start using our automatic irrigation systems more as the temperature rises and we move towards summer. This makes spring the perfect time to make sure your system does not have leaks and is functioning properly. If you have a landscape maintenance company that cares for your property, you can ask them to check the system for you. If you do not, you can check the system yourself. Manually run the system through all of the zones and walk through your property to check for leaks. While you are doing your walk-through, look for broken sprinkler heads and adjust any sprinkler heads that are spraying your driveway, sidewalks, fences, or structures.
 
Irrigation leaks can waste a lot of water and cause a significant increase in your water bill, so be sure to check your system regularly.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), one in every 10 homes has leaks that waste at least 90 gallons of water per day. Across the country, we are wasting about one trillion gallons every year – just from minor water leaks.
 
Every home is going to get a water leak at some point, which is going to increase your water bill, possibly result in a fine, and, of course, waste water. So, let’s go over some basic questions about water leaks to help you identify and handle a leak quickly.
 
Whose responsibility is it to repair a leak?
 
If the leak is at the street, it might be on the water company’s side of the meter, so you will need to call your water company right away so that they can assess the situation and complete a repair. If the leak is on your side of the meter, it is your responsibility to repair it. 
 
How do I know if I have a water leak?
 
If you see standing water in an area where standing water shouldn’t be or an active drip coming from a faucet, this is an obvious indicator that you might have a leak. This also helps you quickly pinpoint the location of the leak so that you can address it right away.
 
It would be great if all leaks were this easy to identify and find, but most are not. Sometimes, you may not see any indication of a water leak until you see an increase in your water bill.
 
If you suspect a water leak, one way you can check is to turn all of the water off in your house and on your property. Then, go to your water meter and look for the low-flow indicator. If the low-flow indicator is spinning when all of the water is turned off, you have a leak.
 
What do I do if I have a water leak?
 
The easiest thing to do is to turn off the water and call your plumber or landscaper so they can come find it and repair it.
 
If you have a serious leak, do not wait for your plumber or landscaper to arrive. Turn the water off as soon as possible. This is easiest if you have a customer service valve, which is located on your side of the meter and allows you to turn off the water to your entire property. If you do not have a customer service valve, I recommend installing one.
 
For smaller leaks, you may be able to locate the leak and turn off the water just to that area.
 
If your meter is spinning but you do not see standing water, start with your irrigation system. When one of my clients has a leak, it is almost always in their irrigation lines. Turn on all of the zones and walk your property to look for leaking sprinkler heads or drip lines. When you find it, turn off the valve going to that area until you can get the leak repaired.
 
If the culprit is a leaky faucet or toilet, turn the water supply off at that location. This allows you to continue to use the water in the rest of your house while stopping the leak until you (or a handyman or plumber) can repair it.
 
You may also locate interior water leaks by listening for water dripping or looking for wet spots in drywall or inside cabinets. If you hear water trickling in the walls or find moist, soft spots in your wall or ceiling, turn off the water going into your house until you can arrange for a repair.

From the marble tile entry, step down into the formal dining room or to the living room with a see-through fireplace shared with the family room.

The open floor plan then leads to the kitchen with breakfast nook, island, lots of cabinets and quartz composite counter space, breakfast bar, tile floor and backsplash, and a cooktop, refrigerator and dishwasher installed in 2020.

French doors lead into the spacious master suite with a gas fireplace, raised platform for your bed or a seating area, and an en suite bath with a walk-in closet, dual-sink vanity, separate lavatory and shower, and a jetted soaking tub.

French doors lead from the master suite to the patio, and a separate door leads to a private yard with a pond and waterfall.

Two of the three guest bedrooms share a bathroom, and there is another guest bath in the hall.

Outside, there is a large, covered patio for outdoor entertaining, a beautiful deck with amazing mountain views, plenty of space for a garden or more fruit trees, and an above-ground hot tub.

Other features include owned solar, 2019 roof, two Nest thermostats, and a laundry room between the house and the two-car garage, which has an electric vehicle charger.

See more photos and learn more on the property information page.

Take off your boots and stay a while at this spacious country home with plenty of room to spread out.

Four bedrooms, plus two offices offer flexible spaces for a home office, homeschooling room, craft room, yoga studio, playroom or game room.

Pass the solar-powered entry gate and arena as you head down the long driveway to find an over-sized, two-car garage, RV parking and plenty of guest parking.

A large entertaining deck at the main entry overlooks the arena and grass area, while the family entry has a mud room area and is conveniently close to the laundry room for shedding the outside world before settling in in front of the river rock fireplace in the living room or heading to the country kitchen to make dinner.

Covered corrals and a turnout area are found beyond the large, separate workshop, and there is a tall retaining wall at the back of the property, which borders a seasonal creek.

There is also on-grid solar, mature trees and landscaping, perimeter fencing and mountain views.

To see more photos and learn more about this Oak View horse property for sale, visit the property information page. To schedule a showing, contact Nora Davis today.

As the weather warms and we move towards spring, it is clear that most of our entertaining still needs to occur outdoors. And, even for those of us who may be holding off on hosting dinner parties, being at home this much over the past year has certainly resulted in wanting to spend more time outside. So, as we prepare for spring, here are seven things you can do to make sure your outdoor living areas are ready to be enjoyed by you, your family, your pets, and your guests.
 
1. Remove the clutter.
Removing clutter is always the first step. Before you can prepare any space for entertaining or comfortable, everyday living, you must first remove unnecessary items and put away any clutter that has collected over the last few months. Now is a good time to clean out and organize your garden shed as well, since that can free up space for some of the clutter currently hanging out on your patio.
 
2. Check your irrigation system.
Doing an overall check of your irrigation system allows you to prepare for spring planting and to make sure that there are no leaks or wayward sprinkler heads affecting your outdoor living areas. Prune bushes blocking sprinkler heads, walk your system while it is running to look for leaks, adjust sprinkler heads to ensure the most efficient spray patterns, and check your rain sensor to make sure it is working properly.
 
3. Clean your home’s exterior and gutters.
When the rainy season comes to an end, it is a good time to clean the gutters again, remove cobwebs from your fascia and eaves, and spray down the exterior of your home. The rain may have taken care of any accumulated dust, but it also may have splashed mud on the exterior walls, so a quick spray with a garden hose is probably in order.
 
4. Clean your outdoor kitchen.
If you are like most folks in Ojai, you have probably been using your outdoor kitchen almost as much in winter as you do in summer. As the weather improves, you will likely start using it even more, so take this opportunity to give your grill a good cleaning, clean out the fridge, and get your servingware organized before your next al fresco dinner party.
 
5. Clean your fire pit, patio fireplace, or other fire feature.
Since you have likely been using your fire features throughout winter, now is a good time to clean them, make sure they are functioning properly, and check for safety issues before the spring entertaining season begins.
 
6. Refresh your patio furniture.
Clean metal or plastic patio furniture by wiping it down with a simple vinegar-water mix and a damp rag. If that doesn’t quite do the trick, make a paste by mixing baking soda with water to create a mildly abrasive cleaner for tougher spots. For wood furniture, use a wood cleaner followed by furniture wax to add a layer of protection.
 
If a good cleaning is not quite enough to bring your patio furniture back to its previous luster, it might be time to give it a new coat of stain or paint to refresh its finish.
 
7. Clean or replace patio cushions and dog beds.
Between the wind and the rain, patio cushions can get a bit worse for wear over the winter. Take the opportunity to launder or spot clean them as we move into the spring entertaining season. If they are beyond repair, or you simply want to freshen the look of your patio, you might consider replacing them instead.
 
We mustn’t forget our furry friends when sprucing up our outdoor living areas. If you left your dogs’ beds out in the rain one too many times over the winter, it might be time to upgrade their outdoor living with new beds that match your patio cushions.

Californians are accustomed to ongoing drought conditions and have spent years honing our water conservation efforts. With so much else going on in the world at the moment, it is easy to let something like watching our water consumption fall to the wayside, particularly knowing that we moved out of a state of drought earlier this year. But La Niña seems to be making this winter drier than usual, which could mean an end to our current reprieve.
 
This means we cannot let up on our efforts and must continue making water-saving choices whenever possible. One easy way to conserve water is to choose drought-tolerant ground covers when designing or re-designing your landscaping. So, if installing or replacing a ground cover is on your pandemic project list, here are five low-water options to consider.
 
1. Gravel: In the realm of drought-friendly ground covers, it does not get much better than a ground cover that requires no water at all. Gravel comes in a variety of sizes and colors and is a good choice for driveways, walkways, areas around fire features, and other outdoor living areas. Using gravel as a ground cover also limits weed growth and can help control erosion and runoff.
 
2. Mulch, Bark, or Wood Chips: This type of ground cover requires no water, is more affordable than many options, and is available in a variety of sizes, types, and colors. Like gravel, these can help limit weed growth, but they will eventually break down or fade, so you can expect to replenish these ground covers more often.
 
3. Lantana: One of the great things about lantana is that it is very easy to find. This flowering, evergreen perennial spreads easily, requires little water once established (I hardly ever water mine), and comes in some beautiful colors, including purple, pink, white, blue, red, yellow, and orange. When purchasing lantana, make sure you choose a ground cover cultivar, since it also comes in shrub cultivars that will not work well as a ground cover.
 
4. Creeping Rosemary: This evergreen perennial herb cascades quite nicely, so this is a good choice for raised borders or allowing to grow over walls. As a ground cover, creeping rosemary spreads quickly and is drought tolerant once established. It blooms with clusters of blue blossoms, attracts bees to your garden, fills the air with its aroma, and can even be harvested for culinary purposes.
 
5. Mexican Fleabane: Mexican fleabane is a fast-growing, flowering perennial native to Mexico and Central America. Often chosen for planting in rock gardens or in spots where it can thrive in the crevices between paving stones, this hardy ground cover loves full sun and will happily self-seed to promote spread. This one requires a bit more maintenance and water than lantana or creeping rosemary, but if you love the idea of a carpet of daisy-like flowers, you might not mind.

The new year has finally arrived, and I am sure hoping it is a big improvement over this last year we all endured. As we look to the future and set our intentions for the year to come, I thought it might be a good time to focus on setting some New Year’s resolutions that will help us continue to come together as a community to get through these trying times.
 
So, as you come up with your personal goals for the coming year, consider adding a few of these to the list.
 
1. Support local businesses.
I’ve said this before and am sure to say it again, but supporting local businesses has never been more important. I know Amazon is a convenient way to buy everything from groceries to home improvement materials, but we gain more as a community while still meeting our needs if we shop at our local grocers and hardware stores instead.
 
2. Use local contractors.
Many of us are spending more time at home and are taking on some of those home improvement projects we have been putting off forever. If you are considering painting, repairing your roof, adding a covered porch, or just tightening some loose doorknobs, commit to using local contractors whenever possible.
 
3. Donate regularly to Pantry 4 Paws.
We are all still working our way through the pandemic and what life will look like afterwards. An important piece to this is coming together as a community to support each other in whatever ways we can. Folks who can afford to donate dry dog and cat food can help those in need by dropping off unopened bags of food at the Humane Society of Ventura County (402 Bryant Street) for the Pantry 4 Paws program. The food is then distributed through dispensers placed throughout the county.
 
4. Set up a monthly donation for a local organization.
Most non-profits and community organizations have made giving simple by setting up automatic, monthly donor programs. If your budget allows, find a local organization that resonates with you and could use your help, such as HELP of Ojai, Ojai Raptor Center, Ojai Land Conservancy, Turtle Conservancy, or Secure Beginnings.
 
5. Clear your clutter for a cause.
If cleaning out closets or finally organizing your garage is on your list of resolutions this year, make clearing your clutter more enjoyable by doing it for a cause. For example, household items and clothing donated to 2nd Helpings Thrift Store provide lower-cost necessities for local families while supporting the services provided by HELP of Ojai.