Located in the Rolling Hills Estates neighborhood, this four-bedroom home is just a walk or bike ride away from dining, shopping, the post office, grocery stores, and more.

It is also just a short drive to the shops, cafes, spas, and galleries in Ojai’s downtown village and the camping, fishing, and water park at Lake Casitas.

This approximately 1,958-square-foot home has an open floor plan with flexible spaces, large closets, ceiling fans, a walk-in pantry, a gas fireplace with a brick hearth, and an extra-large family room with a garden window.

There are also unique touches throughout that make this home stand out, such as the molding around the interior doors, wainscoting, clawfoot bathtub, two bay windows with window seats, a built-in desk and bookshelves, and a vintage O’Keefe & Merritt gas range.

Outside, there is a covered patio, an additional patio, garden area, RV parking, two-car garage, drought-resistant landscaping, and a river rock walkway and borders in the front yard.

Open House Details:

Date: Sunday, May 18
Time: 12:00 to 3:00
Location: 40 Almond Avenue

Stop by the open house to view this Oak View home for sale!

Located in the Rolling Hills Estates neighborhood, this four-bedroom home is just a walk or bike ride away from dining, shopping, the post office, grocery stores, and more.

It is also just a short drive to the shops, cafes, spas, and galleries in Ojai’s downtown village and the camping, fishing, and water park at Lake Casitas.

This approximately 1,958-square-foot home has an open floor plan with flexible spaces, large closets, ceiling fans, a walk-in pantry, a gas fireplace with a brick hearth, and an extra-large family room with a garden window.

There are also unique touches throughout that make this home stand out, such as the molding around the interior doors, wainscoting, clawfoot bathtub, two bay windows with window seats, a built-in desk and bookshelves, and a vintage O’Keefe & Merritt gas range.

Outside, there is a covered patio, an additional patio, garden area, RV parking, two-car garage, drought-resistant landscaping, and a river rock walkway and borders in the front yard.

Features include:

Four bedrooms, two bathrooms
Approximately 1,958 square feet
Gas fireplace
Wood-burning stove
Walk-in pantry
Large closets
O'Keefe & Merritt gas stove
Ceiling fans
Wainscoting
Two bay windows with window seats
Two-car garage
RV parking
Drought-resistant landscaping
River rock walkway and borders
Covered outdoor living area
Additional patio
Raised garden bed
Walk to shops, dining, post office, markets
Short drive to downtown Ojai
Short drive to Lake Casitas

Visit the property information page for more photos and information, or contact Nora Davis today to schedule a private showing of this Oak View home for sale.

Enjoy the tranquility of a country setting in this two-bedroom home set against a mountain backdrop in an avocado orchard.

After entering through the security gate, a long, semi-private driveway leads to the house where you will find a natural grass lawn shaded by heritage oak trees, gravel driveway, covered parking area, and large, gravel guest parking area. As you step from the covered front porch into the living room, you are greeted by wood floors bathed in natural light from large windows. There is plenty of room for both a seating area and dining area in this large space where a ceiling fan helps keep the temperature comfortable while the mountains allow you and your guests to enjoy beautiful mountain and orchard views.

The kitchen, hallway, bathrooms, and laundry room have easy-care vinyl floors, and the laundry room has a door leading to the fenced backyard with low-maintenance landscaping and privacy screening.

In the primary bedroom, cozy carpet makes winters more comfortable, while a ceiling fan and window evaporative cooling unit help keep things cool in summer. A large closet and built-in cabinet provide ample storage.

The guest bedroom also has built-ins for lots of storage, as well as a ceiling fan, natural light, mountain views, and wood floor.

All of this is in a country setting just a short drive from downtown Ojai, Lake Casitas, and Meiners Oaks.

Rent: $3,900 per month
Security deposit: $3,900

Sorry, no dogs allowed.

Landlord pays water, trash, landscaping maintenance.

Appliances included without warranty include washer, dryer, refrigerator, and microwave.

For more photos and information about this Ojai home for rent, visit the property information page. To schedule a showing or request a rental application, contact AimeeJo.  (805) 258-3051

This custom, Craftsman-style home is located just a short drive from downtown Ojai in the heart of the village of Meiners Oaks.

Within walking distance of dining, shopping, schools, public transportation, the library, and the Ojai Meadows Preserve, you will have the joy of living in a walkable neighborhood while also enjoying your own family orchard, raised garden beds, and covered outdoor entertaining area with Arizona flagstone in your private backyard.

Inside, you can grow fresh herbs in the garden window in the remodeled kitchen, curl up with a good book on the window seat, relax in front of the wood-burning fireplace, or entertain in spacious rooms with vaulted, beamed ceilings.

Other amenities and upgrades include a detached garage, gated guest or RV parking, 2016 roof, solar panels, large closets, granite counters and breakfast bar, pantry, crown molding, and whole-house water filtration system. 

Features include:

Three bedrooms, two bathrooms
Vaulted, beamed ceilings
Remodeled kitchen
Granite counters and breakfast bar
Wood-burning fireplace
Large closets
Ceiling fans
Crown molding
Detached, two-car garage
Gated guest or RV parking
Covered, Arizona flagstone patio
Additional patio with electrical for hot tub
Fruit trees
Raised garden beds
Solar panels
Whole-house water filtration system

For more photos and information, visit the property information page. To schedule a private showing, contact your Ojai real estate agent, Nora Davis, today.

The recent fires and those currently burning across Southern California are a reminder that living here means always looking towards reducing fire risk as much as possible. While it is not possible to make your property completely fireproof and no amount of preparation can ensure that your home will survive a fire that comes through your neighborhood, there are steps we can all take to reduce the risk of losing our homes.

Here are five home-hardening options to reduce the risk of fire damage on your property.

1. Regularly clean your roof and gutters.
I cannot say this one enough: Cleaning your gutters is not just about making sure they are functioning properly if it happens to rain; keeping your gutters free of debris is an essential part of reducing the risk of wildfire damage to your home. Flammable materials on your roof or in your gutters can easily ignite if an ember from a nearby fire is carried to your home on the wind.

2. Follow Fire Hazard Reduction Program (FHRP) guidelines.
The Fire Hazard Reduction Program provides details on how to reduce fire risk on your property with weed abatement, tree clearance, and creating and maintaining a defensible space around your home.

There are several documents on the Ventura County Fire Department website (VCFD.org) that can help you better understand the guidelines.

3. Choose fire-resistant plants.
There are no plants that are truly fireproof, but there are many that are fire resistant. As part of the FHRP, the Ventura County Fire Department (VCFD) provides their Plant Reference Guide to assist homeowners in choosing plants. The guide provides information on common ornamentals used in landscaping, including plants that should be avoided. The guide also includes information on each variety’s drought tolerance, which can help you find the best options for saving water and creating a beautiful yard that is fire resistant.

You will also want to refer to VCFD Standard 515 – Defensible Space and Fuel Modification Zones for spacing and maintenance requirements, as well as Guideline 410 – Prohibited Plant List to find out which plants and trees are prohibited in new required defensible spaces and fuel modification zones. The publication also encourages homeowners to remove these plants and trees from existing defensible spaces. You might be surprised at some of the trees on this list that are commonly found near structures here, such as olive and pepper trees, so this list is worth a look.

These publications can be found on the Ventura County Fire Department website at VCFD.org.

4. Use fire features safely.
Outdoor fireplaces, fire pits, chimeneas, and other fire features make for a cozy, inviting space to gather with friends or unwind with your partner at the end of the day. When well maintained and used properly, fire features are generally safe; however, it only takes one errant ember or a few logs haphazardly stacked against your home for things to go awry. Always keep your fire features clean, inspect them annually, always use a fire screen, maintain a 10-foot radius free of debris, and keep fire extinguishing supplies nearby. Make sure you are using the correct fuel for your fire feature and that you know how to safely store that fuel. And, of course, never leave the fire unattended and make sure it is completely out before going inside for the night.

If you are storing firewood for an indoor fireplace or outdoor fire features, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) recommends stacking firewood a minimum of 30 feet away from structures and maintaining a 10-foot, vegetation-free area around your firewood.

5. Look for fire-resistant patio furniture and textiles.
Wood patio furniture, rugs and doormats made from natural fibers, and cushions made from untreated, natural fabrics would naturally be the first choice for many folks, but if you are concerned about reducing fire risk, you are better off choosing fire-resistant options, such as metal furniture, flame-retardant fabrics, and rubber or metal doormats.

When I was looking up statistics for my New Year’s column for Ojai Monthly a couple of years ago, studies showed that folks usually give up on about 80% to 90% of their resolutions shortly after making them. While researching the column this year, it seems like not much has changed. It turns out that most of us still have difficulty maintaining resolutions because we often make the goals too ambitious, too vague, too focused on depriving ourselves of things we enjoy, or too divergent from our current lifestyles.

Respondents to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2024 (pewresearch.org) reported that most of their resolutions were focused on health followed by finances, and then dropping down to a bit more than half reporting that they wanted to work on personal relationships or hobbies and other interests.

These are all worthwhile pursuits, of course, and will surely be on my list of intentions for the coming year, but I always find that my intentions also lean heavily towards home improvement and organization, community involvement, and finding new homes for things I no longer need. If that sounds familiar, then here are a few more resolutions to consider for this year’s list.

1.    Improve the defensible space around your home.
The destruction caused by recent fires is a good reminder that we all need to keep wildfire risk reduction in mind throughout the year. One thing we all can do is create a defensible space around our homes or improve the defensible spaces we have already created. This might include choosing fire-resistant plants for landscaping, trimming trees away from your roofline, moving firewood away from structures, and using non-flammable hardscape materials like gravel, paving stones, bricks, and concrete.

2.    Commit to better home maintenance.
It is easy to forget regular home maintenance tasks like cleaning refrigerator coils and testing smoke detectors, but these tasks help keep our families safer, make our homes cleaner and more efficient, and help protect our investments. Set calendar reminders to clean refrigerator coils every six months, dryer vents at least once a year, and gutters at least twice a year. Reminders can also help you remember to have your chimneys inspected and cleaned before you start using them each winter, to change your furnace filters every one to three months, and to test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors regularly.

3.    Support local businesses and contractors.
Home improvement and organization projects often make it onto our list of resolutions each year, so if you are planning renovations, repairs, upgrades, or big organizing projects, be sure to shop locally and hire local contractors to build community and support the local economy.

4.    Increase community involvement.
This can take many forms, which means everyone can find some way to become more involved in the local community or communities that are meaningful to you. This might include setting up a monthly donation to a cause close to your heart, checking out locally owned restaurants and shops, volunteering with community organizations in person or remotely, or joining local community groups.

5.    Clear clutter for a cause.
If clearing clutter is on your list of resolutions this year, consider donating household goods and clothing to local charities. One way to help locally is to donate items to 2nd Helpings Thrift Store (841 East Ojai Avenue). Making donations here provides a way for local families to acquire lower-cost necessities while also supporting the work of HELP of Ojai.  

Happy new year, everyone! May 2025 be filled with love, joy, prosperity, health, and adventure for you and your loved ones!

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.